The former Watford Football Club owner Laurence Bassini is embroiled in a legal dispute over unpaid rent with a long-term friend.

Mr Bassini appeared at Watford County Court on Tuesday after his current landlord Stephen Gould, who he has known for around 20 years, lodged a claim for more than £8,000 in unpaid rent.

Defending himself, Mr Bassini argued the flat was in a state of disrepair, claiming a large amount of mould, damp and “dangerous fungus” had forced him to sleep in the lounge of the property rather than the bedroom.

Handing photos of the supposed damp to District Judge Sethi, he said: “I’m tired of people taking me for a village idiot. Why should I live like that?”

He added that “60 different workmen” had come round to carry out repairs during his tenancy, and that water had “blasted out of the bathroom” four or five times.  

“I had a flat full of damp. I would pay the rent if they sorted the problems out,” he said.

“I had to rent the place because I had gone bust.”

Calling Mr Gould a “crook”, he added that he wanted “someone independent” to assess the state of the flat.

He also said that he had spent £800 removing office furniture from the bedroom when he moved in.

District Judge Sethi ruled in favour of the claimant and said Mr Bassini had until June 6 to submit a counter claim.

However if he fails to comply within the timeframe, Mr Gould is permitted to have the judgment in default.

Mr Bassini said he was in the process of moving out of the flat, stating that he had already moved out 80 per cent of his belongings and that he would need another two or three weeks to remove the remainder.