Please help!! Customer Compliance reply after interview

[fee0000]

I had an interview with Customer Compliance Officer at my place about a week ago.

I was really worried and nervous about as I didn't know what it may refer too, I mean I knew it's to check my circumstances but still quite worrying!

 

Any way, lady came and she was really nice and everything but at some point I've realised that this is all about me leaving with another girl and they're checking if we are a couple.

We are not a couple, we rent an 3 bed apartment together where each of as has own room, we share kitchen, bathroom and living room, also we use 3rd room as a junk room.

Questions she were asking were really awkward and it didn't really felt nice to answer them as it was a bit personal :/

Nevertheless I was doing my best to give honest answers.

 

I got reply just yesterday saying "On the evidence available I have concluded you are living with Miss X Y as a civil partners" and that they passed that decision to the Jobseekers Allowance Changes section.

It is mentioned about evidence in the letter with the decision but it doesn't say what evidence. I was never inform before about any evidence to exist, I wasn't told that someone phoned in and told them so.. nothing!

So I was really devastated when I received that letter yesterday.

 

And honestly I don't know what to do! We are NOT a couple, we are good friends who can rely on one another! And I'd rather want to live with her than rent a room with a strangers!

 

How can appeal to this if I can?! How can I find out on what evidence a DM based hers/his decision?!

Please help!

I need to sort this out ASAP as I'm struggling with money and will have huge problem with paying rent, not mentioning getting food......

[debt4get]

sorry to hear about this..there will be someone online later who should be able to give you some more specific advise....I would certainly appeal the decision....do you know why they based you as a couple if you have seperate bedrooms, can you show shared bills, different bank accounts....

[fee0000]

Thanks for you reply..

Well she was asking at the interview about bills, shopping, accounts, owning anything together, going out etc.

She saw both bedrooms as she was passing them by on her way to living room and I mean c'mon I did tidy up before she came, I always do that before any one is visiting! Except for tiding my flatmates room of course. Anyway she could see that both of them are settled.

 

But even if they considered us as a couple why the h*ll they wrote that we are a civil partners?!?! I mean this is a legal matter.. you need to have papers sign by both persons that they are in relation?! So if they consider us as a couple why it didn't say so?! It says civil partnership!!!!!!???

 

I haven't mentioned that we are both foreigners, we have no family here in England and I am avoiding most of people of my nation because of a shame I feel of how most of them is acting or living in here. Well we are a closest persons to each other and as a reason it is third address that we live together. And now my point "living together"! I don't even now where to start to not lost you in all this. But I think (I hope so) what happened was that there was a huge misunderstanding! First of all they should or at least could consider fact that we may have a bit different mentality as we come from somewhere else and we may think of friendship a bit different.

Second of all the misunderstanding that could have occur and I think it did it's the interpretation of words or sentences because for me saying that I leave with someone means that I share accommodation, shopping together for me means that we are going to the store together but everyone is buying for themselves, going out together with her for me is go out as a friends for example to the movies each one is paying for own ticket!

 

Honestly I'm hoping that's the matter..

 

I made my clime for JSA and HB on 24th of may and ever since I haven't received any money because I haven't got P45 from agency yet after I was redundant and apparently my landlord thought that it's just my whim with that 'proof of rent form' so it took him over 2 weeks to find some time and sign it for me.

 

I know we are foreigners and you may be not happy with us living in UK, and believe me I want a job, I don't want to be on benefits as I want my life not just to exist and seriously now I'm wasting my time to research internet for info, to start this never-ending process of trying to call JC and get to talk to right person.. and that calling also cost me.. and every single penny matters to me now.

 

I'm about to start calling them but I feel really speechless. I don't know how to even start to talk with them! It just feel not right that I have to explain myself that I'm not in gay relationship with my flatmate!

By the way she got really angry when I told her all about it as she didn't even had a chance to speak for herself.

 

Any advice will be really helpful so I do thank you all in advance

Fingers crossed I can manage to rectify all this

[flumps1976]

You need to write a letter requesting a reconsideration of the decision and include additional information if there is any to add to the case for a new DM to consider.

You can also state that of the reconsideration is unfavourable then you would like to appeal the decision.

 

The LTHAWCP is based on a lot of factors including how long you have known each other to how the bills are arranged, how shopping is bought and stored (seperate cupboards and shelves in the fridge), if you share household chores and also whether you socialise together.

Is this the first time you have shared a house togeher or have you lived together at a previous address and moved to a new house together and was int in the same area or did you relocate around the country etc...

[fee0000]

We don't have access to each others bank accounts, each of us is responsible for different bills as we are a joint tenants, she didn't even look in to a fridge and never asked how we store food although she asked if we eat together or if we cook for each other so I said truth that we do sometime but not all the time. We did move together in a same area but I also said to her that I'm seriously considering moving to a bigger city to increase my chances to find a job and if I'll move then we won't be living together any more.

Coming back to cooking and eating together - like I wrote before for me it doesn't mean that we are couple because we do so some time I did that before living with other friends back in my country. It' just hard for me to understand why this is the matter

[sallypotter]

I would accuse them of racism.

