Adele slammed for ‘blighting’ sale of £6million house by claiming it’s ‘haunted’

Superstar Adele has been accused of ‘blighting’ the sale of a £6 million country mansion she lived in for six months – by claiming it was haunted.

The ‘Someone Like You’ star told a chat show that Grade II listed 10 bedroom Lock House in West Sussex was ‘quite scary’.

Now the owner says he has been forced to try to transform the converted convent into flats rather than find a buyer because the singer has made it ‘unsellable’.

Nicholas Sutton said that her remarks ‘negatively impacted future marketing’ – and even led to a prospective buyer pulling out of a potential sale.

After detailing a history of issues with the property in Partridge Green, Sussex, Mr Sutton – who said it’s ‘reputation’ was affected by the singer – is now seeking permission to transform the mansion into three houses and a cottage.

The Edwardian property is set within acres of formal gardens and mature grounds with indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a tennis court and helicopter pad.

In 2012, Grammy-Award winning star Adele, now 36, rented the home for half a year but did not renew her tenancy after claiming it was haunted.

It was believed the singer – estimated to be worth £170 million – lived there with her then boyfriend and now ex-husband, Simon Konecki. In an interview with CBS that year, she told host Anderson Cooper that her house – which was said to have ‘almost no furniture’ – was ‘a bit of a cliche’.

“This bit’s all quite scary, really,” she told him. “It was a convent for a little while. ” At the time, it was reported that the singer – who had released award winning album 21 the previous year – had asked her bodyguard to move in with her over fears it was haunted.

And, she was reported as saying the home ‘gives me the creeps’.

In a planning application presented to Horsham District Council, Mr Sutton said the property, which is currently up for sale for £5,995,000, operated as a convent in the 1970s before it was bought by him in 2003.

Upon acquiring it, he undertook ‘significant refurbishment’ in which he converted the chapel used by the nuns into a family kitchen and installed a swimming pool, among other changes.

Mr Sutton claimed that since renting the property to Adele, he has struggled to sell the home.

“Unfortunately, during an interview on CBS, Adele remarked that she believed the house to be haunted,” he said.

“This comment negatively impacted future marketing efforts and continues to affect the property’s reputation to this day. “

The homeowner said after Adele made the remarks, he re-listed the house for sale and ‘despite renewed marketing efforts, no offers were received’.

He said he has ‘actively tried to sell the property for about 14 years’ and despite the property being ‘consistently marketed by top agents’ – like that of Savills and Strutt and Parker – he said no offers have been forthcoming.

Mr Sutton added: “Full marketing efforts were made, including brochures, professional photography, advertising in Country Life, national PR campaigns, and exposure on all major property portals. “The only offer received over the years was in August 2020, but the prospective buyer withdrew after learning about the property’s supposed haunted status, which was publicly mentioned by Adele during her tenancy.

“The property has been extensively market-tested for over a decade, yet it has consistently failed to attract buyers. It retains an institutional appearance and requires substantial ongoing maintenance and refurbishment, which limits its appeal in the residential market.

“When rented out this has been unsuccessful on all 3 occasions. The first Tenant Adele stayed for 6 months and blighted the property saying it is haunted. “

Mr Sutton said there were also issues with the second tenant, ‘a high-net-worth individual from Monaco’, who only paid the first quarters rent after ‘undergoing gender reassignment surgery’.

Mr Sutton is seeking permission to transform the mansion into three houses, and to also convert and existing garage and flat into a cottage.

Urging Horsham District Council to grant permission, he said the application represents a ‘culmination of over 13 years of market testing’ which shows there is a ‘lack of demand for the property in its current form’.

He said: “This proposal provides the optimum viable use of Lock House, preserving its historical significance while delivering much-needed housing.

“It offers a balanced, sensitive, and sustainable solution that aligns with both heritage protection and housing policies, ensuring the long-term preservation and vitality of this important historical asset. ” The council are yet to make a decision.

Mr Sutton sought planning permission last year to convert the mansion into five flats, but this was turned down by the authority. He has now made this new application, which will be decided at a later date.

Source: Mirror