A former Goldman Sachs banker is being sued for more than £100,000 by her millionaire neighbours in Knightsbridge, who claim her leaking shower caused their ceiling to collapse. Swedish property executive Samuel Wagner and his wife Jennifer say that 'nuisance and negligence relating to leaks' from upstairs neighbour Leda Sara's flat forced them out of their £1.4 million home three times and left them facing thousands in repair bills.
Ms Sara, a banker turned interior designer and estate agent, bought her own flat in 2014 for £1.6 million and began renovating it before letting it out. The Wagners allege that multiple leaks, 'excessive heat loss and vermin... dust and rubbish deposits' during the refurbishment caused them to move into rented accommodation on three occasions. They also claim that delays in certifying that the leaks were fixed caused a sale of their flat to fall through, costing them £60,000.
In court, the couple's barrister Joseph Meethan told Judge Stephen Hellman that the ceiling collapse occurred in August 2019 due to a leak from a shower in Ms Sara's flat. Further leaks followed in 2021 and 2022, including a flood from a faulty sprinkler system. The couple tried to sell their flat in 2020 but the sale collapsed in 2022 after Ms Sara failed to provide evidence that the leaks were remedied, resulting in extra stamp duty costs.
Ms Sara, 50, is defending the case, denying liability and blaming the contractors who carried out the renovations. Her barrister, Faisel Sadiq, argued that she should not be held responsible for any damages. The case continues at the Mayors and City County Court.
