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Original poster

Buying a murder house.

153 replies

Tiiiaa · 18/02/2022 19:16

My boyfriend and I are buying our first house together.

HOWEVER…. recently we came across information that we feel should have been disclosed by vendor/estate agents.

The house was the site of a tragic and violent murder, in which the husband killed the wife (in the living room). We have previously asked the estate agents why the house was for sale, if there was anything wrong, and why exactly the sellers wanted to sell. On each occasion this information was not disclosed to us. Typically they would just mention that they had been instructed by solicitors to sell the property, and even that it was meant to be redone as an investment but they decided not to.

My question to mumsnet is….would you continue with the purchase on the house? And why?

Please note we have already spent 1k and mortgage offer received.

OP posts:
fortheloveofcheesecake · 18/02/2022 20:54

I could deal with a natural death but a murder is something that would play on my mind. Knowing where it occured and trying to relax in that room. Hearing details and gossip from other neighbours. Wondering what other sadness and abuse she may have suffered in the lead up to the murder. It would be a no from me. It's too recent and would make me feel unsettled.

tearinghairout · 18/02/2022 20:56

Some years after moving in to my previous house I was told someone had died in my living room. He was the elderly grandad of one of Dd's friends and he had died unexpectedly, surrounded by friends. I never felt uncomfortable about this and in fact only ever felt positive about it. But I wouldn't buy the house in the OP because I'd visualise it/get bad vibes. If I'd already bought it I'd do some sort of cleansing ceremony, with sage. Maybe you could do that, OP? I also think that you living there would make a difference when you come to sell, to wipe out the bad vibes..

battendown · 18/02/2022 20:57

This is going to sound very 'out there' (which is unusual for me), but I would go off how the house initially made you feel as I think gut instinct says everything. I once viewed a perfectly good house that instantly felt negative to me - I literally walked through the door and it felt sad. When we viewed our current house, I immediately knew it had the right vibe. It just felt welcoming and positive. It's very old so I expect that a good few people have died here, but I don't mind - the house likes us. As I said, it's a bit 'out there'.

WouldIwasShookspeared · 18/02/2022 20:58

Wouldn't bother me at all

CovidCorvid · 18/02/2022 20:58

Wouldn’t bother me.

There is however a house in my town where the owner was murdered by a burglar in the middle of the day and that would put me off.

strawberrycheesecake1989 · 18/02/2022 20:59

Im curious OP @Tiiiaa can I ask how you found out that there had been this murder?? X

MrsSkylerWhite · 18/02/2022 21:00

No idea what the legal situation is but I don’t think I could proceed.

Seraphinesupport · 18/02/2022 21:02

I wouldnt but only for 1 .. bad juju and 2 because selling in the future might be more difficult

imamumgetmeoutofhere · 18/02/2022 21:13

I wouldn't. More because of resale value

NotMyselfWithoutCoffee · 18/02/2022 21:20

I wouldn't but I think I'd be worried about the murderer getting released and turning up on my doorstep, lol.

godmum56 · 18/02/2022 21:39

@battendown

This is going to sound very 'out there' (which is unusual for me), but I would go off how the house initially made you feel as I think gut instinct says everything. I once viewed a perfectly good house that instantly felt negative to me - I literally walked through the door and it felt sad. When we viewed our current house, I immediately knew it had the right vibe. It just felt welcoming and positive. It's very old so I expect that a good few people have died here, but I don't mind - the house likes us. As I said, it's a bit 'out there'.
no, I get this. A couple of times over multiple house purchases, we viewed houses that were lovely but I got a strong feeling that we wouldn't live there - not bad vibes exactly, but "this won't work" vibes. And I am so un sensitive that a housebrick has more gut instinct than I do.
LM20 · 18/02/2022 21:40

My father committed suicide - house was repossessed so the bank instructed a company to sell it on their behalf. I highly doubt Mr Smith working for x company knew about the background to the repossession - the new owners wouldn’t know either. If your buying an older house chances are something has happened there…

Yearofthetygerburningbright · 18/02/2022 21:45

I would buy it if it was the right house for me, because I don't think that that occurence has anything to do with the house in the future or would affect me in any way.

