An inspector calls
We have a range of search tools to help us to build a good picture of
non-resident parents' circumstances. We are using these to work out what action would work best
to get the child maintenance they owe. Here we show how we made a wealthy parent face up to his
financial responsibilities for his children...
One non-resident parent, a businessman with a listed net worth of £18 million in 2006, avoided paying over £35,000 in child maintenance.
The man avoided all contact with us so we asked one of our specialist team of inspectors to look into his case. Our inspector used her wealth of experience, and the range of powers available to her, to successfully establish details of the man's personal income and bank accounts. She also tracked down details of his accountant and personal solicitor, as well as other relevant business dealings in this country.
It then appeared that the man had emigrated to Dubai, which would make it even more difficult for us to get any child maintenance. But the inspector continued her investigations and obtained enough evidence to prove that he was actually living in the UK.
The man lived in Scotland and we took the case to the sheriff, who granted us liability orders totalling around £38,000. This allowed us to take legal action to get him to pay his child maintenance.
First we registered the liability orders against the man, in the form of letters of inhibition. These stopped him selling or transferring 'heritable property', such as houses, garages, business premises and land.
Our solicitors then instructed sheriff's officers to carry out an arrestment, which freezes money belonging to a non-resident parent, including stopping them from being able to use their bank, building society or Post Office account. Following this, we began discussing the case with the man's solicitor and eventually received a cheque for nearly £39,000 in settlement.
We are continuing with our efforts to obtain regular child maintenance from the man.
