Things in the world of home renovations just got ugly.
A Dallas-based company known for its “we buy ugly houses” signs is going to court over the name of an HGTV program.
HomeVestors of America sued HGTV’s parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery Inc., in a Delaware federal court this week. The lawsuit claims HGTV’s show Ugliest House In America infringes on trademark rights for the company’s annual contest “The Ugliest House of The Year.”
In the show, comedian Retta, of Parks and Recreation fame, travels to properties that homeowners have nominated as the ugliest in the country and awards the winner with a $150,000 makeover — with the artistic guidance of HGTV interior design star Alison Victoria. In the view of HomeVestors, according to a statement sent to the Dallas Morning News, “the show mocks owners and their homes for odd design choices, often labeling the homes as ‘heinous’ or ‘grotesque.”
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Similarly — sans celebrity comedian — HomeVestors’ annual “Ugliest House Of The Year” contest features homes that its franchisees have purchased and renovated each year, highlighting one dramatic home makeover as the winner. Not only does HomeVestors claim the names of the HGTV show and its contest are confusingly similar but it also says that the semblance hurts its brand.
HGTV’s “attempt to turn poor housing design into a comedy show reflects poorly on the homeowners and on the concept of home remodeling,” the lawsuit states. “This runs counter to HomeVestors’ brand image, which focuses on helping rehab homes that have fallen into disrepair and helping homeowners out of ‘ugly situations.’”
In June 2020, HomeVesters was allegedly in talks with production company Big Fish Entertainment about producing an ugly-house series for HGTV, according to the lawsuit. A few months later, HomeVestors alleges, Big Fish said that they would be putting that conversation “on hold.”
HGTV then premiered Ugliest House in America earlier this year, “without further discussion,” the lawsuit states. The show was renewed this past July, during its second season. Season three is set to premiere in early 2023, according to Variety.
— Maddy Sperling