CSA Complaints Letter
Here’s my complaint letter for the CSA. I don’t imagine it will do any good, but what the hell, it’s good content for the website if nothing else.
CSA Complaints
Child Support Agency Birkenhead
Post Handling Section
2 Weston Road
Crewe
CW98 1ZR
Dear Sir,
I write this letter more in hope than in expectation but it is with some regret that I must complain about the actions, or rather inactions of the Child Support Agency.
I don’t actually expect any coherent response, but I felt I should go through what passes for the ‘proper channels’ before escalating the situation to the public domain in a viral capacity.
I first telephoned the CSA and spoke to Shelly d’Coeur on January 9th 2007. I raised my concerns over the amount you had calculated that I should pay, with regards to the extra money I was already paying out because of my ex-wife. She assured me that my caseworker, Steve Gibson, would telephone me the next day.
He did not. Despite numerous efforts by myself to contact Steve Gibson throughout January and February he never answered his phone or returned any of my messages. Eventually, in March, Steve actually telephoned.
This was the one and only time I spoke to Steve Gibson.
Steve advised me that I should fill in a variations form and claim for travel expenses to see my children and for my rent in Manchester as it was work related. My house in Wales, which was jointly owned by my ex-wife and myself was still having its mortgage paid by myself. It was vacant at the time, and is still vacant today.
I filled in the form and returned it to Steve Gibson. I received a reply about the form, and then some weeks later in June I received a letter from Steve Gibson requesting my variations form, as he hadn’t received it. He had not only received it, but he had replied. This has been commented about on my website here: http://www.mrdaz.com/csa-given-more-power/
In fact you can read everything that has happened to date on the website here: http://www.mrdaz.com/category/csa/ - it chronicles the whole escapade, but doesn’t have all of the phone conversations yet…
The comments made on the reply stated that according to my ex-wife I returned home to work rather than to see my children, which wasn’t true, and that I couldn’t claim for rent on the flat where I work.
I have since learned from Nicky Tyler that the rules governing claiming for rental accommodation were changed in 2003, so when Steve Gibson advised me to claim for this rather than for my mortgage payments on our jointly owned property he was lying to me. Either that or he was incompetent in his job. Whichever the reason for his deceit, Nicky Tyler now advises me that as I have now only returned a completed variations form in November 2007 I cannot claim for any mortgage payments prior to November.
This again flies in the face of the lies Steve Gibson told me back in March. He said any payments made by me would be taken into consideration and would be backdated from my variations form.
In addition to this, my communication with the CSA has been hindered because of your refusal to speak to me over the phone. You have refused to do this because I record ALL of my phone calls. It is because I do this that you should be advised that I can prove everything I have said. Every phone conversation I have had with the CSA has been recorded. All of the broken promises, factual inaccuracies and lies you have told me have been recorded.
I imagine at this point that you’re feverishly routing around in your nostrils for that ‘hard-to-find’ bogie and wondering whether you can just toss this letter in the bin and make out that it never arrived. You can’t. It too has been posted on the website.
The last cock up from you was in October when you sent my correspondence to the wrong address, despite having the correct address on the system. I telephoned you to find out what was going on as you were supposed to be communicating with me via post but hadn’t contacted me. The compulsory deduction of earnings order you sent to my place of work was for too much, so I was forced to telephone you. I spoke to a chap named Ryan who admitted the most awful of incompetence on your part.
This phone call was the last straw and forced me to animate a video for it and upload it to YouTube. It has now received over 1,000 views: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=g6vqCGhJBK4
As you have lied to me about what I can claim for and have ignored the fact that I have been paying a mortgage on a jointly owned property from the date of your claim through to and including July you are over charging me for child maintenance.
You were 2 months late in replying to me through Steve Gibson’s incompetence when I originally telephoned you on January 9th, and then Steve Gibson lied to me about what I could claim for.
The CSA are wholly responsible for the mistake. Had you returned my call and advised me correctly when I first contacted you this would have been dealt with in January 2007, rather than still be ongoing in January 2008.
I demand a written apology from you and for you to correctly alter my deduction of earnings order to take into consideration the mortgage payments I have made on our jointly owned property.
I had requested from my ex-wife that I rent out the vacant property to cover the mortgage so I could pay her what my children required, but she refused. She instead insisted that I continue paying for the vacant property. It was for this reason that I was forced to cease the mortgage payments, for which there is a repossession hearing scheduled for January 21st.
Please take note of my address when replying to this, it’s the one at the top of the page.
Yours very nearly bankrupt due to the CSA’s unrivalled incompetence,
Darren Craig Jamieson
I'm an Affiliate Marketeer, SEO, web developer and all round Internet personage. I work for a leading 
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Mr Daz, Welldone! its a sad situation but I was laughing out allowed, Sorry.
