A Hollywood stuntman who appeared alongside Brad Pitt in his blockbuster F1 movie is suing surveyors for £150,000 after claiming his dream country home turned into a nightmare plagued by overflowing sewage.
Robert Bowen, who has performed stunts in some of Hollywood's biggest productions, claims his £495,000 Lincolnshire cottage was riddled with defects that were missed during a pre-purchase inspection.
The stunt performer, who also worked on Disney's The Little Mermaid and hit TV series House of the Dragon, says he and his partner Lucy Vaughan were left battling sewage leaks, flooding and a crumbling roof after moving into the property in 2023.
The couple claim they discovered a foul smell outside their new home, only to find that their septic tank was defective and allowing sewage containing 'foul solids' to escape.
They say replacing the tank alone will cost £25,000, while a catalogue of other problems, including faulty windows, broken solar panels and a leaking roof, will set them back thousands more.
Mr Bowen and Ms Vaughan are now suing Beehoo Surveying Limited, claiming the company failed to identify serious defects when it carried out an extensive inspection before they bought the property.
But the surveyors deny responsibility, insisting many of the alleged problems were either not present or could not have been detected during their inspection.
The couple had been searching for an idyllic family home when they purchased the detached property on Fishtoft Drove, Frithville, which sits within 4.7 acres of Lincolnshire countryside.
Robert Bowen, who has performed stunts in some of Hollywood's biggest productions, claims his £495,000 Lincolnshire cottage was riddled with defects that were missed during a pre-purchase inspection
The stunt performer, who also worked on Disney's The Little Mermaid and hit TV series House of the Dragon, says he and his partner Lucy Vaughan were left battling sewage leaks, flooding and a crumbling roof after moving into the property in 2023
Mr Bowen appeared as a body double alongside Brad Pitt in the Hollywood star's movie about Formula One
They instructed the Spalding-based surveying firm to carry out a Level 3 survey, the most comprehensive type of property inspection, before committing to the purchase.
However, according to documents filed at London's High Court, their countryside dream quickly unravelled.
The couple claim they 'noted a foul smell to the exterior of the property, together with overflowing foul drainage' shortly after moving in.
An expert investigation allegedly revealed that the septic tank was not fit for purpose and needed replacing.
They also discovered that the roof was in such poor condition it required replacing, while the property suffered from flooding and problems with its chimney, doors and windows.
The solar panels were allegedly 'defunct', while some windows and doors could not be opened or closed properly.
The couple claim the defects will cost £143,570 to rectify, with a further £3,000 needed to cover alternative accommodation while repairs are carried out.
Their lawyers argue the problems should have been spotted by a competent surveyor and insist the couple would never have bought the property had they known its true condition.
In court documents, their lawyers state: 'At all material times, the defendant held itself out as experienced, skilled and competent surveyors.'
They add: 'The claimants were at all material times residential purchasers seeking a suitable family home.
'On or about 29 March 2023, the claimants instructed the defendant to survey the property and to advise them about its structure and condition. The defendant was instructed to produce a report of Level 3, which is the most detailed report available.
'The express purpose of the contract as described therein was to provide the claimants with sufficient information in order to…make a reasoned and informed decision as to whether to go ahead with buying the property [and] make an informed decision on what is a reasonable price to pay for the property in that the report would provide a comprehensive overview of the condition of the property and its facilities.'
Their legal team claims the defects 'existed at the time of the defendant's inspection and were reasonably identifiable by a reasonably competent surveyor carrying out a Level 3 survey with reasonable skill and care.'
Mr Bowen and Ms Vaughan are now suing Beehoo Surveying Limited, claiming the company failed to identify serious defects when it carried out an extensive inspection before they bought the property
The couple had been searching for an idyllic family home when they purchased the detached property on Fishtoft Drove, Frithville, which sits within 4.7 acres of Lincolnshire countryside
Robert Bowen has also performed stunts for BBC Hollow Crown starring Tom Hiddleston and Benedict Cumberbatch
They add: 'The claimants relied upon the report prepared by the defendant in that they would not have purchased the property had they been aware of the significant and numerous defects.'
These include potential defects with the chimney, flooding from the driveway, the pitch of the porch and an issue with a downpipe.
In its defence, the company admits 'that the defendant should have but did not identify and report' those issues.
However, it denies the remaining allegations and disputes that its failure to flag certain defects caused the couple financial losses.
The firm's barrister, Pippa Manby, argues that many of the alleged problems were either concealed or located in areas that could not reasonably be inspected.
She states: 'The defendant was performing a Level 3 survey inspection…Many of the alleged defects were not detectable within the scope of such a survey as …they were not visible when making such inspection of the property as was reasonably practicable in the circumstances [or] they related to parts of the property which were inaccessible.
'The true cause of the claimants' losses, if any, are the seller in covering up damp and/or other defects, including by painting the property for sale [and] the claimants' solicitors in failing to raise and/or investigate certain matters including: the woodburning stove; the solar panels; and/or the flood risk at the property which would have revealed the issues regarding the septic tank; the double glazing in the windows; and/or driveway.'
The company also accuses Mr Bowen and his partner of 'failure adequately to maintain and/or repair the property' since the survey was conducted.
Its lawyers argue that the compensation being sought is 'excessive and/or disproportionate' and dispute the couple's claims about the property's loss in value.