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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

EX has stopped child support, should I stop X-MIL from seeing child?

123 replies

Lfp · 22/10/2022 21:25

I realise the title does indeed make me look totally unreasonable - but, bare with me.

A bit of history;

XH and DD (10) have not had contact for a year. He and his GF are abusive towards her. We are secretly in the process of full custody agreement.

divorce was 5 years ago and because of the same abusive/unreasonable behaviour.

XH and I had a agreement regarding child support for the last 5 years via a direct debit.

I have a DS too with my current fiancé &
work late evenings in a bar as that fits us best .

A couple of months ago, XH came into my place of work with GF and a friend of theirs for a drink, they peered through the glass to check I was there first - They do this every now and again, usually around an ‘event’. This particular time it was DD’s birthday, two days later.

GF also has a chequered history with another employee so they makes us both uncomfortable. As I was in charge of the shift, I politely told their friend “I’m sorry but you’re presence in here makes the staff uncomfortable myself included and nobody is willing to serve you - there’s plenty of other bars & I think you’d be better suited elsewhere” a minute later there was a lot of screaming and slagging off DD but, I didn’t react and they left.

XH has since tried to get me fired and has told a different version of events to the locals of the bar he knows.

Being refused service (and now subsequently barred) had damaged his pride massively so, he stopped child support payments as a FU. I know it has been cancelled because it usually goes in on the 13th of the month like clockwork, as he knows I have an irritation hatred of that number!

Now my XH is not a typical ‘deadbeat’ he has a successful business and several properties including a successful airbnb.

When we were together he earned over 90K a year and since our divorce his portfolio has continued to grow. Not that it matters, but FYI, I walked away from that marriage with enough for a down payment for a flat and nothing else, as I just wanted to escape. So his business, the family home and other assets stayed with him.

This is where X-MIL comes into it.

She is an accountant.

She fudges his books and puts all the properties and assets in her or her husbands name. They also hid a LOT during our divorce (which can even be seen via companies house!) not that I fought for them anyway. His filings show he claims to earn between 9-12K a year and all his other properties are out of his name. So when it comes to claiming maintenance payments through CSA it looks like - after expenses, he earns nothing and daughter won’t get the money she’s entitled too. fiancé, kids and I now live in a lovely house and do ok but we use the money for her hobbies: guitar lessons, rock climbing etc and anything extra needed.

X-MIL is his enabler. He is smart and crafty and he gets away with everything. I’ve reported his fraud several times but, they know all the loopholes.

X-MIL still has a relationship with DD on her terms, she’ll randomly text “can I see her on Sunday?” And then take her out for tea.

She’s text today asking for Friday or Sunday this week as it’s half term and I feel like I want to say no. DD isn’t too fussed either way and I feel like I want to set a boundary:
her son reinstates the maintenance payments or no, she can’t have access. She is the 2nd biggest factor as to why we can’t claim what she should be entitled too and there should be some blame consequences.

Maybe I’m just being petty? but, I’m tired of fighting this behaviour or been abused at work/school, having untrue rumours circulating. Im sick of been the bigger person and taking injustice on the chin.

DD isn’t a pawn I know but, I don’t know what else to say or do?

OP posts:
bubbles888 · 22/10/2022 21:59

How do some people sleep at night! I'm usually with child maintenance and contact separate but this woman is "actively" doing something to deprive her DGD she's just as bad as him in my eyes and doesn't have your daughters best interests in mind

ThatsAboutEnoughOfThat · 22/10/2022 22:01

I wouldn't answer her at all.

Be done with them. They are of no use to your DD. Do what you can legally as far as custody/support goes but cut them off entirely on a personal level.

If they want contact, they can approach the court.

lentilly · 22/10/2022 22:02

Tell her you think it's best that any contact she has happens on your ex's contact time?

britneyisfree · 22/10/2022 22:04

Morred · 22/10/2022 21:42

“Yes, that’d be great. Can you take her shopping for xyz? She’d love that and needs some new stuff and since ExH cancelled his support suddenly it’ll be lovely that she doesn’t miss out or feel too let down.”

Yeah this or no.

Redshoeblueshoe · 22/10/2022 22:08

I too was going to say YABU, until you said how she helped her DS hide his money. As for him trying to get you sacked - what a pair of charmers

jollygoose · 22/10/2022 22:08

Please tell her exactly why you are not prepared to enable contact she simply does not deserve a loving relationship with a child she is shafting.

SquashesPumpkinsAutumnBliss · 22/10/2022 22:11

Sorry, as EX has cut off all finance for his DD, unable to afford to drop her off and pick her up.

Cameleongirl · 22/10/2022 22:15

lentilly · 22/10/2022 22:02

Tell her you think it's best that any contact she has happens on your ex's contact time?

That would be the easiest response, she can see her when she’s with her Dad. You don’t need to facilitate anything.