I hope that it works for you,after all you only want a level playing field.
CSA ” Come on you could not make it up”
I have done something this week that would shame your organisation even further, and highlight the silly little people that work for and your pathetic system,but for the time being its my little secret!!
Good luck mate
Thanks, I was laughing when I wrote it. I’m sure it will be dealt with swiftly by the CSA as they screw it up and toss it into the bin.
I won’t stop though, it’ll just keep getting worse for them.
Let me know what you’ve done when you can, it sounds interesting. Might even be worth a guest post?
fair play to you!!!!!
i’m going through the complaints procedure myself at the moment and it is very long and depressing, i’m not expected them to act quickly on it, afterall it did take them 10 years to sort my case out, i just wish i could write letters as well as you, i bet they won’t forget you in a hurry!!!!
Thanks Lisa, good luck with your case. From what I’ve seen around the net about the CSA though you could be right in that they’re not going to act quick. They don’t seem to have any remorse for their actions.
If you’d like to air your complaint publicly, let me know?
How can someone have such bad luck? Sheesh!
Well…
You could try adjusting your attitude maybe and see where you get? I find that if you don’t lose your rag and not rise to the bait (you seem like a person who is a sucker for a hook with a worm on it going by this site) things have a funny way of leveling themselves out.
People are actually willing to help you if you treat them with a little respect, even if you think or know they are wrong. If customers of mine act like a-holes, I’ll tell you know, I’ll smile, but as soon as I’m out of the same room they can be damned if I’m going to go the extra mile for them.
I’m divorced with three kids, pay my support without crying about it, signed my house over to the ex to get her off my back, left her with our nice car and our life savings of some 35k. The main reason I let it all go was to make my childrens lives as comfortable as possible after the break up. I just plain ignored her when she was being a brat, and made it clear that the consessions I was making would never be for her, but for the kids. Try thinking of them instead of yourself maybe?
At least when they are old enough to understand what really went on you can hold your head up and say, “I did it for you”.
Stop being such an attention seeker, wallowing in self pity. Stand up, dust yourself off, let the past go and be a man for once!
Arguing over money and property with your kids in the middle of it all? Just what the hell are you doing man? You seem so proud to annouce to the world via this site that you drive a BMW and have a good job….money and possesions don’t make a man. They can break a man. And thats just what they are doing.
Let the house go, just pay what you should as support and forget about the rest.
Maybe next time you’ll think more carefully before having children, especially with regards to what can happen when it doesn’t work out. You’ll get no sympathy from me, you need a kick up and the arse to get on with it and stop your whinging.
Jules, having a whine at customers and having a wine about a government agency who have driven fathers to suicide are two completely different things. Get some perspective.
I can see from your tone you have never dealt with the CSA. I hope for your sake you never have to.
Thats just it, you can’t see.
Behaviour, breeds behaviour, and if I was carrying around as much anger as you seem to be, it would be very easy for me to have a pop. But I’ll refrain.
I paid under the old rules system (which was a damn sight more harsh) and now pay 25% under the current emperor’s new clothes system. I don’t see it as the CSA as ’screwing’ me as you put it. I don’t like having to deal with strangers and divulge my private details, but they don’t keep the money. Its not really the CSA screwing you, its your ex. Unless she is on benefits and you don’t have much choice about them being involved, she can withdraw her claim and come to a private arrangement with you. And if what I’ve read on the Agency turns out to be true, in years to come it will be a lot smaller than it is now, and will actively encourage clients to come to their own ‘adult’ arrangements, even those on benefits won’t be obliged to sue them any longer!!
I went on a rant after my divorce and the truth of it is, I probably took it out on the CSA lot who took my phone calls for the first year or so after. Sure, some mistakes were made by them (trying to DEO me when I’d paid was a good one), but have you ever tried to arm yourself with a little knowledge regarding the Agency’s law? Its extremely complicated and I could see why someone who probably earns only 14-15k a year isn’t going to break their backs to learn the minuti of it. I tried and just ended up even more confused.
I think its rather vulgar that you would use someone elses suicide(s) to stress your own point, as sad as it is, these poor people probably had issues with a lot of other things in the lives at the time. Its the policy and law makers you really need to focus on, hassel your MP.
If you really don’t have a clue how to deal with them, or are having problems, try contacting ‘Child Suport Solutions’ or have you local CAB take up your case for you. Until you take a step back and take stock, I can see you having problems for a long time to come.
Good luck!
