The legal dispute surrounding a luxury penthouse at 55 Park Lane, central London, continues to escalate, involving the estate of deceased billionaire Mohamed Al Fayed. That multi-million pound property is currently in the hands of his family. It has been at the center of an eight-year legal war with Alan and Rosaleen Hodson, the current owners of the penthouse.
Mohamed Al Fayed died in 2023. He was known as much for his ruthless business practices, or his dogged refusal to admit defeat to any of his competitors, as for his artistry. Yet this all-too-common approach persists even after his death. Prestige Properties (PP), his company, still has strong-arming rights to the building for another 110 years. At the time of his death, Al Fayed’s fortune was worth £1.7 billion.
Al Fayed’s ties to the property stretch back long before his 1997 purchase. His son, Dodi, tragically lost his life in a car accident alongside Princess Diana in 1997. According to one account, he at one time resided within the building. In addition, Heini Wathen-Fayed, Al Fayed’s widow, personally deeply involved in the operating of over 200 al subsidiaries. She’s primarily responsible for event planning and operations at the Hyde Park Residence.
PP is currently soliciting pledges from Alan Hodson. This includes a one-off request to carry over the £80,000 of payments made to the Grosvenor Estate. On top of this, PP has counterclaimed £344,000 in ground rent payment, plus £286,000 in accrued interest and costs. Additionally, the financial dimensions of this legal conflict underscore the complexities that arise in estate management and property rights.
The Hodsons previously told the Star they were forced to live in unhealthy, dangerous conditions. Alan Hodson stated, “the roof is still leaking. The lift is still making excessive noise… The corridors and lobby have never been finished following refurbishment.” These complaints reveal a true and continuing pattern of violations that have continued even through the legal fights.
As if that wasn’t enough, a few weeks ago things got more complicated when 13 women stepped forward. They claimed that Mohamed Al Fayed had sexually assaulted them in an unrelated incident involving another property he managed at 60 Park Lane. Among these allegations, four women expressly accused him of rape. In turn, this situation adds yet more mischief to the still-ongoing litigation. It further muddles the public image of the Al Fayed estate.
In the middle of these controversies, PP’s own administrative choices have faced criticism. As an example, the corporation granted residents access to a newly reopened, but still off-limits, noisy elevator which impacted Hodson’s sleep. He considered this action a “malicious and deliberate” retort. It followed his statements regarding the deplorable living conditions in the high-rise building.
The Al Fayed family has owned the Hyde Park Residence since the 1980s. They control it indirectly via Prestige Properties, a real estate company incorporated in Liechtenstein. In the past, Al Fayed sometimes allowed coaches and executives to live in the complex. He permitted them to live at 60 Park Lane, the property next door.
With the long legal battle ahead, neither side is backing down. The Hodsons wholeheartedly exercise their rights as property owners. At the same time, they juggle constant conflicts over the state of their properties and debt payments. Meanwhile, Al Fayed’s family maintains its claim over the estate and seeks to uphold its interests in the luxury property market.