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Couple buys $40.2 million moth-infested London mansion
A couple buys a $40.2 million villa in London, but an infestation of moths causes serious problems. Court rules in their favor and reimburses costs.
Couple buys $40.2 million moth-infested London mansion
A couple who bought a London villa for £32,500,000 ($40,200,000) have won court permission to return the property and recoup most of their costs after the home was hit by a massive moth infestation.
The dream property in Notting Hill
Horbury Villa, located on one of the quiet, leafy streets outside Notting Hill, seemed like the perfect home in north-west London. But behind the magnificent Victorian facade, a colony of moths lived in isolation and wreaked havoc throughout the house. The villa has a pool, spa, gym, cinema and wine cellar.
The purchase and discovery of the moth plague
Iya Patarkatsishvili, the daughter of a Georgian trillionaire, and her husband Yevhen Hunyak bought the house in May 2019 from William Woodward-Fisher, an appraiser and real estate developer. But after they moved in, they found moths on their toothbrushes, towels and wine glasses. The insects also damaged their clothing, some of which had to be thrown away.
The extent of the moth plague
Hunyak reported that at one point he was killing between 10 and 35 moths daily, while his family and cleaners also did so. A judge has ruled in the couple's favor, finding that Woodward-Fisher made "fraudulent misrepresentations" and concealed "a serious moth infestation in the home's insulation" before the sale.
Court ruling and consequences
Mr Justice Fancourt found that Woodward-Fisher had given incorrect answers to three questions before selling the house, including claiming he was not aware of any pests or hidden defects in the property. According to the ruling, Woodward-Fisher's wife had already noticed a problem with clothes moths (Tineola bisselliella) at the beginning of 2018, following the installation of new insulation as part of extensive construction work. Extermination specialists were brought in to combat the problem, and she forwarded some emails about the moth infestation to her husband.
A judgment with consequences
Fancourt noted in his ruling that he did not believe Woodward-Fisher attempted to intentionally deceive the buyers. Rather, Woodward-Fisher simply wanted to sell the house and move on. In addition to refunding the majority of the purchase price, less an amount for the period the couple spent in the property, Fancourt also awarded him "substantial damages" as well as any costs the couple incurred in trying to get rid of the moths.