Hi
Fabulous CSA took me to court and attained a liability order against me. I have been sending them letters and asking questions as to why they are asking me to pay so much money and various other questions, but kindly enough CSA ignored it all, and went to court.
Whilst at the court i spoke to one of their representative who was unable to do anything, but to carry on with the court.
I didn't attend the actual court as the CSA representative told me that they will issue a liability order against me as i have not paid the money to CSA, courts do not want to know why or if you do not have it, courts have little power so there is nothing you can do, you either pay or face legal action.
Now after that CSA sent me a letter stating that if i don;t pay bailiffs are on their way, this is the second letter. CSA are asking me to pay £1,085.91 in one go. I am unable to pay that i am self employed but CSA do not want to know, all they want it money all of it.
Whilst at the court i was under the impression that CSA will write to me to agree the amount, i didn't know that they will pas my case to bailiffs.
The amount they are asking is unreasonable, i have tried to liaise with them, but they have ignored me as usual.
I called them to on my mobile at one of their 0845 numbers, and they told me that my case has been handed to bailiffs and i need to speak to them, even though i have not heard anything from them as yet.
I would appreciate if any advice on this please.
I have also raised couple of other issues with CSA but they have so far ignored me as much possible.
Thanks
Hi there 🙂
My feeling is you should have defended yourself in court...who was it that told you it didn't matter if you were there or not? The CSA! I'm pretty sure he wasn't being totally straight with you when he told you that it was a done deal, the courts do have powers and can exercise them. But its done now and the only thing I can suggest is for you to get in touch with your MP ASAP....make an appointment and go and see him take any/all the paperwork you have and ask for his help.
I would also go and see the Citizens Advice Bureau as fast as possible.
To the best of my knowledge, bailiffs actually have very limited powers, and then tend to use the public's general ignorance of these, and some bully-boy attitudes to get their own way. I believe that unless they have the police present, they cannot enter your house unless invited in (assuming they haven't been into the house before) - however, an invitation can be construed as opening the door, or having a window open, so as stupid as it sounds, if you don't know who is at the door, don't open it - speak to them through the letterbox or from a window upstairs, and make it clear you will not be opening the door. If possible, video them when they are there in case they try anything illegal.
Having said that, the bailiffs may be more reasonable than the CSA have been, so it's worth contacting them by letter or email making an offer to pay the amount by instalments - don't do this by phone as you want a written record. If they have given you bank details to make the payments, then you can start paying the instalments. If the bailiffs can't get money from you, they will pass the case back to the CSA, who will then take further action - ultimately, the possible sanctions are removal of your driving license, a charge on your house or jail, and this all has to be done by the court. However, to the best of my knowledge, the courts are generally unwilling to apply these sanctions unless the parent is not prepared to make any payment at all - in your case, you are prepared to make payments (which is why the letter to the bailiff).
As I said above, though, go and have a word with the CAB (take what I have suggested above so they can verify or correct it) as quickly as possible.
Many thanks for your time and your response. Now i see, what you mean, they guy from CSA only wanted his way and did not want me to attend the court, I was there and he told me what't the point of you being there, courts have little power they wouldn't to know your grievances with CSA all they want to know why you haven't paid the money. So he said it's no point of you being there, i'll get a liability order and that's it.
He also showed me the paper where it mentioned that i can agree to pay on monthly basis, to the least amount of £45.00, but that never happened. CSA are totally corrupt and give wrong information to people. My son will be 18 in August they told me that i will have to pay as long he lives at home and full time education that can be anything in his 20's or 30's and as long his mother is claiming child benefit.
I really appreciate your comments and many thanks for taking time read and respond to me. I spoke to CSA today and they told me that my case has now been passed to bailiffs so speak to them. I have no idea who they are and haven;t heard anything from them as yet. So far i have paid them £13, 310.56.All CSA has done so far turned blind eye to what i have been trying to say, there is no one in CSA to listen they all bunch of crooks. Once again thanks for your comments.
You could approach the Court and ask for the Judgment to be set aside, using your correspondence as evidence, and what happened last time you were at the Court. You need to do that urgently, but then you could notify the CSA that that is what you have done and any bailiffs who might call, I don't know whether they will use court bailiffs or certificated bailiffs.
I don't think (but I could be wrong) that the CSA use court bailiffs.
The mother can only claim benefits until the child is 20 and if in full time education, so you won't pay indefinitely - a couple more years, though if you are in arrears, I think you will have to pay until they are cleared even if that goes beyond the mother claiming benefits.