CSA have messed me around terribly where do I stand

[gazd1978]

I would like some help to see where I stand with the CSA.

 

 

After complaining several times over the telephone about my case, never receiving anything further than an “I’m sorry Mr Dowson”, not following the complaints procedure, no body taking initiative for the errors and now totally messing up my case, taking YEARS to work out what I should be paying, DESPITE having my payslips, I find myself in £4606 worth of arrears.

 

This is down to no fault of my own, this is sheer negligence, and maladministration at its absolute highest.

 

I would like the following points to be addressed immediately.

 

 

• You requested payslips in March 2012, which I produced immediately. I sent you payslips, EVERY single one since I started work in April 2009. So why is it (May 2014) it has took 22 months to work out what I should be paying?
  

• I got a letter shortly after sending in my payslips saying my case is now fully assessed and my payment is now, £5 Yes £5 a week, despite myself being in fulltime employment. I rang up and quizzed this and got told it was a cross over, and to await another letter. I received another letter telling me to pay; yes you guessed it £5 a week. I rang up, yet again, and they said on my income I should be paying £30 a week. This is what I did, I asked for a direct debit form from MAY 2012, and was not given one, yet EVERY month I made a payment by debit card (costing me over £3-£5 on my mobile EACH time, I was asked the same questions why don’t you pay by direct debit? Each and every time, I said I want to, but given the same response about my case not being finalised. This continued for months, until then astonishingly when I was paying by card around September 2013 I was told I was paying too much and to pay just £5 a week again. I explained clearly I was working, but you were adamant this was right. (check the call)
  

• I was not allowed access to see my son as what I was paying the CSA was NOT same as the child in questions mother was receiving. She therefore thought I was fleecing her, you were telling her and me different things. As a result I have missed years of seeing my child which is totally, totally
  

• unacceptable, and all I have ever got is an “I’m sorry Mr Dowson; your case will be sorted soon”.
  
• The amounts I need to be paying on your letter dated 16/5/14 are totally incorrect, EVEN though I have handed in my payslips, for example £33 a week from 13.7.09 to £5 a week from 15.3.10 this is incorrect as you will see FROM MY PAYSLIP my last wage in December 2009. I did not sign on till March as I am a proud man and only sign on when I absolutely need it. Therefore I had zero income for this period.
  

• Going through the letter from the bottom amount £39:00 a week from 6.4.09 is to 13.7.09 IS CORRECT. £33:00 a week from 13.7.09 to 15.3.10 is incorrect as my payslips show, my last payslip proved this as it had holiday pay, salary adjustments and everything left before Christmas! £5 a week from 15.3.10 to 28.6.10 is correct. £ 32 a week from 28.6.10 to 2.8.10 is INCORRECT, as my payslip shows, I was in employment 4 weeks, not 9 as your records have shown. This was down to me waiting to sign on until the 02.8.10 I am being penalised for being honest and not signing as long as I could possibly avoid. Again I sent in my ONE and only payslip, so how do you have 9 weeks when I worked 4? This is a regular pattern and probably as why my arrears have been high, I had zero income, not even benefits, I HAVE PAYSLIPS to prove this, I have given you all my information and yet calculated it incorrect.
  

• Let me continue. £40 a week from 30.8.10 till 11.10.10 is out yet again by 2 weeks, I was there 4 weeks NOT 6. Again I sent this payslip in. £5 a week from 11.10.210 to 15.11.10 is correct, £40 a week from 15.11.10 to 20.12.10 is Correct, £5 a week from 20.12.10 to 29.8.11 is correct, then £5 a week from 29.8.11 is again correct. £37 a week from 5.3.12 is correct, £31 a week from 11.2.13 is again correct, finally £5 a week from 10.2.14 is incorrect as I only received 2 weeks JSA not 8, even though I did pay £60, yes I was on JSA that long, but as I made a joint claim I was over the threshold and did not qualify for JSA. As we can see littered with errors, despite having my payslips…..Yes you can argue about being notified of a change, it was common sense when I wrote hand written letters stating this is my one and only payslip !! I have written several times with dates of employment !! Backed these up with wage slips. !
  