I might use the non-disclosure of this to try to negotiate a discount on the agreed price, though!

But if it would really continue to bother you and spoil your enjoyment of the home, though, then don't buy it.

It's got to be right for you, and I've lived in a property for quite a long time that continued to bother me for a completely different reason, and it was not a good thing for me. So if it would give you the heebeegeebees, withdraw.

BennieAndBert · 18/02/2022 21:51

Dennis Nielsen’s flat is near us. It turns up on the market every so often, always very cheap and with a note saying that purchasers should ask for details of the history.

I think a recent murder should be disclosed. It would put me off a little as I’d be worried about selling on. I wouldn’t be worried in my own account though- my house is 500yo so goodness knows what has happened in it over the years!

IheartJKRowling · 18/02/2022 21:56

My Grandparents died in our house, I should told my parents to introduce the bedrooms it happened in as "the death rooms" when their home was on the market, it might have "sexed up" their selling spiel. All homes, even new ones have some history attached to either the building or the land on which they sit. Are you just worried about murders or would you like them to itemise natural deaths too?

littlebilliie · 18/02/2022 21:59

I would have the house "smudged" with sage, it's a ritual for cleansing. Whether you believe it or not the whole physiological benefits are good

Albgo · 18/02/2022 22:03

@MakeThingsRight

My sdad was looking to buy a lovely cottage, turns out it was where Judas Priest drummer abused young boys he was giving lessons to. That would always have been on my mind sitting in that room. A murder between 2 adults probably less so, which is strange.
I've read the whole thread thinking how silly everyone was being potentially put off a house by something that had happened in it previously and then read the comment by @MakeThingsRight - murder house I could cope with, paedophile house definitely not.
vixeyann · 18/02/2022 22:11

I think you need to go by the vibe of the house and how it feels. I've been in a couple of places that felt wrong immediately. It would very much put me off as I think houses hold onto feelings and emotions at some level but, I recently read an article about a couple who bought killer Dennis Nielson's old flat and how happy they are, so it's such a personal thing.

BreadInCaptivity · 18/02/2022 22:13

It would not bother me.

Yes some future buyers will get "woo" about it but most won't.

My property is circa 1720 and I'll bet it's seen it's fair share of death as have most period (and more modern) properties.

People do bad things, not houses.

HunterHearstHelmsley · 18/02/2022 22:13

@LightfoldEngines

700 women a year are murdered by their partners or ex’s. That’s just women in DV cases. So your guess is WAY off.

For the year ending March 2021, there was 594 murders in England and Wales. The previous year was 695.

The guess was pretty much spot on. Maybe over estimating a touch.

nitsandwormsdodger · 18/02/2022 22:14

Personally I’d get a medium and priest to bless it, give a donation to women’s aid charity and haggle the price

Original poster
Tiiiaa · 18/02/2022 22:17

@strawberrycheesecake1989

Im curious OP *@Tiiiaa* can I ask how you found out that there had been this murder?? X
We researched the area/ road and house before putting in our offer, and never once saw anything about the murder. Both my self and my boyfriend had look up the area/road numerous times after our offer was accepted and still never saw anything.

However, one of the neighbour informed us of the ‘house history’ during a conversation. She was shocked that she too couldn’t see anything about the incident when searching the road name only.

My boyfriend has looked up what happened (I will not) and according to him google doesn’t state the door number.

OP posts:
Babyroobs · 18/02/2022 22:20

There is one in our village where a murder took place many years ago. It has been on the market for ages as someone announced on the local facebook site that a murder had happened there. I feel sorry for the vendors as this information now being widely known has jeopardized them selling it. The murder was about 30 years ago.

Inastatus · 18/02/2022 22:24

It would put me off buying it.

BreadInCaptivity · 18/02/2022 22:26

@BreadInCaptivity

It would not bother me.

Yes some future buyers will get "woo" about it but most won't.

My property is circa 1720 and I'll bet it's seen it's fair share of death as have most period (and more modern) properties.

People do bad things, not houses.

Actually I'd add a caveat to my post.

I think there is a big difference to buying a house where a single incident of violence occurred and buying a house of a serial killer/child abuser.

Not because of any "woo" just because I think the property would be notorious for it.