David Gilmour, legendary guitarist of the world-famous rock band Pink Floyd, is in a legal dispute over his £10 million ($13 million) mansion after a clerical error left him technically without legal ownership of his home, Medina House.
The six-bedroom property where Gilmour, 78, and his wife, Polly Samson, have lived for years was recently revealed to be a Crown property. According to the Daily Mail, they are now suing the government to "fix" the situation so they can sell the home.
The blunder dates back to 2011 when Gilmour's company, Hoveco Ltd, bought Medina House, a converted Victorian bathhouse with views over the sea.
But when the company dissolved in 2014, the ownership of Gilmour's property didn't go to him – it counted as "bona vacantia" (or vacant goods) – which means that it becomes entitled to the Crown automatically under UK law.
Gilmour, 63, brought a case at the High Court in London against the Attorney General, seeking an order for the title of the land to be transferred into his name.
It is an unusual situation, according to legal experts, and a huge surprise to Gilmour, who thought he had been the rightful owner of the house for more than 10 years.
"Imagine thinking you own a house worth millions only to find out you don't," said Nick Brett, a partner at Brett Wilson LLP. "It's an extraordinary situation that is also incredibly rare."
The sprawling 6,284-square-foot Medina House features a courtyard, four bathrooms, a gym, and a library. The property was originally built in Victorian times as Medina Baths but underwent significant restyling when Gilmour and Samson bought it.
Gilmour was granted planning permission in 2017 despite resistance from neighbors at that stage due to fears that the extra story would block light from the homes next door. The couple had plans to turn the dilapidated venue into a family home, but some unanticipated difficulties have arisen.
In 2022, the asking price was £15 million ($19 million); it has since been sold for £10 million ($13 million). For now, however, the law surrounding its ownership seems to be a legal quagmire, which must be untangled before it can be sold.
Gilmour and Samson described it as their home and lamented that it had never become the family oasis they had imagined. They now live in a one-bedroom flat nearby.
Gilmour, whose fortune is thought to be around £140 million ($178 million), can afford the legal costs of this case but is still determined to regain ownership of the home.
So far, Gilmour's management has refused to comment on the litigation.
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