Management company director from hell?

Management company director from hell?

16:20 PM, 19th May 2021, About 3 years ago 3

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I’ve been a joint shareholder of a freehold company that owns a Victorian block with 4 flats for about 5 years, there are four flats with four shareholders, and I am one of three Directors running the management company.

The other two Directors are ‘Directors from Hell’, they have owned their flats for over 30 years and are very difficult to get on with.

One of the other Directors is the main person who resists everything and tries to bully their way through, they have allowed the block to deteriorate for over 30 years and the nasty Director has only begun to look after the block recently due to their daughter moving into their flat and sharing the ownership.

The third Director stays on the fence all the time and does not challenge the difficult Director and always eventually goes against me, he doesn’t contribute to anything, stays vague until the very last minute.

We’ve never got on primarily because the horrible Director has not stopped sending me defamatory, inflammatory or abusive emails since day 1, they got so bad that I instructed a solicitor in 2016 who agreed that the emails were extreme and sent a letter to that Director and asked them to cease and desist, their response was apologetic, agreeable and non-denial to the point that they even suggested recruiting an independent management company!

One month following this admittance the Director reverted back to the usual vicious stream of emails.

This was 4 years ago and I didn’t follow it up due to the cost implications, however, things blew up recently to such an extent and after receiving emails with terms such as ‘Liar, Conman, Dishonest etc and inciting all shareholders and the other Director that and I quote ‘should be hung drawn and quartered’ I decided to again consult a solicitor, I am now facing legal fees again and unless I action this immediately this other Director has continued to incite others with their defamatory and inflammatory emails accusing me of all sorts of things, strange thing is that she does not act with the same level of abuse face to face!

They have even threatened to remove me as a third Director, even though I work tirelessly to look after the block and respond to all emails by stating clearly that I am carrying out my duty as a Director and acting for the best interest of the block.

I am younger compared to this person, and she uses the fact that she is an older woman and makes out that I as a male am a bully and a criminal with ulterior motives, in fact, the reality, is that I suffer from a chronic life-threatening heart condition and feel that this situation has been so detrimental to my health and mental well-being.

I don’t want to sell up, she has driven three owners out in the past and I don’t want to end up the same way!

Does anyone know any other way apart from the solicitor route with potential costs that I can involve the police or companies house or any other third party to stop this rogue Director from damaging my reputation further and stop them inflicting any more abuse on me and remove them on the basis of the bullying and abuse and not acting in the best interest of the management company and using dishonest and defamatory methods to abuse another Director?


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Comments

Mike in Worthing

14:28 PM, 20th May 2021, About 3 years ago

Everyone has the right not to be abused by email or letter. Malicious Communications Act 1988 and Protection from Harassment Act 1997 come to mind. Both MCA & PHA are criminal matters and should be reported to the police. Their service (if you can call it that) is free. If they fail to act, make a written complaint.
If you are always outvoted by the other two directors, you should consider resigning your directorship. Makes it easier to sue if necessary.

Richard P

15:13 PM, 20th May 2021, About 3 years ago

I agree with Mike threating emails are an offence, I had a similar situation, I did not involve the police , it costs me £500 in solicitors letters but it stopped the problem. You have to decided how you go about it and if you go to the Police need find an officer that takes these matters seriously.

Sometimes it is better to have 1 good freeholder than a share of freehold sadly , but both can come with problems

Peter Poupard

19:23 PM, 25th May 2021, About 3 years ago

As has been stated previously there are steps that you can take in reporting these emails to the police. Both the malicious communications and harassment offences are police matters and they have no option but to investigate and act. Harassment is a course of action and what you describe is clearly a course of action. The Malicious Communications has a higher threshold of what is malicious so report both and ask for an update from the investigating officer. The minimum they should do is to communicate with the alleged offender and warn him of his actions. The first step has to be a warning, but any breach thereafter will be arrestable.

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