Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

DH - incompetence or malice?

170 replies

newnamenewnamenewname · 17/02/2017 23:44

Name changed for obvious reasons...

It's not really a relationship question but I'm not strong enough for AIBU and I don't really know where it fits. I don't need relationship advice exactly just an opinion on this...

DH can't handle checking details, he often makes mistakes. But he can also lie and be manipulative.

Recent examples: No one watches Sky in our house so we decided to cancel it. It's in DH's name so he had to do it. He instead signed up for the basic package because "otherwise we can't get BBC". True, we don't have an aerial but you get BBC if you are churning. He just doesn't research or check things. On the other hand, in the same week he happily admitted to "screwing someone over a bit" (someone who works for us).

I don't want to influence people so I am going to set out the bare basics.

He set up a new business for us in November. The new business is based in an area of expertise that is my field but he also has some skills. We have an old business in a related field that we both have skills in but it is declining and not doing well. We own it 50:50.

In January, he closed the old business. He then needed to set up a bank account for the new business. He signed my signature for convenience. He told me he had signed after he had done it. He's signed things for me before.

Nothing arrived for me for the new bank account. I called the bank to ask why and they said that I was an "authority" on the account but not a signatory. DH says that he thought he the forms he had signed my name on made me a signatory. Having requested a copy of the forms, it is clear to anyone that reads the small print that is not the case. Except he doesn't read things...

Then I checked Companies House. I only have class B shares in the new company. He owns all the class A shares. I am company secretary. He is the only director.

I confronted him about the bank account. He was confused as to why I wasn't a signatory and said it was a mistake - he was in a rush when he did it. He pointed out that he had told the bank that I am company secretary so clearly he wasn't hiding anything, he had made things the same as they were with the other company. So I asked him about how he had set up the new company. His reply was "it's 50:50. Well, not 50:50, 'they" don't like that any more so I had to set it up with class A and Class B shares, that's how it's done now, but you can set them up so they have the same rights". He said that is what what the formation company who set it up advised him. I read to him from our company formation documents on Companies House, which doesn't give the class shares equal rights. He then said, "that's not how I did it, you can set them up differently" so I pointed out that it was our docs I was reading from. His reply was that he didn't tell them to do that, he'd had to speak to different people to do what he wanted because they didn't understand, they were multiple phone calls and an email because they didn't understand what he wanted, they must have got it wrong. He then said "I did it that way because you said you don't want liability". I didn't say that but I did say I was unhappy about things he had done with the old company without my knowledge.

I called the formation company. They seemed surprised that any of their staff would have said that 50:50 share distributions weren't normal as that is quite common.

Sorry for rambling. Please be objective, don't read between the lines to look for motivations. On the basic evidence, just what he said, do you think he is lying?

OP posts:
RedastheRose · 18/02/2017 19:25

Just a point on the bank account. They should have done anti-money laundering checks on his opening the account and he should have had to produce either you with your passport or other photographic id to the bank in person (obviously this didn't happen) or someone (an accountant, solicitor etc) has to have certified your ID for them! Ask the bank how they dealt with the alm compliance as you have to find out who else has lied to assist him in this fraud! Oh yes see a solicitor (you can ring the law society or go-online and look up a specialist solicitor) and having got all your ducks in a row (make copies of any papers etc you might need) LTB.

newnamenewnamenewname · 18/02/2017 19:33

Thanks goodnessidontknow! And Tribpot. And everyone Flowers

PaterPower - I actually did once try to reason with him that if he shouted and screamed at an employee, called them an idiot or threw things at them, they would take him to a tribunal at the very least. His response was that I'm not an employee so he could do what he liked. I know he doesn't respect me, he's told me enough times that he doesn't, I don't deserve it, I need to earn his respect. But then another day I'm amazing. He actually cried and apologised to me for treating me so badly and said he didn't know why he did it when he knew that I am the most genuine, honest and caring person in his life. That was about a week before he set up this new company. I'm an idiot.

OP posts:
Ellisandra · 18/02/2017 19:35

Oh love - I can't promise your anxiety will disappear overnight when you let this scum loose, but it will definitely reduce.

Some people have to manage anxiety through much of their life - and I bet if that is you, you'll learn to manage.

