The case began when Mr Shanahan’s company sued Dr Aylwin for unpaid invoices totalling £50,200, with her then suing the company in return over an alleged series of defects in the work.
Her barrister, Ashley Pratt, told Judge Nicholas Parfitt KC at Mayors and City County Court that she has a number of complaints about the quality of the building project – ranging from the cost of replacing a boiler, sub-standard paintwork including one surface being marked with a “boot print of the company’s employee”, problems with the newly fitted kitchen, and a toilet that failed to flush.
“The shower was clearly too short to fit under and was clearly unsuitable,” he added, also claiming there were “fittings defects for the dishwasher”, problems with the kitchen electrics, defective tiles in an en-suite bedroom – as well as “gross over-charging” when installing sliding doors in a bedroom.
Dr Aylwin is disputing the unpaid bills claim, saying there were multiple defects in the work done which effectively “extinguish” the building company’s £50,200 bill.
Dr Aylwin’s barrister further claimed that in Greystoke’s best case the debt owing would only amount to £44,000.
“The invoicing and estimate process was nothing short of shambolic,” he told the court.
Greystoke’s barrister Paul Fisher told the judge: “One of the company’s witnesses and directors, Mr Paul Shanahan, worked as an expert on the BBC television programme Cowboy Trap, in which his team sought to rectify and compete works in residential homes initially undertaken by ‘cowboy’ builders.”
Mr Shanahan was personally engaged in the renovation works at Dr Aylwin’s home, the court heard, and had also negotiated the contract and “scope of works”.
Mr Fisher said the company took on the project in 2019, with Mrs Aylwin’s son, Idris, overseeing the project for his parents.
