The former N-Dubz star Tulisa Contostavlos has been ordered to pay over £70,000 to the landlord of the property, Andrew Charalambous, after his luxury North London home was ‘trashed’ during her tenancy. The inventory check-in and check-out report was key in providing evidence of the serious damage.

The landlord claimed the three-bedroom property in Enfield, costing £3,466 per month to rent, was let in ‘tip-top condition’ but returned to him in an ‘appalling’ and ‘unlettable’ state. Reported damage between September 2014 and July 2016, included a smashed sink, cigarette burns, stains and doors ripped from hinges.

“Normal” wear and tear…

Contostavlos’ lawyer argued that the damage was not caused by her and that it was not above ‘normal wear and tear’. However, Judge David Saunders ruled against her ordering her to pay compensation, interest and legal costs in excess of £70,000 to Mr Charalambous.

The inventory work was carried out by Mitchell Walters, owner of No Letting Go’s Barnet and Enfield franchise, who said, “We were pleased to be able to help the landlord win compensation, the property was treated very poorly and would have cost him thousands to repair. Our inventory helped to demonstrate its pristine condition at the start of the tenancy,” says Mitchell.

“Hopefully the high-profile nature of this case will remind landlords and letting agents about the potential financial implications of property damage if they don’t have professional and comprehensive measures in place.”

Nick Lyons, CEO, No Letting Go, added, “We can see from this case the importance of an independently and professionally compiled inventory. It’s clear that reported damage was certainly not wear and tear, but when serious disputes between landlords and tenants like this occur, being able to prove it through evidence becomes crucial if landlords want to recover costs for repairs and replacements.”