AIBU to expect Estate Agent to disclose history of house we are buying?

[deltacogal]

Found the house of our dreams and had the offer accepted but after a bit of googling we found out via online news articles that the husband committed suicide in the house last year.

AIBU to think that this is the sort of info it would have been nice to know before putting in the offer? I'm a bit woo woo about this stuff as are my kids.

Was under the impression this kind of stuff would have been disclosed?

[Seeline]

You want an Estate agent to tell oyu how many people have died in a house and how?
No - I don't think that is usual in the buyer's pack.
YABU

[Newes]

I don't think they are legally bound to tell you iirc.

[Skittlesss]

No, I guess most houses will have had someone die in them at some point. Try not to let it put you off.

[Oysterbabe]

I wouldn't expect to be told that tbh. It really wouldn't bother me.

[BeautifulMaudOHara]

I don't think the EA should have told you
I should think a lot of people have died in our house, it's hundreds of years old

[LaurieFairyCake]

Most houses have had someone die in them unless they're brand new

The manner of death, while tragic, shouldn't bother you though surely

[LegoCaltrops]

They are hardly likely to voluntarily disclose information like that unless required to do so. Maybe get some sage?

[LuckySantangelo1]

People die in houses all the time. New build for you! Just make sure it's not on top of a former burial ground

[drivingmisspotty]

No I wouldn't expect them to disclose this. They are trying to sell a house. they will only disclose negative stuff that they absolutely have t. Or it will come up on the survey as it doesn't affect the structure of the house and there is no woo survey I think Google is your best bet if you are worried about the things like this. Will you go through with sale?

[FuzzyOwl]

The likelihood is that a significant number of houses have had people die in them and if not, someone will have done nearby or in the grounds the property was built in.

If it is your dream house then just focus on that and how you will redecorate and furnish when you move in.

[NicknameUsed]

"Was under the impression this kind of stuff would have been disclosed?"

Really? They probably don't even know. There is no obligation for them to tell you anything like that. Maybe a previous owner was a drug dealer or madame of a brothel, or a murderer.

Something like that wouldn't put me off a house. Rising damp or being on a main road with no off road parking would, but not the history of a house.

I think you need to start looking at new build houses.

[expatinscotland]

I would not expect them to tell you and they are not legally obligated to do so. It's up to you if you go through with the sale.

[deltacogal]

Don't think it's the "dying", think it's just the manner in which he died and being reminded of that everytime we walk past the spot.

We will go through with the sale, just wondered if there was any legal obligation as I think in other countries there is if it's been a crime or suicide...

[Dexterjamesmummy]

My little boy died in his sleep in our house two years ago, if we ever decide to sell our house I don't think it's really anyone else's business that he died there.

[ShatnersBassoon]

That isn't the history of the house though. There's no taint of death there. It's the history of the family who lived there, and that's none of your business.

[fakenamefornow]

I think that's the sort of thing I'd rather not know actually. Not relevant to the purchase just a little upsetting, why would I want to know that?

[fakenamefornow]

Unless you believe in ghosts or other such nonsense, why would you want to know?

[katemiddletonsnudeheels]

It wouldn't bother me either.

[bibbitybobbityyhat]

"Maybe get some sage?" - quite brilliant! I'm going to have to borrow that one.

Op, in the future, when you are trying to sell the house, would you want the Estate Agent (whose fees you will be paying) to tell all the viewers that someone committed suicide in the house in 2015? Somehow I doubt it.

[Griphook]

When you come to sell it, will you be informing the next owner?

[budgiegirl]

I don't think that's really any of your business to know that, and certainly it isn't the estate agents obligation to tell you, they may not even know.

I would think that an estate agents would only have to tell you about anything that may affect the structure of the house, not the history of it's occupants.

[expatinscotland]

I get why it would bother some people. It may not bother some people, and that's fine, but it's equally fine if it does bother the OP. So pull out. But it's pretty unreasonable to expect an EA to disclose that and there's certainly no legal obligation.

[runningincircles12]

Dexterjamesmummy, that's awful. I am so sorry to hear that and you're right it would be nobody's business.

deltacogal, it's an interesting question. Technically, no, the seller or the seller's agent does not have a duty to disclose a death taking place in the house. The seller only has a duty to reveal hidden defects and I think it's hard to argue that this is a 'defect'.
BUT, agents are bound by the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations which place a duty on them to disclose something that would be directly relevant to whether a seller would buy the property. It is not entirely clear whether a suicide would fall into this category, but some believe that it would. You could do more research into the regs to get a better idea. Certainly a normal or accidental death would not be relevant, but murder and suicide are a bit different.
I remember reading about a case where the seller was liable for failing to disclose that there were brutal murders that took place at the property and that body parts were suspected to still be on the land.

[Stinkerbelle37]

We found out someone had committed suicide in our house after we bought it (years ago, reading through the deeds). Neighbour later confirmed wife had hanged herself from the top of the open stair case.

Not the nicest, but it's such a happy home now, that I rather think that if she's looking down she'd be glad to see it.