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CMS Help please

14 replies

NGC2017 · 20/03/2018 09:18

Hi,
I have posted on here a few times about the CMS so I wont go on too much, or at least try not to, but to cut a long story short, no maintenance has been received since January, (December period). Numerous calls have been made to the CMS for an update and every time I am told there is no update. This answer is becoming very annoying given that my child's dad IS STILL working for the same employer. This is a DOE case. I was told, and kept being told that they have 14 days to give me an answer. That was up last week. When I called last night, the guy I spoke to kept apologising. As I have been told before, just because there are no notes does not mean that nothing has been done. Well when I told him this he categorically told me 'NO NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE. CLEARLY WE ARENT DOING OUR JOB AND CHASING THESE EMPLOYERS LIKE WE SHOULD!' I was taken aback by that to be honest. And especially when he said we almost never ever take any party to court its just a threat, I lost total hope.
Me and my son have struggled so far and now the next payment has been missed which means we will have a tough April.
Do I have any grounds here? I just desperately want an update with an answer why its not being paid when he is still working there. There has never been a issue before with the order in the history on the case, over 2 years now! He admitted nothing has been done despite there being notes to say escalated over 2 weeks ago now. There has been numerous call back requests and no one has come back to me. The way I have been spoken to by some of the agents has been horrendous. To say I am disappointed is an understatement!

Any advice or experiences here will be greatly appreciated xx

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NGC2017 · 26/03/2018 12:08

No one :-( :-( :-( :-( :-( :-( :-( :-( :-( :-( :-( :-(

I've now received a letter that another payment hasn't been received (no shit! I told them this and they were adament it wasnt missed), all the whilst still being told nothing has been done to provide me with an update. Increasingly frustrating as son's dad was posted in his full uniform on saturday so is clearly still in employment there.

I feel like they dont really care :-(

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jaimelannistersgoldenhand · 26/03/2018 14:29

Contact your MO. Government departments like Tax Credits and CMS worker faster when an MP gets on their case.

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NGC2017 · 27/03/2018 08:18

Thanks
I have now done this and notified them of my complaint.
Really hope I get an update soon

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bastardkitty · 27/03/2018 08:24

I have heard other people say that things got moving when the MP got involved. Shame it's necessary. Good luck - hope you get somewhere.

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notapizzaeater · 27/03/2018 08:33

Shocking than they aren't doing more to get the money. I'd be emailing your mp too to see if that nudges them

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NGC2017 · 27/03/2018 08:38

I really hope so.

I just don't think the service handles none payment in an acceptable manner. To let it go another month to miss a payment isn't fair. I haven't even had an update in this time, yet they have 14 days to respond so it shouldn't be the case of not having even a little update to say they have tried contacting. I called again on Friday to be told they STILL haven't contacted the employer!

If he wasn't still working I would understand the delay in updating me with information, but as he still is working for the same employer it is beyond frustrating now.

My caseworker has to be the worst. I have lost count of how many 24 hour call back requests that have been sent to her in the last 7 weeks and she hasn't done one.

You have to pay a fee for this service and when problems arise they dont see to be fighting your corner :-(

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NGC2017 · 27/03/2018 09:48

It's amazing how lovely you are spoken to when you call and tell them the you have now contacted you local MP.
Woman was lovely, kept apologising but to be honest sorry isn't enough anymore.
So now another callback request has been put in and a 3rd pro forma has been sent to the employer team that no one and apparently even them arent able to have direct contact with.

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jaimelannistersgoldenhand · 27/03/2018 16:32

I hope that you get some results quickly.

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NGC2017 · 27/03/2018 16:33

Hi everyone

Just to update, thank you for the advice to contact MP. I did and told the CMS and was promised a 24 hour call back. I cant quite believe I am saying this but it's all been sorted. And payment promised by end of the week. Employer was called and was resolved in 20 mins. See how long it took to actually rectify!! Turns out that the issue and poor handling was on the CMS and payments had been deducted and just not paid to me so I dont know if I have any grounds but seems unacceptable to will continue my complaint.
But thank you for the advice. I cannot believe how quickly it got a result xx

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RipleyAlien · 27/03/2018 16:46

Good result.

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bastardkitty · 27/03/2018 16:49

Pleased for you! Smile

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jaimelannistersgoldenhand · 27/03/2018 21:55

Brilliant news!

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SickofThomasTheTank · 27/03/2018 21:59

This happens often!!! Been dealing with them for 3 years and it's got to the stage where every month I call and they say "Oh yes! I see a payment sitting there..." If I don't it doesn't get paid to me

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NGC2017 · 28/03/2018 06:46

That's terrible and hope that's not the case for me as they can be really horrible to you. Once I was told I was wasting their valuable time. How dare they!
I suppose the only blessing here is the money had been deducted. My biggest fear in all of this was that he was building up arrears which would have meant increased payments which he would have been raging at and caused alot of trouble again.
I've rebuilt a happy life for me and my son so I dont want that ruined now.
Sadly I have to use them as he chooses to be out of my son's life (another blessing if I'm honest!) But this has been a real eye opener and the turnaround from telling them I have taken it to my MP (make sure you give the MP name) really shocked me. I got a good result but am appalled they only took me seriously when MP was mentioned. My arguement all along was just pick up the phone and call them. When they finally did yesterday, it was sorted in 20 mins I believe.

I'm just sorry so many people have to go through the crap. You are made to feel like you are in the wrong and only interested in the money. For me, I struggled to meet our basic needs of food, heating, fuel for the car etc so I needed it sorted fast. Shame it took so long

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