 

They'll hopefully soon change their minds. They don't like that sort of accusation.

 

This is absolutely ridiculous assuming you are gay whatever next.

 

You need to get as much support as possible.

 

Try your MP for starters and DEFINETLY appeal.

 

Sal

[fee0000]

The thing is I don't really wont to go for discrimination matter as these days it is so common that people use that as an excuse

[sallypotter]

Go for it, what have you to lose?

 

Sod it, you haven't got any money, they've made up this ridiculous story about you.

 

You want to eat, play them at their own game.

 

How do you know it isn't a case of racism?

 

It could well be.

 

Maybe they are not understanding your cultural differences and that has brought about their assumption.

 

You need to eat don't be nice to them they're not being fair to you.

 

Sal

[fee0000]

It's just mad to ring this 0845 numbers!! I absolutely hate it! I just like they made it to try your patience or just to make you go away so they won't have to help you at all

 

So frustrated now ;(

[Guest amianne]

It may help if someone wrote a small booklet explaining what to do and not what to do when flat or house sharing.

 

It seems everybody that shares is at risk if this is what is going on.

 

When I was younger, I shared with another girl. We had a great time together, mutual friends, we cooked for each other, bought shopping for each other. To even suggest that we were gay and having a relationship is beyond belief.

[Nystagmite]

 

The LTHAWCP is based on a lot of factors including how long you have known each other to how the bills are arranged, how shopping is bought and stored (seperate cupboards and shelves in the fridge), if you share household chores and also whether you socialise together.

 

Surely, that's not unusual if you live with someone as a friend? I mean, if you claim benefits, it makes sense to do the shopping together and share food, etc.

[fee0000]

I agree a specially that it just make it cheaper to cook together!! So I'm trying to save some money here as everything is getting more and more expensive.

I'm always trying to find ways to save some money if I can.

 

Amianne - that's what I've been thinking, everyone sharing with friends need to watch their steps! It may be good idea to put name tags on everything including stuff in a fridge! I just madness!!

 

They also asked me about going out together which in my understanding is that we go out as a friends and every one is paying for themselves but I think they consider going out together as a dates!

So basically if I live with a close friend we should avoid each others company, have everything name tagged and do not shop together and just DO NOTHING TOGETHER!

 

I have to point the fact that I'm not upset they were checking out my situation I'm just upset with decision! It's just frustrating when you totally honest as they require you to be and they still can make up things which are not true which are gonna affect your claim!

 

I don't want to be on benefits! I want a job! I had one and got redundant so what was my options?! You may think going back to where I came from but unfortunately this is not an option for me as I just don't feel happy living there even if it means I can see my family rarely.

I wish non of you will ever experience such a feeling when you don't feel connected to your country and as much you trying to fit and to the right things at the one you chose to live in you will probably always feel as a stranger...

[sallypotter]

Write an appeal letter.

 

Send it recorded delivery, don't bother phoning that 0845 number.

 

Sal.

[Dilizjo]

idd it makes complete sense to share the shopping and cooking etc as this would prove cheaper in fuel bills etc.... but again that is simple common sense something that seems to be forgotten

[Nystagmite]

Do you have separate tenancy agreements?

[fee0000]

well we don't

 

the case with our tenancy is that we moved with same landlord

I should mentioned that at the previous address there was me, my current flatmate and a guy and each had a separate rooms and we all had one tenancy agreement and just one copy for us all, and I was responsible for broadband bill, my flatmate for gas and electricity bill and a guy for a water bill. We did cook together sometime and sometime we were shopping together, we were watching movies at home together occasionally and going out together occasionally as well so should they consider us as living in threesome?!!?!??!?!?!

 

back to current tenancy agreement - so as we moved with same landlord we have only a verbal agreement. I know it's bad and we shouldn't agree for that idea that landlord came up with but we were ate the previous address 1,5 year and we were happy with him and he was happy with us so we thought why not.. but I'm about to give notice anyway as I've decided to move to bigger city to other friends fortunately (I wonder if they gonna consider us as a 4 living together if I'll have to carry on with a claim )

[Guest amianne]

Do you have separate tenancy agreements?

 

"we are a joint tenants,"

The poster has stated that they are joint tenants.

[Guest amianne]

Mind you I did hear of a girl that used this scenario against the DWP/LA.

 

She and her daughters moved into a guys house to live together. However, she claimed HB and stated that she was a single mum of two.

 

During a routine check of her living arrangements, she showed them her room (which had been arranged for purpose) and that of the childrens'.

 

She obvoiusly denied any connection with this guy saying that he was just her landlord.

Then she pointed out that he was in fact gay so it would be impossible for her to be having a relationship with him - he had a boyfriend!(complete and utter rubbish, but heyho).

 

From then on she was accepted as a genuine tenant with her rent book and tenancy agreement, receiving HB and IS as a single mum. That went on for a fair few years.

[fee0000]

I know that people do such things but I'm not one of them!

 

As I said before, I'm foreign and I'm constantly trying to prove my will to stay in that country, I keep on learning english all the time so I can communicate better, even if I received a lot of feedback from different people that my english is great!