Some people suffer anxiety in response to what my GP fri me tells me is commonly noted down as 'SLS' - shit life syndrome. Now yours is more like SHS - yeah, you can work it out Wink In which case you're going to manage yours even faster when you get rid of the leeching, abusive, fraudulent, lying scumshit.

Who wouldn't have work place anxiety with a "boss" Angry treating you like that?

Imagine dealing with a client directly. You're in control, because you are good at what you do. Not just words from a stranger - your clients have been pleased. You can do this. If you're unsure of what they want - you ask. If you're having a confidence wobble, tap into friends who really have your back for a pep talk. When my staff say "I don't think I can do this" I don't shout at them. I say "OK, what's making you feel that way?". And we always thrash it out. Because in my experience, the staff who are good are the ones who put the most pressure on themselves, worry most - because their standards for themselves are high. I bet yours is too.

Spread that high standard on to your choice in partner - and lose this arsehole! Flowers

newnamenewnamenewname · 18/02/2017 19:40

And thanks again Random! Flowers I know he is trying to chip away at my self worth but I thought I had got it back and was immune until the panic attacks.

Thanks too RedastheRose. I did wonder that. Our mortgage is with the same bank and we have an unused joint account with them so I am assuming that they don't need another copy of my passport. I haven't checked yet. Or maybe they don't need it for me as I was only "signing" to agree that the company had agreed that he should be the only signatory.

OP posts:
SeaEagleFeather · 18/02/2017 19:45

No one - no one at all - can live with the amount of abuse you are living with and not experience fear and severe stress and probably anger, which are what cause the panic attacks.

EweAreHere · 18/02/2017 20:12

You need legal help. 'His' signature is 'your' signature in who knows how many places ... he can really mess up your life.

I'm glad you're looking to end it. He sounds incredibly abusive, and he's clearly done all this on purpose.

RedastheRose · 18/02/2017 20:52

The bank needs to regularly redo compliance checks and certainly when opening an account for a new company no matter if directors are known and existing customers.

newnamenewnamenewname · 18/02/2017 21:32

Thank you for your help and lovely words, Ewe, SeaEagle and Ellisandra. And thank you Mumsnet Flowers Cake Gin Wine

I thought this was about transferring assets and leaving him/divorce. He has done similar before. That's pretty stupid though. Surely any judge in the divorce courts is going to see through that? Or am I being naive?

Now thanks to you guys I'm wondering if I am being set up to be a fall guy. It seems the company secretary can potentially be held personally liable for the company debts and legally liable for wrongdoing by the directors. Like a PP said, he's given me all the responsibility but none of the power (nor any rights to the profits). Hopefully I am putting 2 and 2 together and making 5. Shit. I really need a lawyer.

Our accountant is his mate. He's always nice to my face but I don't think he likes me. He accidentally copied me in on an email that still had emails from an earlier thread where he made a sarcastic comment about me owning 51% of the old company indicating that he didn't think I should. Well, not a comment, just a lot of exclamation marks. But the point was obvious. He also got a bit funny about an expenses claim for me using a room at home as an office and wanted to disallow it. He got a bit snarky saying "you don't actually work every day, do you , not like 'D'H, you don't work long hours like him, do you?". That's purely personal and a million miles away from him helping or condoning H doing something illegal, he's just listening to what H says about me. He isn't on my side though.

OP posts:
newnamenewnamenewname · 18/02/2017 21:36

@RedastheRose - if I'm not a director, 'I' just signed that "We certify the above to be a true extract from the Minutes of the Business" on the Appointment of Bankers form, would they need my id?

OP posts:
ThisIsStartingToBoreMe · 18/02/2017 21:40

That accountant sounds to me like he's jealous of you and your partners relationship. I have never ever ever heard of an accountant making disparaging remarks about one person to the other. Wouldn't be at all surprised if they cooked this up together. Please please please change your accountant

Winterfairy · 18/02/2017 21:45

Bit of a worry that he signed the bank application for you. Therefore, your signature won't match the one they have on their records and he can sign anything he likes using your signature because they already have it. As someone has already said he has already set up a 50:50 company so knows how its done. If someone else set it up for him what's so difficult in saying its 50:50 between me and my wife. Its harder to do it the way he has done it and disadvantages you enormously. Do you trust him in other ways. I feel that he is setting himself up to be independent. Sorry but I'd insist he starts again and go to the bank and relodge your signature.

