English singer Adele once said her £5.99 million West Sussex mansion gave her the creeps; 14 years later, its owner claims her comments are still driving buyers away

Adele's former home, a £5.99 million Grade II-listed mansion in West Sussex, has reportedly struggled to find a buyer after the singer described parts of it as frightening during a 2012 television interview. The owner of Lock House in Partridge Green claims that her comments about the ten-bedroom property being haunted damaged its reputation and affected attempts to sell it. According to a planning application reported by the BBC, the owner has tried to sell the mansion for around 14 years. The property is now the subject of proposals to create three residential units and a separate cottage.How did Adele's comments give her former mansion a creepy reputationAccording to the BBC, Adele rented Lock House in Partridge Green, West Sussex, in 2012. The property, which was once a convent, has ten bedrooms and is classified as a Grade II-listed building.During an interview with Anderson Cooper on CBS, the singer spoke about her experience of living in the mansion. Describing one section of the house, she said: "This bit's all quite scary, really."She also explained that she did not like being alone in the property, adding: "I'm not rattling around here on my own. It gives me the creeps."Although Adele described the house as frightening, she did not actually use the word "haunted" during the interview. However, according to the property's owner, her remarks contributed to the mansion developing a reputation that has affected its sale prospects.Adele's haunted mansion comments affect the £5.99 million property's saleIn a planning application submitted to Horsham District Council, the owner claimed that Adele's comments had made marketing the property more difficult. The application stated: "The first tenant, Adele, stayed for six months and blighted the property by saying it is haunted."It also said: "This comment negatively impacted future marketing efforts and continues to affect the property's reputation to this day."According to the application, the owner has actively attempted to sell Lock House for approximately 14 years. The property was put back on the market after Adele left, but reportedly attracted no offers.The owner also claimed that the only offer received came in August 2020. However, the prospective buyer withdrew after learning about the property's supposed haunted reputation.What happened to Adele's former £5.99 million mansion after she moved outFollowing Adele's departure, Lock House was relisted for sale. It was subsequently rented to a tenant who intended to operate a bespoke dressmaking business from the property.However, according to the planning application, the owner later discovered that the tenant was operating a residential retreat with 11 guest bedrooms and a fitness boot camp.The property has also been the subject of proposals to change its use. The owner submitted a planning application seeking permission to transform the mansion from a single dwelling into three residential units. The proposal also included converting an existing garage and flat into a separate cottage.What makes Adele's former £5.99 million mansion a luxurious 32-acre estateLock House was originally built around 1909 and underwent a major reconstruction programme in 1940. In 1971, the property was divided into 26 separate lots and sold at auction.It was subsequently purchased by the church and became the Convent of the Visitation. The current owner acquired the property in 2003 from a property trader who had previously purchased it after the convent relocated to Albourne.The mansion and its surrounding 32-acre estate include ten bedrooms, ten bathrooms, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a tennis court, a helicopter pad and a cinema room.According to its listing at the time of the BBC report, Lock House was being offered for sale at £5,995,000.The owner's planning application highlights the difficulties they claim to have experienced in selling the historic property, with Adele's comments about feeling frightened inside the mansion continuing to feature in its marketing history.Ready to Make a Smarter Property Decision? Build Your Legacy with TOI Homes.