The owner of a Valletta shop has been awarded €6,555 by way of compensation for damages suffered on account of rainwater seeping into her property from an overlying rundown palazzo belonging to two foreign nationals.

Trouble began back in November 2013 when Anna Maria Vella, who runs the J.A. Vella Households store, discovered that the ceiling was leaking. Heavy rainfall had apparently resulted in water seepage from the overlying palazzo in St Paul's Street which had been lying derelict.

The concerned shop owner contacted Bernard Manduca who was tasked with looking after the property which belonged to Benjamin Max Phillip Kullman and Daniel Klein. Mr Manduca had immediately written to the owners to inform them of the problem and of the damage being suffered by the underlying shop.

The water seepage had resulted in faults to the electrical system and in damage to the merchandise stored inside the shop. Since most of the items consisted of household goods made of metal, these were likely to rust on account of their exposure to the dripping water.

In the proceedings for damages, the palazzo owners had contested the value of the merchandise allegedly ruined by the rainwater seepage. However, the extent of the damage was determined by a court expert who confirmed that most of the items were made of metal and so were likely to rust.

The court, presided over by magistrate Francesco Depasquale, declared that the owners of the palazzo were responsible for the damage suffered by the shop owner and ordered them to pay €6,555.31 by way of compensation.

Lawyer Peter Caruana Galizia represented the absent foreign owners of the palazzo.