Former Chelsea goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini is embroiled in a High Court dispute after being barred from using a two-metre sun terrace at his £3m London home.
The 52-year-old former Premier League winner is being sued by the freeholder, Haya Property Ltd, in a row he claims was triggered by complaints about noisy air conditioning units installed close to his bedroom window at the Kensington mews property.
Cudicini bought the South Kensington house for £1.75m in 2006.
The case centres on allegations that he breached the terms of his lease by converting part of a rear flat roof into a sun terrace.
Haya Property Ltd alleges that his use of the space — described in planning documents as measuring less than two metres in both length and width — amounts to “trespass and/or breach of covenant”.
Cudicini denies the claim. His lawyers argue that the terrace, accessed from the first-floor lounge, is in line with planning permission granted by Westminster City Council for works carried out at the property before he purchased it.
Haya Property is seeking an injunction to prevent further use of the terrace, along with damages of up to £25,000.
Cudicini denies breaching the lease and argues the claim is unfounded. He contends the dispute arose after he raised concerns about air conditioning units installed by the freeholder near his bedroom window, which he said were noisy.
His counsel argued: “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.”
The former goalkeeper told the court that planning permission granted in 2006 to a previous owner allowed for the replacement of a rear first-floor window with French doors and the use of the flat roof and light well as a terrace.
Cudicini also said the freeholder at the time – before Haya Property Ltd acquired the freehold in 2015 – was formally notified of the terrace application and raised no objection.
His barrister told the court that Cudicini has personal knowledge of the property dating back to his purchase in 2006 and has made further inquiries since proceedings began, enabling him to prepare what was described as a complete defence.
The matter came before Judge Dobbie for a short pre-trial hearing to consider costs budgets ahead of a trial, for which a date has not yet been set.
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