News correspondent
A couple who bought a £32.5m mansion can hand it back and have most of their money returned after they found out it had a “severe moth infestation”, a High Court judge has ruled.
Iya Patarkatsishvili and Yevhen Hunyak successfully sued William Woodward-Fisher, the vendor of their property in west London, after the judge agreed he failed to tell them about the moth problem in the pre-contract enquiries.
Ms Patarkatsishvili, 41, and Dr Hunyak, 51, found moths in wine glasses, on toothbrushes and in their clothes, some of which were ruined and had to be thrown away, after they bought Horbury Villa in Ladbroke Grove in May 2019, the court heard.
Mr Woodward-Fisher, 68, made “fraudulent misrepresentations” when he claimed he did not know of any vermin infestation or of any hidden defect in the property, the hearing was told.
In fact, there was a “serious” moth infestation in the insulation, which had been detailed in at least two reports from pest control companies before the sale.
Mr Woodward-Fisher also told the court he had been advised that moths were not vermin.
Mr Justice Fancourt ruled that the couple should receive a repayment for some of the £32.5m they paid when purchasing the property, less an amount to take into account the years they did live there.
He also awarded them “substantial damages”, including the stamp duty land tax, all the costs incurred by them in seeking to eradicate the infestation of moths, and £15,000 for ruined clothes.
Ms Patarkatsishvili, a theatre director, is the daughter of late tycoon Badri Patarkatsishvili, who was Georgia’s richest man and died in Surrey in 2008 aged 52. Forbes said he had a $12bn (£9.69bn) fortune.
Following his death, a family spokesman said 50% of his fortune would go to Mr Patarkatsishvili’s wife and the remainder to his children and mother.
His remaining family were reported to have assets collectively worth at least £2.4bn in 2012, according to a Financial Times report from the time.
Dr Hunyak is the founder of a private children’s dental group in west London.