Developer Ordered to Pay £36.5m for Selling Moth-Infested Mansion

A High Court ruled the seller misrepresented the state of the luxury property, leading to a record-breaking refund and damages payout.

William Woodward-Fisher, a former British rower and property developer, was found liable for failing to disclose a severe moth infestation in a £32.5m Notting Hill mansion sold in 2019.
The buyers, Iya Patarkatsishvili, heiress to a Georgian billionaire, and her husband, Dr. Yevhen Hunyak, claimed the infestation affected walls, ceilings, and insulation, requiring daily efforts to control the moth population.
The High Court found Woodward-Fisher provided 'false' answers in pre-sale disclosures, ruling the couple was misled into the purchase under 'fraudulent misrepresentation.'
The court ordered a £36.5m payout, including a refund of the purchase price (less £6.4m for time spent in the home), £4.7m in interest, £5.1m in damages, and legal costs up to £2.9m.
The couple must vacate the property within months, allowing Woodward-Fisher to sell it to fulfill the court's financial orders.