Just a frustrated rant...What's going on with Manchester Debt Management? Is anyone else having problems with them ? They're filing papers away well before any appeal expiry date and it's taking months and months for them to provide any info to us. I've at least one appeal outstanding from last year; they lose papers; they don't return calls; they say they've not received correspondence and phone calls and only this week I've had three clients in who've had letters of demand for repayment of overpaid benefits when appeals are ongoing. They're not even getting a move on when I've asked MP for PCA referral. Their excuse this week is that they've just moved to Salford Quays and everthing's in a mess and that overpayment recovery demand letters have gone out by mistake. This certainly doesn't help me or my clients.

No not just you. How many times have you rung lately to be told they have no systems?!

Useless, the lot of em!!

Latest:

The computer - independently mind - has issued letters to everyone it can think of demanding payment - even if the amount has been deemed non-recoverable.

Dosn't bear thinking about really - i mean the computer, acting independently!! OMG!

Its all a bit Matrix-esque...perhaps we are all living in a virtual reality controled by the DWP's mainframe. Certainly feels that way sometimes.

I think that using the words "DWP mainframe" and "control" in the same sentence is a bit of an oxymoron...

Been talking to someone at debt centre in Manchester today.

The computer has issued letters again without being told to!

Apparently they've no systems now until next week.

Just gets worse dosn't it?!

Recent instructions from another client. Her dealings with Debt Man another real crumper. I can't even begin to go into detail without hyperventilating but once again a continual cock up. Ongoing since December 2004 but crux of matter is recon request(s) posted, faxed and refaxed and discussed with them on numerous occasions. Debt Man alternating between receipt and non receipt. O'p recovery ongoing at same time as CFI in spite of recon request(s). Finally had letter to say 'appeal' was out of time. Halloween coming up - nightmare on Salford Quays

Sounds like you've walked into a Little Britain sketch to me...

'The computer says no'

Don't Paul. I could weep at the thought.

Been told that papers were transfered to a Debt Centre in Wales - in the words of one member of staff, "they arrived in a skip!"

Therefore Wales sent them back to Manchester to be "tidied up."

However things do seem to be moving - we eventually asked our local MP, who just happens to be John Hutton, to intervene, which he did two weeks ago.

Since then we've had two longstanding overpayment decisions reconsidered so that the OP's will not be recovered. This could just be coincidence of course.

Also i have to say the Jobcentrplus staff i've spoken to are as frustrated as we are at the situation with the debt centres.

Latest
Rang Debt Management Manchester via Darlington office who told me client's case now at Corby. Corby told me it's with Recons and Appeals and when i asked where that might be I was told they weren't sure but thought it might be Essex. I want to scream "BUT MY CLIENTS LIVE IN WIGAN AREA" but can't afford time off with a coronary.

Write to John Hutton - do you want the consituency office address?!!!

please

22 Hartington Street, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria. LA14 5SL.

cheers

UPDATE:

Client had appeal re: overpayment dating back to 2003. We attended the Tribunal with her in June 2005, the overpayment was deemed non-recoverable.

Today client gets a letter from Debt Centre(Porth) telling her they will commence deductions from her benefit of £8.55 per week to repay the overpayment!

Have obviously contacted John Hutton and Debt Centre at Porth who have decided they would like a new authority as the other one dates back to 2003!!!

I could honestly cry

Presumably the tribunal decision notice is lying in a waste paper bin in some DWP back office then!

DC Porth rang me. Very nice chap! Said they have had a "crossover of computer systems and the decision from the Tribunal had not been entered on the computer."

All sorted now though - hopefully!

As for the original decision notice, yep you're probablly right Nevip, lying in some waste paper bin somewhere on earth!!!!!!!