 

What I'm trying to say is that I have no intension and no interest in making up anything, no interest at all in committing any kind of fraud!

[fee0000]

On Thursday 14/06/2012 I had an interview with compliance officer

On Thursday 21/06/2012 I received that letter with the decision (with a strange date: 12.4.11 ?!?!)

On Saturday 23/06/2012 I received letter from JC informing that they've cancelled my claim for JSA as my partner (which I don't have!!) is working 24 hours or more, also in this letter they inform that I'm not gonna receive HB (with a date 19/06/2012)

 

SINCE WHEN JOB CENTRE WORK SO FAST?!?!?!

 

Summarising - On 24/05/2012 I applied for JSA and HB, which was the day after I got redundant, since then I've signed on twice, I've been on a 2 days course JC send me, on 19/06/2012 I received letter informing that they've cancelled my group session (now I know why) and then you know the rest. So I haven't had any income for a month! I had to pay my part of rent, broadband bill, water bill and of course buy food. My friend got really angry about that JCs decision so she said to me that as much she want to help me she can't afford t pay for us both, she can't even lend me any more money (that's how I was getting food - borrowing money) and I don't want to borrow any more as I don't want to end up with a debt! She already started to look for a room to rent and I can't blame her - she's my fiend not a wife!! I would love to move to Manchester but in situation that JC put me in.. I'm actually terrified that I may end up on a street.. (bit black scenario I know.. but..!)

I rang them yesterday, and they were suppose to phone me back same day between 2-6pm which never happened! I'm loosing my mind now!

 

They screwed me over like no one did before! I have like million thoughts in a minute so I can't even concentrate on looking for job now! And I'm struggling with putting my self back together....

 

Just desperate.....

[Slatted]

Hi just found your link from other thread with similar issues....it is certainly a pickle (putting it politely)! It is as if everyone is assumed to be on the fiddle and trying to pull a fast one rather than that being the exception.

 

In fact I would say that in the case referred to by amianne the person spent a good amount of time and trouble to deliberately fool the benefits people...surely the time for benefits people to be suspicious is when it looks like attempts have been made to look too good? (if you know what I mean?).

 

I wonder how many of us even on threads from here could amount to a Class Action of sorts?

 

And unfortunately my friends mental health has deteriorated so I am not really in the loop because she has become rather paranoid of late...I think payments were only just restored last week but she is in a right mess because HB was stopped and rent arrears occurred etc.......it is not as if she has no grounds to be paranoid but she is applying it to everyone at the moment

[Slatted]

Mind you I did hear of a girl that used this scenario against the DWP/LA.

 

She and her daughters moved into a guys house to live together. However, she claimed HB and stated that she was a single mum of two.

 

During a routine check of her living arrangements, she showed them her room (which had been arranged for purpose) and that of the childrens'.

 

 

She obvoiusly denied any connection with this guy saying that he was just her landlord.

Then she pointed out that he was in fact gay so it would be impossible for her to be having a relationship with him - he had a boyfriend!(complete and utter rubbish, but heyho).

 

From then on she was accepted as a genuine tenant with her rent book and tenancy agreement, receiving HB and IS as a single mum. That went on for a fair few years.

 

Do you know how she got found out?

 

Certainly there are always exceptions to any rule but in this day and age it is hard enough when renting and buying are so hard to do it is likely that people will share residences and use common sense when it comes to living within budgets.....maybe there need to be clearer rules about this rather than the punishment route currently applied?

[sadone]

May I say amianne you seem to know an awful lot of people on the fiddle. But are they all real cases though?

[fee0000]

My friend just made a good point that she was always very surprised that landlords don't want to rent places to people on JSA and stuff because they usually have HB as well so there is no way they could fall behind with rent.

So when I was sharing with her informations I found and stories I've read here she said she is not surprised any more!

 

I can't blame your friend for being paranoid now... I feel like I'm loosing my mind! Honestly, sometimes I just feel like hole that situation is just a nightmare because is hard for my mind to accept information that governmental institution is working this way.

 

She also said to me what you kind of mentioned in the other thread - that in this county judging happens before evidence so you are being seen as guilty so punished before any "trial" which is sick!

I have been asking friends around what they think, and one of them said that decision was made before CCO even processed interview with me.

 

It is just unbelievable

[Slatted]

My friend just made a good point that she was always very surprised that landlords don't want to rent places to people on JSA and stuff because they usually have HB as well so there is no way they could fall behind with rent.

So when I was sharing with her informations I found and stories I've read here she said she is not surprised any more!

 

I can't blame your friend for being paranoid now... I feel like I'm loosing my mind! Honestly, sometimes I just feel like hole that situation is just a nightmare because is hard for my mind to accept information that governmental institution is working this way.

 

She also said to me what you kind of mentioned in the other thread - that in this county judging happens before evidence so you are being seen as guilty so punished before any "trial" which is sick!

I have been asking friends around what they think, and one of them said that decision was made before CCO even processed interview with me.

 

It is just unbelievable

 

 

I have just started a thread of my own about LTHAW as I felt maybe could start a bit of a debate...not sure how to link into it though.....