Neighbour sues owners of house from Beyonce’s ‘Halo’ video

It doesn’t matter how famous you are – no person or property is above the law.

One of America’s most expensive rental homes has been the star of several celebrity projects including the music video for Beyonce’s song Halo, but it’s now part of an expensive legal dispute.  

The former electrical substation also appears in John Mayer’s video for his song Who Says, an Esquire photo shoot with Kate Beckinsale, ads for alcohol brands and hosts dozens of PR events.

Manhattan’s 214 Lafayette Street can be rented for $US100,000 ($130,000) a month and was ranked by Forbes magazine as New York City’s second most expensive rental home.

But despite its celebrity cache, a neighbour has submitted a civil lawsuit against the homeowner alleging the place is a criminally liable fire hazard, the New York Post reports.  

Film producer Tony Krantz, who lives adjacent, is calling out the owner of 214 Lafayette St. over an “illegal” easement being used in lieu of a legal fire escape.

“Defendant regularly rents 214 Lafayette to tenants for over $1 million in rent [annually] without a legal fire escape, exposing defendant to serious civil and criminal liability,” Mr Krantz’s Manhattan civil suit says.

Mr Krantz alleges that the owner, who hasn’t been identified, got an easement to cut across the land between Mr Krantz’s duplex and the parking lot Mr Krantz owns.

“The deed for the premises contains no mention of the easement,” the $US10 million Manhattan civil suit alleges.

Mr Krantz alleges this is an “unlawful” land grab, and the celebrities visiting 214 Lafayette St have been trespassing on his property and damaging its value.

It turns out Beyonce may have been trespassing and swimming indoors in a potential fire hazard when she shot the Halo video in 2008.