The BBC is suing Land Securities Trillium (LST) over an electrical fault that caused serious damage at studios in Hertfordshire.

The BBC has not specified the amount of damages it is seeking but the writ says the amount will be more than £450,000.

The dispute centres on work LST carried out to convert a studio at Elstree into a disaster recovery centre designed to provide contingency systems for television broadcasting.

The writ alleges that work not properly carried out by LST’s subcontractors, for which the BBC says LST was ultimately responsible, led to a serious electrical fault.

The row is the latest sign of a breakdown in the relationship between the BBC and LST, which was taken off one BBC framework last year. LST was unavailable for comment.