"Windy City Rehab" star Alison Victoria is fighting back against the second lawsuit levied against her and her co-stars for alleged shoddy work, arguing the plaintiffs' complaints are without merit and should be thrown out of court, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. David Lynch, the attorney for Victoria—whose real name is Alison Victoria Gramenos—claims the lawsuit from the homeowners is "baseless" and merely an attempt to bully Victoria into paying a settlement to avoid legal fees and bad press, in a court filing from May 21.
Homeowners Shane Jones and Samantha Mostaccio originally filed suit in April against Gramenos, contractors Donovan Eckhardt and Ermin Pajazetovic, companies run by Gramenos and Eckhardt, and the parent company of HGTV for fraud over "defective and incomplete work performed" on their $1.3 million single-family home. In the suit, Jones and Mostaccio demanded a full refund and asked for a permanent injunction to force HGTV to take Victoria and Eckhardt off the air, claiming the network is "deceptive" for portraying the pair as "superstar experts."
The suit from Jones and Mostaccio mainly focused on the garage behind the property that the couple wanted specifically renovated for Mostaccio to perform individual pilates training and film videos to stream for a fitness business. According to their lawsuit, the garage work was never properly completed and the work that was complete was done without a building permit. The plaintiffs claimed the garage was left exposed to the elements and now has rotting wood, damaged drywall, and damaged electrical wiring. The suit also claims problems exist on the property, including electrical outlets in the kitchen not up to code, water infiltrating the exterior walls of the home, poorly pitched landscaping, cracked concrete load-bearing columns, and a "sewage" odor and mold in the basement.
Lynch said Victoria's contractor was working to complete repairs when Jones barred him from the property and filed suit. In the counterclaim, Lynch is asking for sanctions against the plaintiffs and their attorney, whom he argues filed a lawsuit that "is so inaccurate, factually inconsistent, and deliberately misleading" that the court should take action.
The attorney representing Jones and Mostaccio also represent another couple filing a separate lawsuit against the "Windy City Rehab" team over a renovation on their $1.3 million home, also featured on the first season of the television show. The first lawsuit alleged shoddy work that led to an upper-floor shower leaking gallons of water, a leaky roof, and poorly installed windows.
The co-stars of "Windy City Rehab" have encountered numerous difficulties since their show first aired in January 2019. Victoria and Eckhardt drew complaints from neighbors about trash, noise, and unsecured worksites for homes featured on the show, and Eckhardt's Greymark Development Group was hit with a stop-work order related to building permits last May. Greymark Development Group had its permit privileges revoked for a year in the city of Chicago in July 2019. Victoria and Eckhardt were permitted to work on some properties in December 2019; however, the city upheld bans on applying for new building permits.
The first season of "Windy City Rehab" attracted 9.3 million viewers in the show's first month and a half, according to HGTV. The show was picked up for a second season, which is expected to air in July. Eckhardt will not return as the general contractor for the second season, according to the Chicago Tribune.