“Windy City Rehab” is one of many famous home renovation programs on HGTV. The show allows designer Alison Victoria and contractor Donivan Eckhardt (contractor) to renovate houses and neighbourhoods around Chicago.
“Windy City Rehab” first premiered in 2019 and has not returned with a new season since July 2022. While many viewers are fearing the cancellation of the show, very few may know that “Windy City Rehab” has been caught up in some legal drama and controversies.
Windy City Rehab Lawsuit
Sources claim that the show faces conflicts due to permission breaches, work prevention orders and cases charging poor construction and fraudulent activities.
However, the lawsuit is not a recent matter. The show has been receiving such allegations since it wrapped Season 1. Though the show was back for Season 2 after 18 long months in September 2020, it returned with a lawsuit and split between its cast, Alsion and Donovan.
According to People, the show faced a lawsuit by their clients, Anna and James Morrissey. They complained that their $1.36 million worth of house was leaking and penetrating with water from the ceilings and windows.
Likewise, they complained that every time they used showers upstairs, the water drained into their kitchen ceiling. Apart from these, the house faced multiple other issues, including crumbling exterior mortar, crooked front door, problems with the garage floor etc.
The couple even requested the court to freeze all of Alison’s assets so that she could not sell any of her own property. However, their request was not approved.
Likewise, in 2020, Shane Jones and Samantha Mostaccio, another past client from Season 1’s episodes, “House of Horrors,” filed a complaint stating negligence in their home’s construction, causing cracked concrete columns, water damage, etc., which cost the couple over $1 million to repair.
After receiving multiple complaints about the house’s construction, Alison said that she was the designer while Donovan was in charge of the construction. “And yet when the time comes to write checks, everybody looks to me because he won’t return anyone’s phone calls,” she complained in one of the episodes.
The host further talked about not being responsible for the construction or permit process as she is not a builder or contractor. But in addition to being a designer, she is also the co-owner of the LLC, making her responsible for her position in the business. But the designer said the partnership with Donovan had cost her a lot of money.
Not only that, but Alison also revealed that Donovan had faced various legal actions and had his licenses suspended due to questionable payouts and missed inspections on previous projects.
So to get herself out of his lawsuits, Alison revealed she was now trying to sell all the properties she owned with him.
In the final episodes of Season 2, the audience sees her being upset about her lawsuit after she receives a message on her phone. She says she was upset about receiving several letters from different individuals and homeowners who the media and press have contacted.
She then goes to the bathroom after saying, “All I ever did, and all I’ve ever done, is design. Honestly…Sorry, guys, I’m freaking out.” After returning, she apologised and said she was leaving her nightmare.
Following all of her difficulties, it appears 2023 will be a better year for Alison. The presenter herself announced the renewal of the show’s upcoming season on her Instagram account. On June 23, 2022, she uploaded an intriguing photo of herself and announced that Season 4 would return in 2023.
She also thanked her fans, saying, “Thank you, thank you thank you to all of you for tuning in week after week and for the love and support through the years. I couldn’t do it with out you. Literally.”
Hence, seems like the “Windy City Rehab’s” case is finally coming to an end, and the viewers can now watch the new episodes in 2023.
