How many Complaints do CSA get??

dazzanic_2

Hi, i have been paying the CSA now for 9 years without complaint, i have a new job now which means i earn a paltry £247 per week. My ex wife has asked i be re assessed back in May, 1 week agi i received a letter from the CSA stating i was in arrears by £700 going back to May, but i never received any letters until August. Prior to the assesment i was on a low income and was paying £5 per week for my 2 kids, but was also giving my ex wife £80 per month which the CSA did not know about. I have since got married and now the CSA are wanting my partners details, how will this affect what i am now being asked to pay which is a massive £255 per month, after all bills are paid i have £90 left per month for fuel, etc.. any help would be greatly appreciated

Loopy_Girl

dazzanic wrote: »

Hi, i have been paying the CSA now for 9 years without complaint, i have a new job now which means i earn a paltry £247 per week. My ex wife has asked i be re assessed back in May, 1 week agi i received a letter from the CSA stating i was in arrears by £700 going back to May, but i never received any letters until August. Prior to the assesment i was on a low income and was paying £5 per week for my 2 kids, but was also giving my ex wife £80 per month which the CSA did not know about. I have since got married and now the CSA are wanting my partners details, how will this affect what i am now being asked to pay which is a massive £255 per month, after all bills are paid i have £90 left per month for fuel, etc.. any help would be greatly appreciated

I think you would be better starting your own thread with this and you will get a better response

TriffidQueen

My complaint will be added to their list very soon!

frugallass

Well, they'll have 2 complaints in from our household, hubby submitted his a few weeks ago (asking for FoI stuff too), he had a confirmation letter stating that they aim to resolve complaints within 15 days (hilarious) and has had one phoned call from the officer dealing with the complaint and heard nothing since (more than 15 days).

He'll be phoning them tonight and will also let them know he's making an appointment to see the MSP.

My 4 page complaint letter (and FoI request) has taken a wee while to compile and that will be posted today. I've specifically stated that all communication from CSA has to be in writing (you can never get anyone after 6:30pm which is the time I get home from work).

cinders59

I have just spend most of the day trying to sort out a mess the csa has made with my son. He has had £361 taken out of his pay for child support. He has no children, lives in Wales and has always lived in Wales.
It turns out the Mother of this child who lives in York, didn't know the DOB of the father, so when the CSA did a check on the name and DOB, my son was top of the list, even though, their middle names are different, and the other boy had changed his name 7 years ago and he didn't tell this girl.

My son has been stressed all day over this, they have assured me that he will get his money back, but How can the CSA do this without doing a thorough check, as the two men involved live hundreds of miles apart.
How do I make a complaint about this, and not to the CSA as they will not do this properly, as someone was not doing their job properly

RedSky

You should take it up with your MP who can write direct to the Chief Executive Stephen Geraghty for a prioritised reply from the complaints team. The complaints team have the ability award you a consolatory payment as your reward for pointing out their maladministration.

Your MP can also push it to the Parliamentary Ombudsman which might be your only chance of it being officially recorded by someone independent of the CSA. You can also try writing to the Minister of Justice.

Sensemaya

RedSky wrote: »

Your MP can also push it to the Parliamentary Ombudsman which might be your only chance of it being officially recorded by someone independent of the CSA. You can also try writing to the Minister of Justice.

You have to go through ICE now before being able to approach the Parliamentary Ombudsman. See sticky at hte top of this forum.

RedSky

CSA website says the Ombudsman expects you to raise the complaint with the CSA first before being reviewed by ICE, where appropriate.
No definition of "appropriate" stated but probably means the drawn out process of going to the Resolution team then onto the Review team. http://www.csa.gov.uk/en/case/parliamentary-ombudsman.asp

Citizens Advice Bureau confirm that you have to complain to the CSA first for Local resolution before going to the Ombudsman http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/your_rights/civil_rights/how_to_use_an_ombudsman.htm#parliamentary_and_health_service_ombudsman.

And if you do make it past the Resolution team, Review team and ICE then you may have to persuade your MP that it still needs to go to the Parliamentary Ombudsman.

Interesting report of a similar situation on the Ombudsman website (although in your case it is worse as they further proceeded to take money from your son's pay), which did make its way to ICE http://www.ombudsman.org.uk/improving_services/special_reports/pca/small-mistakes-big-consequences/05-MrU.htm . Does show that you may have to take it all the way to get the matter resolved so the Agency don't contact you again in years to come.

Sensemaya

"We recommended that ICE:

• pay £250 to Mr U to remedy the distress, inconvenience and aggravation they caused; and
• the Independent Case Examiner send Mr U a written apology.
• The Agency and ICE agreed to implement our recommendations."

Taken from the last link RedSky posted.

So now ICE are as bad as the CSA generally speaking. Once I found out one couldn't bypass ICE and go straight to the PO, I just knew the govt would make it even more tortuous than ever.

What can we all say about that?

Lor0027

I am having a total nitemare with the CSA-Is my local councillor my only or best option to chase them up? Have emailed the CSA 3 times and no response yet? Have also phoned 6 times in last 6 weeks asking for a call back-didnt receive 1?