My ex partner and I have been dealing with maintenance under a ‘private agreement’, which was fine – she was happy with the amount and payments have always been made on time with no issues.

On Wednesday we had an argument and under her own admission she has now contacted the CSA out of ‘spite’

My query is relating to on going payments shall I continue or will they want money from when she applied? – I don’t want to have to pay twice.

I am aware that the CSA will take at least 2 months so I was going to set the money aside for them. I would prefer it if I can continue to pay the ex and then the CSA take them payments in to account and start from date we tell them from.

I have calculated the amount and it will be £5 more than what I currently pay, don’t know why she is bothering! Think it is because the CSA used to have such a bad reputation for ‘hurting’ fathers.

Hi Paul
Sorry I cannot be of help as far as the CSA now function, but 8 years ago I was with a guy and his ex brought in the CSA hitsquad, total spite, they had been divorced 6 years, just spite, he always paid on time and well for his son.
It really does make me want to rant when the CSA are used as a threatening weapon. It goes without saying that if a parent walks away, intending not to pay then there must be laws in place to prevent this. But 8 years ago, the CSA really did not know what they were doing, they took half his wages!!! turned out,just before he was due to stop paying, they said, Oh you should only be paying £101.00, he was paying £450pm for years.!!!! Did we get it back, yeah right, in our dreams. I am sure that when you telephoned, they put the phone on the desk and went off shopping, nothing you reported or informed them about ever appeared anywhere.
It would be much easier for you if you could both sit down and agree a sum without getting them involved. Especially as it is only £5.00. You can guarantee they mess it up and that will cause even more friction.
Hope someone will be able to give you more advice.
Zara

The clock starts ticking from the date the CSA 1st contact the non resident parent-if it takes them 2 months then you are liable from 2 months time. They are currently taking longer than that though. (!st contact includes telephone contact). Your liability cannot be backdated to date the parent with care applied.

Hi Paul,
just one other thought I had on this.....

I think if your ex wife goes down this route, she might be interested to know that the CSA have a track record for not being consistent in delivering the correct amount of money each month. One of my friends had to contact CSA, ex husband not paying anything at all. It took ages before it all was up and running, it has been a year now, and perhaps one month she gets half the amount she should, then nothing for say two months, then the correct amount, and this is how it has gone on. She is currently owed over £4,000. Ex says he paid it, the CSA say they cant track it, She has spent hours and money on the phone, banged her head against the wall, continuously. She finally managed to explain it all to one person, she disappeared into thin air!!! so had to go through it all again a couple of months later, after she had received no payments for those two months. She is steaming and fed up with it. This is the kind of story I have heard over the years from desperate CSA failed people. She might be cutting of her nose to spite her face. The same will work against your ex-wife too. If she has problems, the above will apply to her too. Just causes friction, unecessary friction.
zara

Thanks for you answers

It has moved on since my post I told my ex that I was happy to pay money directly into her account but she said no s*d you I am going to the CSA on Monday.

I said I will still need her details so that I can pay up till it all set up with the CSA she said 'no dont bother I am going to get them to back date it and then I will get it all in time for my holiday'

Holiday is with her new fellow our son not going...hmmmm CSA money goes to the children.

Oh well she will soon realise that she wont get the money backdated. I have told her if she dont want the money then I will buy stuff for my son for the ammount.

How did I stay with that woman for 10 years???

Hi Paul
Have you looked through the posts, there is another one on the CSA me on ranting again.
I just think that if there was any chance of you calming the situation down and doing it without the CSA it would be to BOTH of your advantages.
I think that the scariest part of being threatened with the CSA is not the paying, you want to do that anyway, it is the fact that they mess things up so badly that it causes such bad feelings.
Do try
Zara