The landlords of a luxury mansion are suing one of West Ham’s top strikers after they allege he trashed the place. They also claim the footballer owes them tens of thousands of pounds in unpaid rent.
A Premier Neighbourhood
The 5-bedroom luxury mansion in Merseyside was originally rented to the footballer on a two-year lease. He was said to have paid the landlords a £15,000 deposit up front before moving in, but his plans later changed and after being sent on loan to West Ham, he decided to make the move permanent. The lease on the property expired in May of this year, but far from being returned to the landlords in its original condition, they were horrified to discover their former tenant had extensively damaged the house.
Sued for Damages
The landlords of the up-market property are suing the footballer for £123,000 damages plus £68,000 in unpaid rent. They allege the swimming pool contained broken glass and algae, there were drinks stains on chairs and the dining room ceiling, and that antique furniture and exercise equipment had been unlawfully removed from the house.
The footballer is believed to have claimed he took the missing items to ensure he would have his deposit returned, although the star’s solicitors have yet to officially confirmed this.
The Moral of the Story
Premier league footballers are well known for their bumper pay packets, but just because they are wealthy, it doesn’t mean they make responsible tenants. So if a super rich footballer shows interest in one of your rental properties, make sure you check his references thoroughly and extract a hefty deposit, just in case.
