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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to think CSA is a bloody joke

43 replies

Mrbojangles1 · 08/05/2012 13:58

Just called to day and I was today I might be entitled to a whole £5 a week Hmm

He dosent work I know that much and I don't think he claims benfits either so I don't even think I will get that gurr

Also went to look for a lawyer today yeah bloody right £155 ph luckly a lady on my road knows somone and they do legal aid will have to contribute towards to it but much better that £155 Blush prince prick(ex) is demanding contact

Dose any one any happy stories about the CSA male me feel better

OP posts:
Mrbojangles1 · 08/05/2012 14:03

Hopefully you ladies will give me the strength indeed because at the moment I am running on empty :(

OP posts:
picnicbasketcase · 08/05/2012 14:05

What does he live on if not working or claiming benefits?

Mrbojangles1 · 08/05/2012 14:06

Well that's the mystery I imagin the MET might be able to shed some light on that Wink

He is a shady operator at the best of times

OP posts:
MsKittyFane · 08/05/2012 14:30

If he earns nothing (legally) and claims nothing you are entitled to a % of ... Er... nothing. Who will pay the £5 for him?
Seriously, shop him. Where does he get his money from to live on with no income. He does have an income obviously, just not one the CSA can touch.

SusanneLinder · 08/05/2012 14:51

www.childsupportsolutions.co.uk/pwc-appeal.htm

You can make an Application for Departure, if you believe that he has more money than he is declaring the to the CSA.

Oh and badger badger badger. I have gone through their complaints procedure (several times), went through my MP etc etc. You need to keep on their back or they forget about you :o

Thankfully my CSA hell is almost at an end as my arrears are paid off in 6 mths or so.

Mrbojangles1 · 08/05/2012 14:52

I have been told if he claims Benfits that I will possibly get £5 a week but I don't think he dose Calaim benafits

I have been told if he's working cash in hand then he can be done by the tax office for tax avoidance

Also of his partner is claming as a single parents that is benafit fraud to be honest I would just be happy with not. With him. Not being a nob end and just paying £35 a week

OP posts:
Mrbojangles1 · 08/05/2012 14:53

Another issue I have is he won't give his address but that matter should be cleared up in a few weeks

OP posts:
Mrbojangles1 · 08/05/2012 14:54

That's why its diffcult to find out much about his finances

OP posts:
lisaro · 08/05/2012 15:21

I am no fan of the CSA but I fail to see how you can blame them for your ex, the person you chose to have a child with, being a waste of space.

SoftKittyWarmKitty · 08/05/2012 15:24

I posted similar a few days ago. My ex has successfully avoided the CSA for the best part of 6 years and earlier this year when they finally caught up with him and issued a Deduction of Earnings Order, he deliberately left his job so he didn't have to pay. He's now on benefits apparently, and I should shortly start receiving the princely sum of £2.50 per week Hmm. CSA are a shower of shite imo.

JosieZ · 08/05/2012 15:28

lisaro has a point.

DesperatelySeekingSedatives · 08/05/2012 15:33

CSA is a joke from what I've heard. However, in this instance your ex is the problem, not them. They can't get blood out a stone. If none of the money he lives off of is legit they can't really do much, which isn't their fault. It's your ex's fault he is a useless, selfish waste of space who wont co-operate with paying towards the upkeep of a child he helped bring into the world.

Glitterkitten · 08/05/2012 16:06

YANBU

Not fit for purpose unfortunately.

You may find the ability of a solicitor to resolve maintenance issues is limited. unless its a case of lump sum/property award/top up of csa award you're pretty much stuck with the CSA.

i doubt CMEC will do any better.

Seabright · 08/05/2012 16:15

Would he respond to the suggestion of a private maintenance agreement, as an alternative to you reporting him to HMRC?

Assuming he's not abusive etc

MsKittyFane · 08/05/2012 16:38

I agree that it is the men being chased by the CSA who are a shower of st in these cases. Not the CSA itself.

lattelov3r · 08/05/2012 16:43

In this instance how can you blame the csa for being a joke if hes not earning hes not earning many are struggling to get work at he moment, maybe he has a partner and is unable to claim who knows either way not the csa at blame

SoftKittyWarmKitty · 08/05/2012 18:46

In my case the CSA has to take the bulk of the responsibility for not getting child support for my DS. In the last 5.5 years they have, amongst other things, lost my case notes, left my case on someone's desk where it was forgotten for months (they actually admitted this), failed to follow up on information I supplied to them about my ex, and failed to implement the powers they have to get a non-resident parent to pay. My ex has only recently left his job and gone on benefits, before that he was working, and he owes me over £6k in arrears. If the CSA had got their finger out and come down on him like a ton of bricks when I first applied, the situation would never have got to this point.

bochead · 08/05/2012 18:48

YABU - the CSA are pretty useless. If as much effort was put into colecting child support as goes into collecting unpaid council tax and parking fines child poverty would be almost eradicated methinks. There just isn't the political will to enforce payments the way the VAT man does.

