Marbella Rehab Dorian and Meena Lavender, who have been running Marbella Rehab centre since 2008, were accused by fellow expat Sharon Knight of stealing her home and business.

A BRITISH couple living in Marbella who were set to be evicted this week have been told by a court that they can stay in the property at least for the time being. Dorian and Meena Lavender, who have been running Marbella Rehab centre since 2008, were accused by fellow expat Sharon Knight of stealing her home and business. In a four-year legal wrangle, a Marbella court had previously ruled in Knight’s favour, ordering their eviction on July 15, and adding that the couple must pay €368,000 in damages to Knight. But the Lavenders have now successfully appealed this decision at a higher court in Malaga. The Lavenders’ lawyer, Alejandro Ponce confirmed today that the couple will not be leaving the property next week, as previously ordered. “There is no winner or loser at the moment, because it is a matter to be decided by the Malaga court,” he added. Knight took the Lavenders to court after she claimed they had failed to complete payment on the house or her business Marbella Rehab. The Lavenders moved into the property in December 2008, Knight claims that they agreed to pay €8,000 a month for the first year, with the final balance to be paid at the end of 2009. However she claims that when the time came for the lump sum to be paid, the Lavenders said they would not, having suffered the effects of the recession. The case is continuing.