Jules, I’m not contesting the 25%, that’s the rules and I’m happy to pay that. What I’m contesting is the fact I’ve already paid that in her mortgage, I don’t have it to pay again. The way they’ve calculated it now I’m paying closer to 60%.
The money just isn’t there. I wasn’t angry at first, I was calm and cooperative. However being ignored for 2 months by Steve Gibson and then lied to has driven any cooperation that I may have had from me.
We all fight these battles our own way, my way involves mass exposure. It gets results.
As for referencing the father who committed suicide, I don’t think that’s out of order at all. I know how he feels when you’re left with not enough money to live on because some faceless organisation decides it is so and you have no contact with your children.
Hi thought that this site might be useful to you, it has the template for the letter requesting the data held by the CSA also some other interesting material.
http://www.onwww.co.uk/
Thanks for that Poppy, I’ll be sure to give it a mention!
[...] poster on MrDaz.com Poppy mentioned in this post about the CSA complaints website Name & Shame the [...]
[...] January 13th I wrote a complaints letter to the CSA outlining the scandalous and illegal way they have mishandled my case. I didn’t expect [...]
I have been dealing with the CSA since its conception since 1993 and was involved an an early stage with organising some of the early protests. What I know for sure is this is the worst piece of legisation ever conceived. I have through this legislation lost my job, been seved with two DEO’s, breakdown twice, suffered sex discrimination wholesale, my details given to a third party.
I have Given approx £85,000.00 to ex-wife in lieu of child support prior to 1993 under clean break agreement. And I was the main provider for my children, but because my ex-wife was on benefit and got the DSS on her side managed to get the boot in first. You might a well talk or write to your next door neibours dog when dealing with the CSA, NO ONE LISTENS OR CARES, Welldone Mr Daz on having the technical ability o demonstrate what the calls are like. PS had to move to Spain in the end. The CSA operatives should in my view be prosocuted for gross malpractice.
Hi Darren. I have read your blogs, listened to your recorded calls and watched your videos and am glad to see someone who stands up for what is right.
If I may, I would like to address some comments your other readers have left on this page:
I take issue with the so many comments slagging off women. Some of us are geniune people who are rightly attempting to get what our kids are due. My children’s father does not, has never and probably will never support his children financially or otherwise. I don’t want a shed load of cash out of him, frankly I don’t want anything out of him but principal overrides that. Through the CSA my children should be entitled to £40 per week. I tried a private arrangement with him, and asked for £15 a week, which I would have been content with OR for him to just buy nappies and go 50/50 on schoolwear for the oldest at the start of term. He refused to cough up. It wasn’t a one night stand, we lived together and he was the one who wanted to settle down with a family. I was happy to wait but compromised. We have two children. He also has a child from his first marriage whom he refuses to support. I’ve yet to see a penny from him, even using the CSA.
My ex was an abusive **** who beat not only me, but our pre-school aged little girl so quite rightly I refuse him access to the children for their own protection. I tried to re-initiate contact in a civilised manner, however he made it damn near impossible, threatening to harm the children if I did not comply with his wishes.
He is scum and has made our lives hell, yet I would never tar every man with the same brush because of his actions.
I appreciate some of you have had equally as rough a ride with women, and yes, of course there are some evil twisted witches out there who are simply greedy and want all they can get. But not all of us are like that, just as not all men are like my ex partner.
The CSA aren’t just shoddy to “non resident parents” (I hate that term, a lot of NRP’s don’t choose to not have contact), they mess up things with parents with care too. I know I’ve had no end of trouble with them. Yet I see the other side of it too. If they stopped chasing the genuine “NRP’s” like Mr Daz, who clearly wants to see his children and clearly has been providing for them, and started chasing the real people who refuse to support their children reasonably, maybe they would get somewhere. A start would be getting people’s details like their address correct!
Well done Mr Daz for ringing the CSA and getting them to admit their mistakes and for publishing the phonecall for all to hear. We should all take tips from this man, band together against the CSA, not make it a divide between men vs women. Some Parents with care are men, some CSA dodgers are women. At the end of the day, regardless of sex, the CSA fuck up just about every case they get and it’s not always in favour of the parent with care. I’m living proof of that!
You go Mr Daz!!
The CSA have a lot to answer to. I dealt with the CSA for 7 years and paid my ex partner for 7 years.
Yes us woman do have to pay to. I pretty much went through exactly what you are going through now. And it’s all very frustrating for anyone dealing with these people.
Keep your head up and ignore all the negative comments from the people who do NOT know what they are talking about.
Hope you get it sorted soom, probably in 20 years time.
Exactly, Tracy.
I’d bet on it that the majority of people who are posting comments along the lines of Mr Daz having an attitude have never had, or have easily forgotten about their troubles with the CSA.