Fight the good fight on behalf of your child, so that you are able to say you tried. (That means a few letters, and visits to your MP etc). Once you feel you've given it your best shot then it's time to just accept you gotta go it alone and get on with it. -

ElsieMc · 08/05/2012 19:02

The CSA are only competent for straightforward cases only. Anything outside the box or a bit tricky - forget it or face months of stress and grief.

You have to pick your battles with them. In court, father of one DS, stated he worked a six day week, but denies it to the CSA. They say that what he has sworn in court is not enough. Yes, really.

If I want to pursue it, I have to find out who he works for and if they deny it, then thats that, because they always believe the employer.

I have been getting £5 per week since November and now will get £32 per week even though this appears to mean he gets paid below the minimum wage.

Basically, they like an easy life and will put you off if they can.

As already suggested, your best route then is to say you want to make a complaint. This means someone will ring you back (saving you the cost of their usual lengthy phone calls) and it will be looked into. This does not mean they will solve it.

I have had a particularly gormless staff member accepting someone cannot ring them back regarding wage details because they have gone to Scotland for three weeks and no-one else in the firm can work the computer. Or, they have put their coat on, logged off and therefore cannot tell them the answer to the question until the following week. This is while the child waits for the financial support it is due by law.

You can ask them to look at an ex who has a certain lifestyle, but no income to match. This is not that easy and you have to have good evidence. I failed because the £25,000 he stated he paid for his wedding and honeymoon "could" have been paid for by his parents. You need plenty of evidence and a good staff member (there are a few) will guide you. I was told to reapply with better evidence.

They will even tell you themselves to take what you can and avoid the stress. Not good enough I know, but sometimes sound advice.

AdelaideRex · 08/05/2012 19:13

OP you say you know he doesn't work, he may not be entitled to any benefits.

If he's being supported by someone else then how can he pay anything?

Oh and yes the CSA are a shower of shit

MissMogwi · 08/05/2012 19:24

In my case the CSA have been helpful, they told me quickly that my exp claims benefits.

He will be paying the princely sum of £5 per week for two children. He does work but only enough hours to allow his claim, funnily enough.

He is furious I have dared to not only expect child support but ask for it and has now morphed into an even bigger gobshite.

The CSA do make mistakes I know, but they can only do so much. It's infuriating isn't it.

dondon33 · 08/05/2012 19:53

YANBU
My sis had to fight for a long time to get sorted for her Dd.
When Csa first got involved the useless complete waste of good air tosspot ignored them for over 1 year. My DS informed them numerous times of his work circumstances, his addresses, when he "lost" his job then began working illegally while claiming benefits- she also informed them. The guy must be magic- he still managed to drive an Audi TT and live in an expensive newly built riverside apartment and generally live the high life with his £130 a fortnight.
She had to tell them again when he resumed legit work and where. Eventually after almost 4 years she began receiving payments.

Tossers excuse was that he "thought" because Ds had married someone else that he didn't have to pay - claimed he was legally advised this which was utter BS, the rate that you pay can be reduced in this circumstance but certainly doesn't mean as the father you pay zero to support your own child.
Funny thing is he now pays more than double each month than what my Ds had wanted from him when she tried keeping it civil and agree the figures.

McHappyPants2012 · 08/05/2012 20:00

you dont need a solicitor for court, you can represent yourself

Mrbojangles1 · 08/05/2012 20:17

What gets on my nervous is just that when the ex reuses to pay it seems their is nothing they can do but ring their hands.

I just think that their needs to be a clamping down on all this and it also seems if it's the NPR job to do all the dective work like some god dam columbo

McHappyPants2012 thanks but I think I will be will be their with dick&co so I better represent myself

OP posts:
MsKittyFane · 08/05/2012 20:45

mrbojangles :What gets on my nervous is just that when the ex reuses to pay it seems their is nothing they can do but ring their hands. You have already Said your Ex doesn't have a job and doesn't claim benefits. What do you want them to do? As far as they can see, he has no money of his own. Highly unlikely but what can they do? Your anger can only be directed at him for dodging the system.

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