Co-op Owner Ordered To Allow Repairs: Court orders shower work; building seeks $170,000 in fees

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 beneath the shower floor. The building sought permission to enter her apartment and replace the shower installation, arguing that the responsibility for the repairs rested with the apartment owner under the co-operative’s rules.