A dad who runs a driveway cleaning business called ‘EasyJetwash’ has been ordered to pay ‘significant damages’ to the billionaire founder of easyJet following a trademark row.
Jozsef Spekker found himself in hot water with easyGroup boss Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou over the name of his pressure washing service.
The 43-year-old, based in Newcastle-under-Lyme, had run his one-man business for three years charging around £100 to clean people’s drives, patios, garden paths and conservatories across Staffordshire.
But in June Sir Stelios, who is worth billions, wrote to Jozsef ordering him to rebrand his company or face a costly legal battle.
This week, easyGroup confirmed Jozsef has agreed to pay significant damages and legal costs as well as change his brand name.
Chairman Sir Stelios said he was ‘generously’ giving Jozef 18-month phasing-out period to ‘educate his customers’ about his business’s new name Stokejetwash.
Jozsef said: ‘We have come to an agreement and it has avoided going to court so I’m just trying to focus on the positives.
‘I have to start again but at least I have 18 months to rebrand and I suppose it could have been worse because fighting a big company in court would not have been easy.
‘I’m not allowed to say how much I’ve had to pay. I’m just trying to move on now and put it all behind me.’
Jozsef was threatened with legal action by easyGroup after he originally registered the trademark in April 2022.
The Hungarian national said previously: ‘They explained how my branding was very harmful for their business.
‘They wanted me to take all the branding off Facebook and social media and close it down.
‘I try and keep it obvious that we are nothing to do with easyJet. I look very, very different.
‘My business is extremely different from anything that easyGroup offer for their customers.
‘All the business I do, they don’t offer, which is why my trademark was accepted. They didn’t challenge my trademark.
‘When I registered as a trademark and got accepted, I was 100% sure I have every right over my business which is my only income.
‘I am totally scared. Who am I compared to a multi-billion pound corporation?
‘I can’t fight them in the court.’
Sir Stelios, creator and owner of the easy brands including easyJet, said: ‘I believe this is a good outcome for both sides and the rule of law was upheld, and the consumer was protected from confusion.
‘In return for Mr Spekker agreeing to pay damages and legal costs to us we have agreed to generously give Mr Spekker a phasing out period of 18 months to educate his customers about his new name.
‘Mr Spekker deliberately set out to profit from the reputation of easyJet, the world famous airline, by using the exact word in his domain.
‘Adding another word after a famous brand does not allow you to take advantage of the good will associated with that brand.
‘What’s also very telling of his intentions is that Mr Spekker used his expert knowledge of Search Engine Optimisation to have his website be the first organic result in a Google search of the words “Easy Jetwash” ahead of the airline.
‘I am glad in the end he realised that this is not lawful, and he agreed to stop.’
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