maintenance cut

LegacyUser

just wanted some opinions on this. Maybe I am just being sensitive.
My ex and i have a nine year old. He has just informed me he is getting cut to a three day week. he is in the process of buying a house with his gf. he has told me he can no longer afford to pay the 50euro he gives me a week.

We are split up years. He has regular weekly and every second weekend access. I have my child the majority of time. There is bitterness on either side. My child is happy with both parents. i have never gone down the court road as I felt this would have a negative effect on my child and his parents relationship and i dont want to.

i know times are difficult but still feel annoyed. i am on a tight budget as it is as my own pay got cut.

dudara

Everyone is facing tough times at the moment, but he is cutting off support to his own child. Remind him of that.

You may want to seek legal advice on this one. Perhaps you might try to contact a Free Legal Aid centre.

Nervous Wreck

Isn't the amount of maintenance due meant to be proportionate to the person's earnings? Try find that out anyway. TBH though, he's just lost 2 days a week of work. You may have to take this one on the chin....

Dardania

I'm guessing that he was previosly on a 5 day week, so effectively he's only going to earn 60% of what he did. It sounds a little oportunistic of him to cut the entire maintenance, but you know yourself firsthand that many peoples pay is being cut.

Maybe recognise his situation, and allow him cut to €30 per week - the same percentage reduction as his wages? It's better than nothing, is based on his situation, and to be fair cost of living is reducing at the mo (although I can't imagine the heartache if your child had their heart set on something special for birthday / christmas that you couldn't now afford)

LegacyUser

if he is being cut to a 3 day week, then cant he get 2 days worth of dole as well?

Anyway i wouldnt be very impressed either - If you were still together, would he stop contributing anything to the cost of child-rearing then too.
Its his child he's talking about, should really be one of the last things to be cut. Even if he cannot afford €50, to just give nothing doesnt seem fair, as you say you have the child most of the time.

zuroph

Dardania wrote: »

I'm guessing that he was previosly on a 5 day week, so effectively he's only going to earn 60% of what he did. It sounds a little oportunistic of him to cut the entire maintenance, but you know yourself firsthand that many peoples pay is being cut.

not entirely true either, if he's cut to a 3 day week, he can sign on for the remaining days, and wont be that much out of pocket. so a figure higher than 60% would be more fair.

jimmycrackcorm

dudara wrote: »

Everyone is facing tough times at the moment, but he is cutting off support to his own child. Remind him of that.
.

If they were together as a family unit, he'd still have less money for his child regardless.

I'm sure that the process of buying a house is also getting cut back.

Overheal

It sounds rather stupid to be buying a house when you are being made redundant. You can always turn around on a house deal up to the point of signature, like. In the process means, can still back out.

Buying a house but cant do 50e a week. how does that work.

jimmycrackcorm

Overheal wrote: »

It sounds rather stupid to be buying a house when you are being made redundant. You can always turn around on a house deal up to the point of signature, like. In the process means, can still back out.

Buying a house but cant do 50e a week. how does that work.

You presume he is still in a position to buy a house - it's not like he can't pay a mortgage for a house he hasn't bought yet.

Overheal

thats why im asking though..

O'Coonassa

A nine year old what? OP you should send his boy or girl to stay with him more often. He wouldn't mind paying for that Im nearly sure.

Lab_Mouse

He should get his priority's right-his kid or a house(cant see how anyone can afford it on a 3 day week though)

I got laid off before xmas and still pay my maintaince for my kid even it is crippling me financially.(mind you I have some people say Im been takin for a ride)

Only thing I can say is that child maintaince is based on earnings and the courts will take into account how much rent he is paying(and a mortage would be the same amount as rent give or take)and if he has any other children to support.

Go to your local FLAC centre get free legal advice,go back to him,tell him what you where told and leave the ball in his court.Also bear in mind you dont know his exact financial situation.He could be genuinely broke.

Avoid the courts if at all possible as it it just p1sses both sides off.
Heres the link for the FLAC centres anyhow:

http://www.flac.ie/gethelp/legaladvicecentres.html

And dont forget any and all replys here are from back seat solicitors and shouldnt be mistaken for PROPER legal advice

Hope you get it sorted

PeakOutput

zuroph wrote: »

not entirely true either, if he's cut to a 3 day week, he can sign on for the remaining days, and wont be that much out of pocket. so a figure higher than 60% would be more fair.

one of my mates applied to sign on in december and still didnt have anything when i was talking to him in april so there will be a long gap there were there is no supplements

he shouldnt be stopping it altogether but a reduction of some sort while painfull for everyone is not unreasonable

iguana

Overheal wrote: »

It sounds rather stupid to be buying a house when you are being made redundant. You can always turn around on a house deal up to the point of signature, like. In the process means, can still back out.

Buying a house but cant do 50e a week. how does that work.

It's possible he is buying off the plans and signed years ago. He is legally obliged to buy if that is the case.

beth-lou

He should be paying soemthing for his child.
It is his child. He is still working a 3 day week, so he should be able to contribute something to at least feed her.

Wibbs

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

You presume he is still in a position to buy a house - it's not like he can't pay a mortgage for a house he hasn't bought yet.

The other obvious one is that his new GF has the money and is going to be paying the bulk of the mortgage.

Permabear

This post has been deleted.

LegacyUser

op here,

Thanks for your replies. I believe he is buying the house under affordable housing though I havent asked. He would always give me the 50euro and then we would split clothing and medical. Last year I took my child abroad for two weeks, he didnt offer half the flights or accomedation not that he has to. I think he was saving for a deposit. His gf has been cut too.

I really do not want to go down the court route. I did say well you can get the dole. He said it takes sixx weeks. I think he might give me 30 but cant be sure yet. J

just feel very stressed trying to recalculate the money. I also have the voice in the back of my head saying that he would never give me extra when i was stuck or refuses to take him if i have to work one of the weekends that I usually take him or him keeping all the childs "good" clothes and sending him in the old clothes. I feel like i am getting a bit bitter and dont want to get like this over this.

At the same time i dont want to be nasty and insist on the 50euro when he may be struggling.