Ricki Lake Malibu Fire Fight Derailed By Dancing With the Stars?

According to docs filed last month, the owner, Hovsep Kousouyan, has been trying to get Lake to sit for a deposition for months ... but she claims she can't because of her commitment to "DWTS."

Kousouyan's lawyers claim they've offered up at least eight different dates -- including nights and weekends -- but Lake's attorneys have repeatedly said she's unavailable until December.

Sources close to Lake tell TMZ she has no problem sitting down for the depo ... she's just been working seven days a week on "DWTS." We're told he lawyers are working on setting a date.

Kousouyan says he's out $20,000 a month on lost rent, so Lake could be on the hook for a HUGE chunk of change.