In the first case of its kind, a father who owes £78,000 in unpaid child maintenance has been prevented from selling his house to stop him from concealing the proceeds of sale.
The father has paid nothing to his former partner for almost 12 years while failing to respond to letters or telephone calls from the Child Support Agency.
The Child Maintenance and Other Payments Act 2008 created the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission (CMEC) with the main objective being to maximise effective maintenance arrangements.
In the first case to be brought under the act, CMEC applied for a freezing order after the man put his house on the market using a property advertising website.
The reform also allows the courts to reverse the sale or transfer of property by parents with unpaid maintenance arrears. To date, CMEC have commenced Order for Sale proceedings against almost 200 properties in Britain. Lump Sum Deduction Orders forcing banks to hand over money held in accounts of indebted parents have also been introduced.
Emma Alfieri
, Graduate Legal Executive in the family team at Steeles Law, comments: “The act considerably extends the powers of the CMEC to impose extensive and much needed enforcement powers. This case highlights the new powers available against non-paying parents who have run up substantial maintenance arrears.”
For queries relating to Child Maintenance or other Family matters, contact Emma Alfieri on 01603 598000 or ealfieri@steeleslaw.co.uk.