Walt Disney Co is facing a £400,000 claim by project manager Nidus, in a dispute over a television office and studio complex in west London.
In a claim issued at London’s High Court and just made publicly available, Nidus alleges that Walt Disney has breached a contract over Disney’s new offices, known as the Monaco project, and has failed to pay its invoices.
Nidus says that it held a series of meetings with Disney over the winter of 2000 and 2001 to discuss Disney’s requirements for a television transmission office and studio complex, with office space of at least 80,000 sq ft. Nidus subsequently supplied a fee proposal, and estimated its charge for negotiating a lease at around £200,000, based on the rent negotiated.
The claim says that Nidus set up a project office in Disney’s premises in Stephen Street, London, and Strutt & Parker was engaged as the chartered surveyor to assist in the negotiation of a lease.
Disney allegedly wrote on 11 May 2001 confirming that Nidus had been engaged to negotiate the rent and three phases of the project. Nidus says that it was an express term of the rent agreement that it would be paid a minimum of £150,000 plus VAT if it was not engaged by Disney when contracts were exchanged.
The claim says that, on 19 June 2001, Nidus asked for its professional services fees of £976,000 to be confirmed. A series of project meetings took place, when progress was reviewed and site plans discussed, but, on 6 September 2001, Disney indicated that Nidus was no longer to be involved in project Monaco.
Nidus is now suing Disney for £164,000 for negotiating rent on the offices and £286,200 for works and services supplied. Alternatively, Nidus seeks damages or a quantum meruit.
References: EGi Legal News 26/9/03
