Bruce Lehrmann’s former landlord is trying to hit him with a huge bill for the “extensive damage” he allegedly caused to her multi-million-dollar Sydney property, claiming she was unable to re-rent it when he left.
Lehrmann, 28, moved out of the luxury three-bedroom home in Balgowlah, on Sydney’s northern beaches, in early April when his deal with Channel Seven for a year’s accommodation at $2,000 a week ended.
He then moved to another mansion with a friend in North Sydney, but that was short-lived after angry neighbors He complained about wild parties, “screaming” girls, and Tina Turner’s karaoke.
The owner of the Balgowlah property, Lady Gaenor Meakes, has launched a case in the New South Wales Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) against Lehrmann for damages and financial loss because he left three weeks before the end of the lease .
Lehrmann’s name was on the lease, but his bills were paid by Channel Seven’s finance department.
He failed to appear at a scheduled conciliation session at the Sydney court on Thursday, organized to help resolve the dispute, because Lady Meakes had been unable to find him to hand over the documents.
Lady Meakes told the court she was unable to rent the house after Lehrmann left due to “cleaning that needed to be done”, but Daily Mail Australia can reveal the property was put back up for sale on rental sites on Tuesday for $2,250 per week.
Bruce Lehrmann appears on the balcony of his former rental in Balgowlah in December 2023.
Lady Gaenor Meakes brought a case in the New South Wales Civil and Administrative Tribunal in early May.
Pictured: The luxury Balgowlah property, worth an estimated $4 million, rents for $2,250 a week.
The price has nearly doubled since the rental was first announced in May 2023 for $1,300. He understood that Channel Seven paid an increased fee of $2,000 per week to cover Lehrmann’s utilities.
According to the new rental listing, “no expense has been spared.”
“The property enjoys a perfect appearance and stunning views across Manly,” it reads.
‘Designed over three levels, with an emphasis on space, there are two master bedrooms (both with en-suite bathrooms) and one also incorporates a wellness space for yoga, an infrared sauna and a designated study/home office area.
“Entertaining is easy with a chef’s kitchen and open-plan living/dining room, all designed to enjoy the expansive views.”
Lady Meakes is married to champion sailor Mark Richards, skipper of Wild Oats
Richards transferred ownership of the property to his wife after they purchased it for $2.4 million in 2019. The property is now worth an estimated $4 million.
Pictured: The master bedroom of Lady Meakes’ Balgowlah property
The property (pictured) has three bedrooms, three bathrooms and parking for two cars.
The house (pictured) has water views, two balconies and a private patio.
During Thursday’s hearing, Lady Meakes told the court she attempted to send the NCAT documents to Lehrmann’s defamation lawyers, Mark O’Brien Legal in Sydney, but the package was returned to sender, The Australian reported.
Lehrmann is understood to have fled New South Wales after losing her Federal Court defamation case against Lisa Wilkinson and Network Ten in April, and has no fixed address.
Lady Meakes was granted permission to deliver the documents to Lehrmann by email.
Asked how long it would take to send him the paperwork, Lady Meakes told the court: “I have quite a few documents.”
When contacted for comment on Friday, Lehrmann referenced the national housing crisis and accused Lady Meakes of “kicking a dog while it’s down.”
“I can certainly sympathize with all those who have been dealing with licensed landlords in this cost of living crisis,” he told Daily Mail Australia.
Bruce Lehrmann appears in an episode of Channel Seven’s Spotlight.
‘Otherwise, I’m not going to expose this in the media like they seem to want to.
“Talk about kicking a dog while it’s down.”
Lehrmann is already facing millions of dollars in legal fees after his spectacular defamation loss on April 15.
She had sued over an interview Wilkinson did with Brittany Higgins on The Project in 2021, during which she claimed Lehrmann had raped her in Parliament in 2019.
Lehrmann, who had denied the assault, was not named in the broadcast but claimed that friends and colleagues were able to identify him as Higgins’ rapist.
However, Judge Michael Lee concluded, on a balance of probabilities, that Lehrmann had raped Ms Higgins in the manner she described in her interview.
It now faces bankruptcy to cover the winning parties’ legal bills, which are expected to total more than $2 million.
Lehrmann has until May 31 to appeal Judge Lee’s decision.