As for Jule’s comment that “behaviour breeds behaviour” I have to agree. The CSA fucked up Daz’s case time and again, were rude, ended up costing him his house because of sending a letter to a wrong address. Their behaviour toward a man who had supported his children with more than the 25% they asked for, certainly breeded his behaviour into recording phonecalls and getting ratty with the officers. If they had handled Mr Daz’s case efficently like they are supposed to do, and did not break the data protection act then do you really think Mr Daz would have reacted in this manner? No, I don’t believe he would have.
I don’t blame Daz one little bit. He asked questions he had every right to know the answers to. Because of an error which may seem trivial to the CSA, this man faced having his home repossessed. I’d certainly say if I were in his position I’d be pissed off about it too, and I’d be ranting and raving, and I would most definately see about getting my phonecalls recorded - anyone who faced a situation like that because of someone else’s incompetence would be.
At the end of the day, the CSA are supposed to be providing a service (and I use the phrase very loosely). They are supposed to ensure children are supported financially, they are not supposed to cost children their house. Because of their “administritive error” (WOW, what a surprise, they used “administritive error” instead of “computer error” - aren’t they being imaginitive!), they COST three children, rather than supporting them.
In my opinion, whether you agree with it or not, it is my view and I will express it, Mr Daz acted rather reasonably towards the CSA, given their mistake. I can’t say I’d have been as restrained as Mr Daz was.
Great work Mr Daz,
I have had similar problems with the CSA and with my exceptions also.
I am currently paying around 30% of my income as oppose to the 15% due for my one child.
I have been awaiting 8 months now for my exceptions to be calculated, in this time I have wrote 7 letter to the csa regarding this matter as I refuse to speak over the phone (due to receiving conflicting information and Lies) .
As I am getting nowhere I have wrote an 8th letter to the Chief Executive and also sent a copy of the letter to my MP to forward onto them.
All my letters I have sent recorded, I keep copies and all recorded delivery slips.
My case is being dealt with by the Belfast branch even though I live in Yorkshire and my ex lives in Germany, (she has married into the British army)
I will read the rest of your site now and see if you got a satisfactory result to your case.
Oliver
PS a link to your CSA phone call video on YouTube was posted on the Fathers 4 justice forum, I found the clip v funny.
Hi Oliver, keep us posted on your efforts.
Sadly my case still hasn’t been resolved, as you might expect. Though I’m really pleased about the F4J forum having my YouTube video on it.
I’m actually going to make a few more of those. I have plenty of material.
I look forward to your new CSA videos and will post the links on the f4j forum.
Your welcome to come along to any demo’s and prostest organised by f4j relating to the CSA. F4J is currently planning for this fathers day with a “Flash/Cash Gordon” CSA theme, I can send you more details when available.
Good luck again with your case,
Oliver
.
Flash/Cash Gordon? That’s brilliant!
Please do send me the info when you have it. You can also post anything you want on the website CSAhell.com, just sign up there and add what you want to promote.
Cheers.
Mr Daz,
we need to obolish the CSA and use the budget for the courts. a marginarily favoured option.
i was assessed on worst case then submitted detail about my other kids recently seperated they charged me more, albeit the swines owe me £4k in over payment (a 6 year story). what can we do apart from pay them through out earnings beyond our control (totally wrong). there is no fairness, in the current system. i pay 50% for one child but have 5 in total, the others are now suffering cos of our inffallable system. One child get £114 per week but I get £60 and the dole even less… the system sucks.
kind regards
ste
Just ignore that idiot Jules. he seems to be just a pompous windbag.
well done mr daz
you are 100% right in wot ur saying. i am having problems with my arrears. in the last 5 months they have gone from £10 pw to £12 pw and on the 12th december there going up to £77pw, there is no change of circumstances, i am getting fobbed off with it is another dept dealing with my case, i am living with my current partner and our 2 children, with my maintenance and arrears i will be taking a net pay of £105 pw home, which is not enough to run our home. can u tell me how i go about getting this resolved
Hi Daz
Excellent site ,but here is a new one for you
I got a letter from csa to say that i have over paid and that THEY owe me money ,that was back in June 2008.
Well here we are 6 months later and after nunerous phone calls I am still waiting my refund (my case is over but they were still deducting)
Today ,after i sent an e-mail ,I have recieved 2 phone calls but I am still no closer to getting my refund .
The Excuse !!
They are having trouble with the IT Dept (what ? for 6 months ?I doubt it)
You see when they want us ,all sorts of threats are made , but when the shoe is on the other foot who cares? They dont !!!
My next step is my local MP
Like I say to them on the phone.Its not the money,its the principal
Cheers