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3-year shower-leak fight: NYC co-op seeks $170K in legal fees

By · Via Times of India · Published by Everything Blog

In short

The dispute originated in 2023 when a downstairs neighbor reported ceiling damage shortly after Girardi bought her apartment for $660,000. Lower courts initially backed Girardi because the cooperative lacked conclusive proof, but an appellate court reversed the decision in March 2026 using sworn statements and photographs. In addition to the nearly $170,000 in legal fees sought by the co-op, Girardi estimates the mandated shower repairs could cost up to $40,000 due to her Carrara marble tiles.

Key points

  • Castle Village is pursuing nearly $170,000 in legal fees from Girardi following the three…: Castle Village is pursuing nearly $170,000 in legal fees from Girardi following the three-year litigation.
  • The appellate court determined Girardi was obligated to permit repairs and cover costs un…: The appellate court determined Girardi was obligated to permit repairs and cover costs under the terms of her proprietary lease.
  • The bathroom conflict represents the second access dispute between the resident and the b…: The bathroom conflict represents the second access dispute between the resident and the board, following an earlier clash over building-wide gas piping.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

A disagreement over a possible bathroom leak has turned into a costly legal battle between a New York homeowner and her co-operative apartment building, with the dispute now involving nearly $170,000 in legal fees. Guillermina Girardi, a resident of Manhattan’s Castle Village complex, maintains that her shower is not responsible for water damage reported in the apartment below. The building, however, insists that repairs are necessary. The case, reported by the New York Post and examined through decisions published by the New York State Unified Court System, has also raised questions about the authority of co-operative housing boards and the evidence required to establish responsibility for property damage. The dispute began in 2023, approximately six weeks after Girardi purchased her one-bedroom apartment for $660,000. Her downstairs neighbour, Ariane Zorgniotti, reported signs of moisture damage on her bathroom ceiling, including peeling and bubbling paint. Building management initially treated the problem as a relatively minor leak before later describing the situation as more serious.

Castle Village eventually attributed the suspected leak to a possible defect in Girardi’s shower pan, the waterproof base…

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