Morph22010 · 22/10/2022 22:16

Fraaahnces · 22/10/2022 21:46

Absolutely don’t let her see the grandparents. Also report them to HMRC for covering his evil arse. I imagine an accountant might like to keep her Licence.

what licence does an accountant have? I think you’ll find accountants aren’t licensed and you could set up a business tomorrow saying you were an accountant if you wanted to even if you had zero experience

GoutFine · 22/10/2022 22:17

She's a key part of fucking up your daughters life if she's fudging his books so he doesn't have to contribute towards his own daughter. She and him are both a complete disgrace and neither are remotely interested in your daughter's welfare so on that basis I would have cut contact with her a long time ago.

SydneySage · 22/10/2022 22:18

Morred · 22/10/2022 21:42

“Yes, that’d be great. Can you take her shopping for xyz? She’d love that and needs some new stuff and since ExH cancelled his support suddenly it’ll be lovely that she doesn’t miss out or feel too let down.”

This has to be the way forward

Dacadactyl · 22/10/2022 22:26

I can't understand WHY this woman would fudge books and then want to see the child though? Can anyone enlighten me? The 2 things are so opposed to one another I can't imagine the woman's reasoning behind it.

MsPincher · 22/10/2022 22:29

I wouldn’t stop your dd having a relationship with her fathers family over money. Fair enough to ask your ex mil to have contact at a time that suits your dd though.

im not sure I really understand your allegations of fraud. How do you know that they were fraudulently put in mil name rather than she just owns them?

TerfQueen · 22/10/2022 22:31

Whoa…. An AIBU with a classic strap line that would 100% result in an OP roasting and yet here we all, completely in agreement with you!

Don’t let the witch near your child until he does what’s right! He is deliberately depriving your daughter, that’s far worse that you depriving XMIL of anything at all.

SnackSizeRaisin · 22/10/2022 22:35

Cameleongirl · 22/10/2022 22:15

That would be the easiest response, she can see her when she’s with her Dad. You don’t need to facilitate anything.

It says in the op that the child doesn't have contact with her father because he abused her

BananaCocktails · 22/10/2022 22:35

It’s up to your daughter
I wouldn’t ruin their relationship based on the “adult” stuff
regardless of your situation she’s her grandmother and not your ex

MsPincher · 22/10/2022 22:38

Morph22010 · 22/10/2022 22:16

what licence does an accountant have? I think you’ll find accountants aren’t licensed and you could set up a business tomorrow saying you were an accountant if you wanted to even if you had zero experience

accountant is not a protected term but most accountants are qualified or licensed by particular bodies. If she is preparing his tax returns fraudulently, she could be reported to HMRC but you would need some sort of proof.

summergone · 22/10/2022 22:43

Your daughter isn't bothered about seeing her so just pretend she is busy . Have you tried to claim through the csa before is that how you know he pretends he earns about 9-12k?

schnausages · 22/10/2022 22:43

Don't think that just because he's hiding his money it can't be taken into.

You will have to fight, but the csa absolutely have the power to look into this. I've just watched someone go through an almost identical situation and won, with the hidden money being taken into account.

Unseelie · 22/10/2022 22:44

Congratulations on removing yourself from
this horrible family, that can’t have been easy.

Your ex-MIL is actively conspiring to defraud her grandchild, so no she can’t sooth her own guilt by taking DD out for cake when she feels like it. Tell her she can’t see DD again, ever, unless she stops defrauding DD. The child maintenance belongs to DD.

MsPincher · 22/10/2022 22:47

BananaCocktails · 22/10/2022 22:35

It’s up to your daughter
I wouldn’t ruin their relationship based on the “adult” stuff
regardless of your situation she’s her grandmother and not your ex

This. She is your dds gran not your ex anything. She doesn’t have any obligation to financially support you. I had to listen to all my mothers vitriol towards my fathers family post divorce. Don’t involve a child in your I’ll feeling towards other members of her family.

Pizzadreams · 22/10/2022 22:51

Totally stop her seeing her granny now and you were right to kick them out ban them from the pub and have it kick off, good for you. She doesn’t need them. Fuck them. Keep her without her wider family. You go. Make sure she’s no one.

oakleaffy · 22/10/2022 22:55

MandyMotherOfBrian · 22/10/2022 21:36

Slightly off topic, but if they transferred all his property assets to his parents names, then they did pay all the relevant Capital Gains Tax didn’t they?

I wondered that?!
One cannot just give away properly like that, can you?
Unless they are very cheap houses below a threshold?

Whowhatwherewhenwhynow · 22/10/2022 22:57

I would keep contact and child maintenance issues separate, even in this situation.

However it sounds like there’s not much of a relationship anyway so I’d be led by your DD if she wants to see her or not. I certainly wouldn’t make her if she wasn’t fussed. This is enough on its own to stop contact so the maintenance payments are by the by (although very out of order and annoying).

Meatshake · 22/10/2022 23:00

"I'm sorry, but I don't currently feel comfortable with DD having a relationship with a family member who is actively helping ex avoid contributing to her wellbeing. You might be kind to her face but you're hurting her, and it needs to stop".

If you've got nothing to lose anyway... 🤷