• I gave up the home myself and Miss Brotton shared had without requesting a penny from the home as equity and profit of any sale would be substantial to her and my son
  

• In January I received SEVEN letters in one day, (what a waste of post) telling to pay SEVEN different amounts, then about 6-8 weeks later, I received around 9-10 letters once again ON THE SAME DAY, ALL STATING MY NEW WEEKLY PAYMENT WAS DIFFERENT FOR EVERY SINGLE LETTER. Great stuff. Unacceptable.
  

• Every month I asked for an update yet was stating I was paying the right amount, and then this case arrives for £4,606. I believe all calls are recorded so I would request those to played back.
  
• You were telling Miss Brotton I hadn’t sent in my payslips, you even told me at one point you had lost them! then they were found on the system, then they weren’t added on the system, a complete and utter fiasco
  

• As a result of your negligence and know I work 9-5, I had 3 private number calls during these hours, yet received no voicemail. No letter. Then I find out you have done a detachment of earnings of what I and my wife can certainly not afford. This is putting our marriage under strain, but no one seems to care or acknowledges the damage that you have caused. My wife is part time, we have a child of our own. I work full time. Our outgoings are more than our incomings now. This can’t be right. If I quit work, which I think I will have too, at least we will save this (£215 a month, rent and council tax £600 and nursery fees £390 a month as we will qualify for all those glorious benefits you see and hear about, but we are honest people and proud, but when you are forced, and this is forced, what can you do? ) So where is the benefit in being honest and working? I objected paying by card as it was costing me money phoning and to be honest I can get away with a detachment of earnings IF IT WAS THE RIGHT AMOUNT. I have calculated the arrears are thousands LESS than your calculations.
  

• I do want to pay my way, as you will see since I found permanent employment in 5.3.12 payments have been constant after years of one month temping and months on the dole. This is how I get treated, chasing men who pay, not men who don’t.
  

• I am asked to pay £215 for my ex partners son who I don’t see, yet cannot afford to provide for my own child with my wife. I wish my daughter with my wife could have £215 spent on her each month. Adding to the fact the ex-partners tax credits won’t be affected, she will be laughing all the way to the bank. We are expecting another baby in October, we need a double buggy, car seat, Christmas, all impossible and ruined. My wife is talking about a termination. This is beyond a joke. I am holding the CSA liable for this as my wife says we can not afford this baby. The damage you have done by taking so long to sort this out, playing us off against each other, telling me to pay wrong amounts this is border line unrepairable. I do not want to hear another “I’m sorry Mr Dowson” again.
  

• The CSA is meant to be about protecting children falling into poverty and as a result of your fantastic service, you have placed my wife and daughter in poverty probably will lose our home, loose her car, and both loose our jobs. But well done, you have ticked boxes and filled in forms, so you must be patting yourselves on the back.
  

 

• Summarise, I have been unable to see my son, as his mother always thinks I have avoided paying, but YOU have been withholding payments, you have held my payslips for two years without reaching a conclusion, you informed to pay by card every month reassuring me all was well, this is an absolute joke, I’m very upset at not seeing my son, and taking TWO years to reach a conclusion , you have toldme this is a final decision 15 times with different ammounts, it is unacceptable letting arrears build up. I believe after reading, researching I am due substantial compensation. I have been fobbed off every month I made my payment, withholding my payments to my ex-partner is shocking and has caused all sorts of stress. I have also written to my local MP regarding this matter.
   
  

Edited May 26, 2014 by citizenB
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[Ros1609]

Can you put some paragraphs in your post please? Its very hard to read otherwise.

 

What I will say tho is your access to your son is nothing to do with the CSA so don't expect them to do anything about it/compensate you in any way. That is between you and his mother. If she continues to withhold access for any reason then see a solicitor

[citizenB]

I have popped some spacing in for you

 

I wonder if it might be worth you sending a Subject Access Request to the CSA - this is a request for ALL information they have in respect of your relationship with them. You might find something in the data sent as to why they are causing such grief for you.

 

I think also it is in your interest to maintain communication with them in writing only. It might also be worth copying your wife (ex?) in on all the communication so that she is aware it the CSA and not you that is holding money back.

[csaqa]

Have you actually made a written complaint to the CSA about how your case has been handled. If it has taken 2 years for the case to be sorted then the caseworker dealing with the case should take in to consideration that you have been paying whilst the case was sorted and should allow you a longer period of repayment of the arrears as the arrears may have been due to CSA delays