In a lawsuit filed by the couple, they claim that 'porous waterproofing' fostered 'mold contamination' in their lavish California mansion, making the property 'virtually unlivable.'
- Feb 1, 2024
AceShowbiz - Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra were forced to move out of their dream house due to a mold infestation, a lawsuit reveals. The couple has, via their trustee, sued the builder of their lavish California mansion when water damage made it no longer safe to live in the house.
According to Page Six which obtained a copy of the lawsuit filed in May 2023, the Jonas Brothers member and the former Miss World champion, who got married in December 2018, purchased the luxury property for $20 million in September 2019. It boasts seven bedrooms, nine bathrooms, a chef's kitchen, temperature-controlled wine room, an indoor basketball court, interior bowling alley, a home theater, an entertainment lounge, a spa with steam shower, a full service gym and a billiards room.
However, in April 2020, the pool and spa began to present a series of issues, including "porous waterproofing" that "fostered mold contamination and related issues." The complaint states, "At or about the same time, a water leak appeared at the barbecue area on the deck."
"This leak damaged a portion of the interior living area immediately below the deck," it goes on detailing. The problems allegedly made the property "virtually unlivable" and "dangerous from a health perspective to occupy."
"This has resulted in substantial and significant damage along with a failure of consideration which requires that the purchase and sale be rescinded," the lawsuit claims, further noting that Nick and Priyanka are seeking via their trustee "consequential damages."
"In the alternative, plaintiff should be reimbursed for all costs of repair, plus compensation for the loss of use and other damages caused by defendants' conduct," their attorneys further argue. The exact costs have not yet been determined but, per the complaint, the waterproofing issues "will exceed" $1.5 million and "general damages" are estimated to be at around $2.5 million.
Lawyer Fred Fenster, who represents the trustee, explains that there have been some delays due to the fact that everyone involved is suing one another to deter the blame. "The trustee filed the lawsuit against the builder, the builder then filed a cross-complaint against sub-contractors, the sub-contractors then filed lawsuits against their people," he tells the news outlet. "It's like everybody who put a pick or a shovel in the property is going to be involved, and it's going to be up to the builder to decide and prove who was responsible for the defects."
In the meantime, Nick and Priyanka have moved with their 2-year-old daughter Malti into another property while construction continues on their luxury home in an effort to fix the issues. "They had invested significantly in the home and were disappointed with the building errors," a source close to the Hollywood couple says. "The house is currently under repair and they expect it to be in perfect condition shortly."
No one is living at the residence as of now and it is not being rented. A trial date likely won't be set until 2025, but the pair are free to move back in to the house whenever it is ready and they please despite the legal battle.
