My cowboy builder has gone limited

Mistral001

Mistral001 said:

Your contract is with him personally.  The fact that he has formed a Ltd company has no bearing on that.  If he thinks that will protect him, he is mistaken.  However, he could make himself, what is called, a "man of straw" by putting his assets such a his house, car etc in someone else's name.   That will protect him to a certain degree.  See solicitor for proper advice.

PS.  Have you had any dealings with him since he formed his Ltd company.  If he is working for you now since he formed his Ltd company, he might claim that his Ltd company has a contract with you by its performance.  Again see your solicitor for proper advice.

Mistral001

comeandgo said:

If he has any assets.   The usual for self employed is have everything in wife's name.

I hate to be pedantic, but as a self-employed person myself, it is not usual.  There are millions of people who are self-employed from a wide range of trades and professions and very few of them put everything in their wife's name.  

But your point is a good one and this builder might just do this if he has not it done already.

Risteard

Mistral001 said:

comeandgo said:

If he has any assets.   The usual for self employed is have everything in wife's name.

I hate to be pedantic, but as a self-employed person myself, it is not usual.  There are millions of people who are self-employed from a wide range of trades and professions and very few of them put everything in their wife's name.  

But your point is a good one and this builder might just do this if he has not it done already.

I put my wife in my name. 

annieb1981

Our solicitor had advised that if property etc appears in his wife's name they would look at the date her name was on it and if it was in and around the time we first made legal contract it may not work to his favour at all.