Ex-Yankee wins $500,000 damages against owner of moldy Greenwich mansion

When Josh Donaldson signed a contract to play for the NY Yankees in 2022, he moved with his pregnant wife and young daughter to Greenwich. He rented a five-bedroom mansion on 4.5 acres on Lake Avenue for $55,000 per month and a $110,000 security deposit.

What could go wrong? When Donaldson moved in, he found squirrels in the attic, mold throughout the house, an unusable pool and unworkable showers. He sued the homeowner Bill Grous.

This week, a 10-person jury awarded Donaldson over $500,000 in damages. The jury seemed unsympathetic to Grous' defense that he made the requested repairs and his claim that Donaldson threw away some of his heirloom possessions including a bottle of Louis XIII cognac.

Between the Lines: If you decide to rent your house, make sure there aren't squirrels in the attic and hang on to your prized cognac.

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