Former Banker Faces £100k Lawsuit Over Knightsbridge Property Dispute
A former Goldman Sachs banker turned luxury property specialist is being sued for more than £100,000 by her millionaire neighbours in one of London's most exclusive addresses over claims that a leaking shower from her flat caused their ceiling to collapse.
The legal battle centres on a Grade-II listed building on Lennox Gardens in Knightsbridge, where Swedish property firm boss Samuel Wagner and his wife Jennifer claim they were driven from their £1.4 million home on three separate occasions due to problems emanating from the flat above.
Multiple Issues Alleged in Exclusive Address
Mr and Mrs Wagner allege that "nuisance and negligence relating to leaks" from the apartment owned by Leda Sara, along with other problems during renovation works, forced them to seek temporary rented accommodation multiple times and left them facing substantial repair bills.
The claimants assert that multiple leaks from the flat above, combined with "excessive heat loss and vermin...dust and rubbish deposits" during extensive renovation works, created unacceptable living conditions in their luxury home.
They further claim that delays in obtaining certification that leaks had been properly fixed caused a sale of their flat to "fall through," costing them approximately £60,000 in additional second-home stamp duty as they were unable to sell within the required three-year period after purchasing another property.
Defendant Denies Liability
Ms Sara, 50, who now runs her own company specialising in acquiring and managing luxury properties for high-net-worth individuals, is vigorously defending the case at Mayors and City County Court.
Her legal representative, Faisel Sadiq, told Judge Stephen Hellman that Ms Sara denies any liability to the neighbouring couple and instead blames the independent contractors who carried out the renovation works for any issues that occurred.
"The defendant's overarching position is that as a matter of law she is not liable for the negligence of, or for nuisance carried out by, an independent contractor," Mr Sadiq stated during proceedings.
He argued that the claimants' case is "wholly misconceived" in seeking to render Ms Sara liable for actions carried out by contractors or her tenant, adding that "a landowner is not in the position of an insurer of all those independent contractors who carry out works on their land."
Detailed Allegations Presented in Court
The couple's barrister, Joseph Meethan, presented detailed allegations to the court, describing a series of incidents that he claims significantly disrupted his clients' lives in their prestigious Knightsbridge residence.
He told the court that on 18 August 2019, a damp patch formed on the ceiling of the Wagners' flat, caused by a leak from a shower in Ms Sara's apartment above. This incident reportedly led to the ceiling collapsing, forcing the couple to move out from 27 September 2019 until 4 November 2019.
Further leaks were alleged to have occurred in October 2021, July 2022 and October 2022 into the communal area of the building, with an additional leak on 1 August 2022 into the kitchen of the Wagners' flat.
"The persistent issues with leaks demonstrate that this was not done," Mr Meethan argued regarding the quality of works carried out. "The claimants were made to leave their home three times as a result of the defendant's poor choice of contractors and lack of care for neighbours."
Historical Setting of the Dispute
The legal battle unfolds against the backdrop of one of London's most prestigious addresses. Lennox Gardens is recognised as one of the most exclusive garden squares in Knightsbridge, with properties on the square valued at up to £40 million.
The houses surrounding the gardens were originally constructed around 1886, with the 1.139 acre private communal gardens at the centre laid out on the pitch of the late 19th-century Prince's Club's former cricket ground.
Ms Sara purchased her apartment in the building for £1.6 million in 2014 and subsequently undertook extensive renovation works, stripping out furniture, kitchen, bathroom and partition walls, as well as a lowered ceiling.
The court heard that these initial works allegedly caused problems with "excessive heat loss and vermin, as well as dust and rubbish deposits" according to the claimants' case.
Counter-Claim and Continuing Proceedings
In a further development, the court was informed that Ms Sara is pursuing her own claim against a contractor who carried out works on her flat during the disputed period, seeking indemnification for any losses incurred relating to works they performed.
Regarding the claim for lost stamp duty rebate, Mr Sadiq argued that "there is no pleaded claim that the defendant owed a duty to the claimants to provide such proof" and that "there is no sufficient evidence, beyond the claimants' mere say so, that the sale of Flat 4 fell through because, or mainly because, of the lack of details provided by the defendant."
The hearing continues as both parties present their arguments in what has become a high-profile property dispute in one of London's most affluent neighbourhoods.