HeyYouYesYou · 18/02/2017 21:46

BoreMe I agree.

My accountant says things like, "If you don't use the room x% of the time then we won't get away with claiming it" for example, no judgement, just facts on helping me make the right claims.

I work (paid at least) much more than my DH and the accountant would never to my knowledge make cracks at DH about this. Definitely not normal or acceptable accountant behaviour.

newnamenewnamenewname · 18/02/2017 22:01

ThisisStartingtoBoreMe - no offence, I'm not sure why you think the accountant is jealous, he just believes what H says about me. But absolutely, your advice to change accountant is totally sound. Thank you.

Accountant and H share a hobby. H's exOW (one of them) burst into a committee meeting for the hobby where both were present and accused H of stalking her and said they should ban him (he needs DBS clearance). She was also young when he started his relationship with her (over 18 but a teenager, he was nearly 50). She's not a nice person either, she threatened my mother but he did stalk and harass her. Her brother and new boyfriend threatened H if he didn't leave her alone. He called the police and now he is a "victim of domestic violence". When I called the police about him not long before but bottled it, the officer asked if "I was sure I wasn't mentally ill". They apologised to him.

OP posts:
ThisIsStartingToBoreMe · 18/02/2017 22:06

No offence taken OP.

This is probably even more offensive but how's the sex?

ThisIsStartingToBoreMe · 18/02/2017 22:10

I'm sorry
Forget I asked that
I'm likely barking up the wrong tree

newnamenewnamenewname · 18/02/2017 22:16

@ThisisStartingtoBoreMe What tree are you barking up? I'm not sure whether to be offended.

OP posts:
ThisIsStartingToBoreMe · 18/02/2017 22:18

I'm truly sorry OP if I came across as blunt. Yes probably best just to change accountants

SeaEagleFeather · 18/02/2017 22:20

Now thanks to you guys I'm wondering if I am being set up to be a fall guy

this could be a serious possibility. From what you say, he goes for defenseless people - nice people or young people (old age and experience will outwit youth, beauty and a good heart every time).

Your comment about the police is a bit hard to understand but worrying.

You need to be careful and clever now.

newnamenewnamenewname · 18/02/2017 22:22

@ThisisStartingtoBoreMe Neither he nor the accountant are gay, if that was what you think.

OP posts:
rainbowstardrops · 18/02/2017 23:31

You need a lawyer Bore and fast. The more I read of your 'D'H, the more uneasy I feel.

RedastheRose · 19/02/2017 00:16

newname I think that they would want AML for both of you but someone else on here may know for sure.

By the sound of it you do need a good lawyer and fast. You may well be
being set up to be the fall guy here and he could be doing all sorts behind your back. He is NOT a nice person.

Don't blame yourself emotionally abusive individuals are very difficult to deal with and that is how they succeed in drawing you in. Read up about narcissistic tendencies and behaviours. The rather nasty relationship with a girl almost 30 years his junior is a massive red flag as well. He stalked her (presumably because she had the temerity to dump him) to the extent that her brother and new boyfriend had to warn him off then he ran to the police and claimed she was the aggressor, having pushed her to breaking point! Don't you see how manipulative this behaviour is?

Get rid of him and get yourself out of this relationship ASAP. Get serious professional advice to protect yourself.

twattymctwatterson · 19/02/2017 10:36

So he had an affair with a teenager and then stalked and harassed her? Jesus OP, why are you still there? You need to get really fucking angry and take him for half of everything

RandomMess · 19/02/2017 15:02

Your H is a very accomplished liar and loves to get "one over" on other people, why one earth do you believe his side of the story for ANYTHING.

Please open your eyes very wide and realise he is completely untrustworthy! He has clearly lied to his mate accountant for YEARS, he has been telling his mate that you do nothing/token gesture. He has spread lie after lie about you...

Please get yourself some legal advice and your own accountant urgently.

Flowers
Penfold007 · 19/02/2017 16:19

OP he hasn't signed anything on your behalf, he has fraudulently forges your signature. You need legally advice as a matter of urgency.

Montane50 · 19/02/2017 17:00

You aren't an idiot so please don't think that anymore, you've been totally undermined and need help to extricate yourself from the marriage and the business x