Is Rick Astley in legal trouble? Pop legend could be dragged to court over a million-dollar leasehold issue
Rick Astley is as much a part of the internet culture as anyone can be. The singer’s 1987 hit ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ has become an internet meme -- Rickrolling is a prank involving an unexpected appearance of the music video. But right now, Astley is making the news for something else altogether. And it’s not good.
The singer, 54, has reportedly been embroiled in a row with the owner of an £800,000 ($1,098,312) apartment in West London. As per reports, he could allegedly be dragged into court after an offer by the owner of a flat to extend her lease fell through.
Astley, who owns the freehold to the property in the posh South Kensington area, turned down an offer from the owner to extend the lease, and the case has now been taken to Central London County Court. Cornelia Rang, per The Sun, offered £24,000 ($32,942) to increase her 79-year lease by 90 years. But a lawyer for Astley branded it “so unrealistically low that it may be inferred that it was not a bona fide or genuine, or realistic offer”.
Rang’s lawyer asked Judge Simon Freeland to strike out Astley’s defense to her case at Central London County court. But the judge reportedly refused and adjourned the case. The case will now reportedly go ahead at a later date, though that date has not been reported as of yet.
As per the Daily Mail, a property sold as leasehold essentially means that the buyer only has ownership of the house built on the land, and not the land itself. In other words, the freeholder retains the lease and can charge the buyer ground rent. The buyer must also ask permission to make any changes to the property, with the freehold also able to sell to a third party to increase profit.
As per CelebrityNetWorth.com, the British singer-songwriter, musician, and radio personality has a net worth of $16 million. Astley, per the website, earned his net worth through his many hit singles, his career as a musician and singer, as well as his world tour. But as per reports in British tabloids, he is believed to have built up an impressive property portfolio by making shrewd investments with his pop earnings.
In 1993, Astley retired from the music industry at the age of 27. The pop singer believed that family life was more important than show business. His retirement came in the aftermath of the birth of his daughter Emilie in 1992. For much of the 1990s and early 2000s, Astley remained out of the spotlight. Almost seven years later, Astley returned to the music industry with a new album, ‘Keep It Turned On’. Around seven years after that, he achieved meme status.
Astley currently resides in East Molesey, Surrey (a county in South East England), with his wife Lene. As per reports, he lives near Henry VIII’s Hampton Court Palace. His daughter Emilie currently lives in Denmark. His most famous track, ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’, was a number one hit single in 25 countries, winning the 1988 Brit Award for Best British Single.