Lisa Vanderpump Facing Lawsuit Over 'Pump' Restaurant, Audit Reveals Large Sum Owed
By Kristin Myers on May 17, 2023 at 5:53 PM EDT
Updated on May 17, 2023 at 7:12 PM EDT
It seems Lisa Vanderpump is still having some trouble with her Pump restaurant.
Although she announced earlier this month that she is closing the West Hollywood location in order to open two more restaurants in Las Vegas, The Blast has obtained court documents revealing that she is currently being sued over that restaurant's liability insurance.
Lisa Vanderpump Is Facing A New Lawsuit Over Her Pump Restaurant’s Liability Insurance
According to court documents obtained by The Blast, the Employer's Compensation Insurance Company is suing the Pump restaurant, Lisa Vanderpump, and her husband, Kenneth Todd, to get what they say they're owed. On or about May 9, 2019, the Employer's Compensation Insurance Company provided the restaurant with an insurance policy that would last from May 9, 2019, through May 9, 2020, upon the request of the restaurant for Worker's Compensation and Employers Liability Insurance coverage. The policy was subject to an audit and re-computation of its premium.
As part of the insurance coverage, the Employer's Compensation Insurance Company was authorized to examine and audit all records related to the policy during the specified period of time. The policy also required that the Pump restaurant pay the difference between the estimated and actual premiums after the audit, with the final premium to be determined by the Employer's Compensation Insurance Company.
An audit was performed and found that the information that the restaurant provided was inaccurate. They report that the actual total premium and fees for the effective policy period for the policy were an additional $279,806.00, which became fixed or readily ascertainable on August 28, 2020.
The Employer's Compensation Insurance Company Is Asking For A Money Judgement From The Pump Restaurant
On May 23, 2022, they sought legal action in the court of Los Angeles Superior Court. In the case of The Employers Compensation Insurance Company v. P.U.M.P. LLC, it was decided on October 3, 2022, that the Pump restaurant owes the insurance company $338,656.43. The court also decided that post-judgment interest would accrue at the daily rate of $92.75 per day from October 3, 2022.
Now, the Employer's Compensation Insurance Company is asking for a judgment, order and decree directing that the Property, be applied in its entirety, or such percentage as the Court may determine, in satisfaction of the Judgment under Code of Civil Procedure $708.280.
They are also asking for a money judgment "pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure $708.280, for the value of the Property, or the interest of P.U.M.P. LLC therein, or rights thereto or proceeds therefrom, or the amount necessary to satisfy the Judgment ($338,656.43, together with interest at the rate of is $92.75 per day from June 8, 2021, less credits for payments made, plus costs of enforcement of judgment), whichever is less."
West Hollywood’s Pump Restaurant Is Closing Down
On May 4, 2023, Lisa Vanderpump revealed that she was going to close her signature Pump restaurant in West Hollywood. "It's with heavy hearts that we announce that the lease at Pump Restaurant is expiring, and we will be closing its doors on July 5th, after 10 years of beautiful evenings under our olive trees," she said in a statement to PEOPLE magazine.
"While we have loved our time operating Pump, to take on another 10-year lease with a huge increase in rent by the landlords is not something we are ready to commit to,” the statement continued. “After successfully running 37+ establishments for many years, this type of rent is untenable."
The opening of two restaurants in Las Vegas was first announced back in March. At the time Vanderpump told PEOPLE, "We've been in the Pump location for 10 years, have a great relationship with the landlord," noting that they were "discussing resigning our lease over the next few months, but haven't made a decision and will be open tonight, and come by and have a Pumptini."
SUR In Los Angeles To Remain Open
"We're also currently expanding our empire and will be opening two more restaurants with Caesars Palace," she added. That's not the only restaurant that Lisa operates. She and her husband Ken Todd also run the restaurant SUR in Los Angeles.
They also opened a Paris-themed restaurant in Las Vegas called Vanderpump à Paris, which joins the Vanderpump Cocktail Garden. According to the press release, the Bravo star's restaurant was designed by her partner, Nick Alain, and inspired by where she and her husband used to live in France for nearly a decade.
