Former Chelsea Goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini Faces Legal Battle Over London Mews Home Sun Terrace
Former Chelsea goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini is embroiled in a legal dispute with the landlord of his £3 million London mews home over the conversion of its roof into a sun terrace. The 53-year-old ex-footballer is being sued by Haya Property, the freehold owners of his house in an affluent area of west London.
Origins of the Dispute
Cudicini claims the conflict began when he complained about the firm installing loud air conditioning units near his bedroom window. The house, purchased by Cudicini for £1.75 million in 2006, is located close to Hyde Park and the Royal Albert Hall, and under two miles from Chelsea's Stamford Bridge stadium.
Milan-born Cudicini now faces a court dispute over allegations he breached the lease terms for the South Kensington property by converting a rear section of flat roof into a sun terrace. Haya Property contends that his use of the compact terrace space constitutes 'a trespass and/or breach of covenant'.
Legal Arguments and Planning Permission
The former footballer's legal team insists his adaptation of the terrace, accessed from the first floor lounge, complies with planning permission granted by the City of Westminster for works at the house before he moved in. During a recent pre-trial hearing at Central London County Court, Cudicini's barrister Mark Warwick explained the timeline of events.
'On 30 June 2006, he purchased the house, with the benefit of the terrace permission, for £1.75 million,' Warwick told Judge Olivia-Faith Dobbie. 'In about 2007 to 2008, he had work to the house carried out in accordance with the terrace permission, creating a terrace. The work was carried out openly and with the knowledge and/or consent of the previous landlords. From about 2008 and thereafter, he has openly used the terrace as part of the house.'
Additional Property Developments
According to council documents, Cudicini also secured planning permission to create a new basement beneath the mews, which would include an en suite guest room and TV/play room. However, despite his 999-year lease on the property held at the nominal rate of 'one red rose per annum if demanded', he now faces claims of trespass and breach of lease related specifically to the terrace.
Haya Property is seeking an injunction to prevent the alleged misuse of the terrace, along with compensation of up to £25,000. The mews home is currently valued online at more than £3 million.
Counterclaims and Historical Context
Cudicini's lawyers argue that the claim has no solid legal basis and was triggered by the landlords' overreaction to his complaint about noisy air conditioning units. His KC described the breach allegation as 'unjustified', adding: 'Further and in any event, the allegation was their unjustified riposte to Mr Cudicini's earlier complaint to the City of Westminster that Haya Property had wrongly placed three noisy air conditioning units next to his master bedroom.'
Warwick informed the court that the 2006 permission granted to a previous owner allowed for 'the replacement of a rear first floor window with French doors - and use of flat roof and lightwell as a terrace.' Cudicini's case also asserts that landlords prior to Haya Property's acquisition of the freehold in 2015 were formally notified of the terrace planning application and agreed to it.
Football Career and Current Role
Carlo Cudicini began his professional career at Serie A side AC Milan in 1992 before moving to Chelsea in 1999, where he became the club's number one goalkeeper and was voted Chelsea's player of the year for the 2001-02 season. He later served as an understudy to Petr Cech during Premier League title-winning seasons under Jose Mourinho in 2005 and 2006.
After leaving Chelsea, Cudicini joined Tottenham Hotspur in 2009 and played his final professional games at Los Angeles Galaxy in 2013. He returned to Chelsea as a club ambassador and assistant to then-manager Antonio Conte in 2016 and currently serves as the club's head of talent and pathway programme.
The case concluded with a five-minute pre-trial hearing before Judge Dobbie, dealing with costs budgets for the forthcoming trial, whose date has yet to be fixed.
