I am having an absolute nightmare with child maintenance service!
I have chosen direct pay method, my payments are 1st of each month. My payment was due 5 days ago, but they have not sent me her bank details, I have requested it so many times its been over a week and they promised its been in the post. But nothing!
You ring them up takes 30-40 mins to get through and when you do they cannot put you through to the case workers.
If they haven't sent me the bank details how am I supposed to pay? I really think they doing it on purpose for me to go click and collect! Extra 20%
I could ring her and get the bank details that way maybe but problem is how do I know she gives me correct ones, and then she may ring up cms and say I have not been paying?
If i reference it child maintenance and it has her name will that be enough? With bank transfer?
Hi
I think it's a bit of a stretch to say that they will delay or not send you a letter in order to get you onto collect and pay.. Although appreciate it can feel like that.
Have you registered for the CMS portal? All letters they send to you are also shown on there. It's how I got my exs bank details. Nice and easy.
I'd suggest you ensure you do that if you are waiting on correspondence via the post.
All the best.
They took over 2 months to get ex bank details for me, and that put me into arrears. All I can suggest is chase it up regularly. Phone, use the CMS portal to send messages.
They took over 2 months to get ex bank details for me, and that put me into arrears. All I can suggest is chase it up regularly. Phone, use the CMS portal to send messages.
I feel your pain mate! I don't understand how they are so badly managed
Hi
I think it's a bit of a stretch to say that they will delay or not send you a letter in order to get you onto collect and pay.. Although appreciate it can feel like that.
Have you registered for the CMS portal? All letters they send to you are also shown on there. It's how I got my exs bank details. Nice and easy.
I'd suggest you ensure you do that if you are waiting on correspondence via the post.
All the best.
Yes I'm on the portal have requested the details 4-8 times, never get a response from them. I've rung them loads asking for it aswell don't get an answer.
I rung the mother and recieved the banks details that way, a bit of a risk though as I'm not sure they are the same ones she has given the CMS and the way they are organised I can see it blowing back in my face at a later date for example unpaid payments even tho I have been paying.
The bank transfer has the mothers name on there and has been referenced child maintenance. So hopefully that will be enough.
The mother has agreed a private agreement, but another stress added now, they are a nightmare to get a hold of to close the f-ing case..... and they ring during work hours and close there phone lines after 3:30pm lol so no chance to call them after work, she's also closed out of her portal account so can't send a message that way.
The joys of being stressed and dealing with the government agency who are so poorly organised
Hi
In that case as you have spoken to ex I would suggest that you get the bank details via email confirmation from her, ideally using the same email address that she uses with the CMS and then save it as a pdf, upload to the portal with a message advising that you have obtained bank details from the mother and that you will be using them to make payment unless they hold any different details on file..
If it was me I wouldn't make any payments until the CMS obtain and provide the bank details and just set the funds to one side and bring things up to date once bank details obtained. When I was waiting for bank details I did ask CMS what happens especially as I'd go into arrears and they said nothing as I cannot pay without bank details and so no action would be taken. That's just what I would do...