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On 31 October, Guy de Havillande – once dubbed the King of Belgravia – was ordered to pay agent Abdallah Raad £2m together with interest and legal costs in relation to the deal.
De Havillande, who was not in court, was prevented from defending the action as he had failed to file witness statements as ordered by the court.
The judge held that, in October 2006, the investor had agreed to pay a 2% commission on the sale price of the west
Raad claims to have introduced the properties to Broadgate Developments.
In spring 2007, the portfolio was sold to Fenland – an Isle of Man-based joint venture comprising Jack Petchey’s Petchey Group and two directors of Broadgate.
The judge said he was satisfied that Raad had indirectly introduced Fenland to de Havillande via Broadgate, and that the 2% commission was therefore payable.
De Havillande’s former lawyer, Malcolm Bell, said in court that, in December 2006, de Havillande appeared to abandon his portfolio of properties and went incommunicado.
The lawyer said he did not know his whereabouts, and since that time the only means of contacting him had been by way of a Google e-mail account.
