CSA Court, Bailiffs etc Help Please

[ssteele]

Hello there, where to start.

I will start by saying that most of this if not all of this is my own fault however I still need to work out my options.

We are talking about me not a friend.

I just received a letter following a phone call from the CSA informing me that I am going to court on the 8th of August 2009 – This is to get a liability order for just over £25,000.

The bulk of the debt of arrears are from 2004 – present. I have two children from a previous marriage who are now aged 14 and 16

In 2001 I returned to the UK after spending some time out of the country – long story there but during that time I did send the kids money.

In 2002 I signed on and was assessed at nil – I was living with my sister at the time.

In 2004 I had moved several times and was doing a little bit of direct selling, signed off but didn’t bother opening the CSA letters due to ‘mate’s expert advice!’ – I ignored them hoping they would go away.

I had not opened a letter from them until last week – or in 5 years.

Currently I have my own business that is in its 2nd year, Last year I ended up with an income of just over £10,000

Basically what has happened is because I have never opened one of the letters I have never been assessed with living costs and they did not know about my new wife (4 years now) and my two new children aged 2 years and the other being 8 weeks old.

Last year my income was again just over £1100.00

My wife does not work currently as she helps me in the business which is now starting to move upwards. The first two years of the business had a decent turn over but we have invested most of it back into buying more equipment for the business. Over the next year I would expect to earn around £16,000 and then £18-20 K in 2011

We live in a rented house and don’t have an extravagant lifestyle. We get on really well with my two girls from the previous marriage, the do come and spend weekends and the odd week with us but only totaling around 3 – 4 weeks a year. – We do pay for the odd school trip and I just brought my 16 year old her prom dress, shoes etc or around £275.00 ish in money terms.

We have 2 cars but 1 is off the road on a sorn as it needs £500 spent getting it thru an mot and we cannot afford to get it fixed

 

I need a car for my business.

My business is run from home and therefore I do have a lot of equipment in one room of the house. The business is a photography business and I am worried beyond belief that if bailiffs come they will take the computers (we have 3 for the business 1 x 4 year old apple and 1 x 2 year old pc used at home for website stuff and processing images etc. The other one is a laptop that is used at events and for slideshows etc again for the business) they are old but the run the whole business. I also have camera equipment of around £12,000 value. As I said before we don’t have an extravagant lifestyle or have lots of goodies around the house.

I have spent a lot of time reading the advice here and now that it’s becoming all too real to me I have specific questions.

I have been talking to the CSA who seem friendly enough on the phone but who don’t seem to be able to help me at all! – I sent them in proof of housing costs 5 weeks ago and it’s still not been reassessed.

In talking to them, they have said basically this.

I will go to court to get a liability order – then they have ONLY 2 years to get the whole debt paid off. They have said they have options that include bailiffs, suspension of driving license, prison.

I am willing to come to some sort of payment plan with them however there is NO WAY ON EARTH I can pay this debt off in the 2 years.

So if Bailiffs come – do I have to let them in?

Will the notice ‘No police or Bailiffs’ stop them coming in.

Can they do the foot over the threshold thing?

If I don’t let them in, can they take or clamp the car. Because without it, I can’t do the work I do (we are planning on getting rid of the other car as soon as possible since we can’t afford to get it fixed up)

Can I sell the car to a friend and borrow it ? - would this stop them from taking it ?

 

If we do let them in, can they take the camera and computer equipment?

Is there a way to get the CSA to extend the 2 years they say they HAVE to get the debt paid off in?

But the big question is – is there a way I can get them to go back and recalculate the outstanding debt with housing costs included.

The bad news is I also have around £10,000 debt of credit card debt that we have used to help get the business started. The business is as I said before starting to take off pretty well and has a good future and will become pretty profitable over the next few years.

This means that I don’t have a huge amount of disposable income left at all to throw at clearing the debt.

My family is not in a position to help me.

I have now got to the stage that I am not sleeping at nights and when I do, I wake up at 3 am in panic mode thinking that someone will burst thru the door any minute.

Any help or advice you can give me is greatly appreciate.

I am about to book to go see the citizens advice as well but if you can point me in a better direction etc that would be great.

 

What I dont understand is that I am currently assessed at almost £130.00 per week which is over 1/2 the money I bring in at the moment.

 

thanks for any advice you can give.

S

[ukdeveloper]

I dontknow anything about the CSA thing, but...

 

Suspension of driving licence?

 

WTF???

[hallowitch]

if you are dealing the C S A i would go and see my M P and ask them to help you if you have to speak to the C S A over the phone then i would buy a truecall

the C S A are notorious for getting things wrong and you may not owe as much money as you think you do

[seanamarts]

The CSA are a ruthless bunch indeed and will push and push until they get what they want. any way here is a link that may help you out.. good luck

FAQ - Appealing against our decisions - Child Support Agency