Maintenance dodgers could face new upshot: blacklisting
New act obliges officer to warn bureaus about payment skippers
New Maintenance Act regulations have serious implications for defaulters, who face getting an adverse credit record that could limit or block their access to home loans, vehicle finance or even phone contracts. Kerry Sutherland, a certified financial planner and senior wealth manager at Alexander Forbes Financial Planning Consultants, says both parents, whether they are married or not, have a legal duty to maintain their minor children. This means providing a minor with essentials such as food, housing, clothing, medical care and education. Since January, if the defaulting parent cannot be traced, the court can grant an order directing electronic communication service providers such as cellphone service providers to provide the court with the contact information of the person. Nicole Collier, a family law attorney at Warrender Law, says even if one maintenance payment is missed, the caregiving parent can approach maintenance court officers and lay a complaint in terms of sections 6 ...
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