Re:CSA Tribunal

Hi, I wonder if anyone on here knows the answer to this.
I made an application to vary a CSA child maintenance calculation, on the grounds of income not taken into account /diversion of income.
The NRP is a company Director and receives a large percentage of their income by means of Dividend payments. When questioned about this by the CSA, the NRP denied receiving any Dividends and the CSA said that they just had to take their word for that! I had no alternative but to escalate this to an appeals tribunal. Does anyone know whether the tribunal will have more powers than the CSA? Will they be able to ask the NRP to produce personal bank statements, annual tax returns, company bank statements and company accounts? Or will they just have to take their word for it?
I am going to have to represent myself at the tribunal and would be very grateful for any info or advice. If anyone has any experience of a tribunal I would really appreciate a heads up on what I can expect.

Thanks in anticipation

Sunny

The tribunal itself is a lot less nerve racking than you expect. its pretty similar to an employment tribunal if you have any experience? There will be a Chair and two expert advisors. Don't worry about self repping, you can even request a paper hearing and not go.

Bundle of papers which you will both have is the stuff that will have gone back and forth as part of the appeals process. The tribunal looks at them and interprets the rules, I don't think they can demand to see anything extra such as personal bank account details. In fact they can't actually make him attend so if he chooses not to go he can't be questioned either.

CSA can demand accounts, thats how they work out assessment so someone is fobbing you off!

Have you tried ICE?

Have you considered "lifestyle not consistent with declared income"? Hardest one to prove but worth trying

Thank you Wyspecial. What exactly is ICE?

Sorry.

The Independant Case Examiner. If you have a complaint about the CSA once you can take it to them to investigate. You need to have gone up to CEO level first without resolution. If ICE finds errors they can order CSA to correct them. They can also award compensation that CSA have to pay.

I used them a couple of times in my CSA days and found them excellent. An alternative is the Parlimentary Ombudsman but I have no experience of using them.