Tulisa Contostavlos ordered to pay £70,000 over 'trashed' £1m penthouse littered with cigarette burns

Pop star Tulisa Contostavlos has been ordered to pay more than £70,000 in compensation over claims she “trashed” a rented £1 million penthouse apartment.

The former X Factor judge was accused of leaving the Enfield property in an “appalling unlettable condition” when she moved out in 2016, and faced legal action from landlord Andrew Charalambous.

He said the three-bedroom flat had been “pristine” and “in tip-top condition” when first rented to the N-Dubz singer in September 2014, but told Central London county court that “when he took it back it was trashed”.

Mr Charalambous claims the damage included the fridge door being ripped off, cigarette burns on the bath, stains and burns on the carpets, and the sink in the bathroom had been smashed.

“Miss Contostavlos, who is a pop star, had a lot of parties there,” suggested Mr Charalambous’ barrister Max ​Thorowgood. “In July 2016, she returned it to him in what he alleges was an appalling — unlettable — condition.”

Lawyers for Contostavlos, 31, said she denied any damage was caused by her “or that any damage is over and above normal wear and tear”.

But Judge David Saunders has now ordered her to pay her former landlord £70,832 in compensation, plus interest and the costs of the legal battle, after throwing out her defence case for not complying with court orders.

Contostavlos blamed problems with her defence on a “paperwork error” and said she intends to appeal against Judge Saunders’ decision so the case can go to trial.

The court heard Mr Charalambous, 44, a pitta bakery tycoon, leased the apartment to Contostavlos for a monthly rent of £3,466, and said when she left he faced a bill for damage and a new tenant was unable to move in.

“It is absolutely clear from the nature of some of the items which are admitted — such as the stains and cigarette burns on the carpets, the sink in the bathroom being smashed and the cigarette burns on the bath — that she did not look after this property as she should have done,” said Mr Thorowgood.

Contostavlos’s barrister, Mark Brittain, told the court: “It is alleged my client left this property in a bit of a mess, but she says she did not. Her defence is that she denies that any damage was caused by her or that any damage is over and above normal wear and tear.”

Mr ​Brittain said a “breakdown in communication” between Contostavlos and her legal team while she was working overseas had prevented them complying with a court order relating to evidence of damage.

Throwing out her case, Judge Saunders said: “The suggestion that this delay was due to these reasons is weak.

“It is well established that contact can be made with individuals in this country by either mobile phone or email.

“It may well be that Ms ​Contostavlos has an agent but even if not, being abroad is not a bar to remaining in touch with her solicitor — particularly when she is aware of the importance of this case, which involves a substantial amount of money.”

His ruling means a planned trial of the case at the end of this month will not take place.

In a statement after the ruling, Contostavlos said she “categorically denies” the claims and her legal team would appeal. She said the judgment had prevented her from giving her side of the story.

During her time renting the apartment she was caught drunk behind the wheel of a crashed Ferrari, in September 2015, getting a 15-month driving ban.