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?

Newes: "If other posters feel personally triggered by mention of suicide the best thing would be not to engage in threads about suicide that are only tangential to the subject."

An excellent point. Let's not have anyone who has actually experienced something comment on it to in any way critique those who haven't, and may have inadvertently said something that was awful to those who have. Because we don't want anyone to actually have to hear that they are being unreasonable or offensive.

"If someone committed suicide there, I'd just make sure it was professionally cleaned and decontaminated before buying. Suicides tend to be messy, and you don't want any lingering bacteria."

Oh my goodness Senpai. I'll assume you haven't read the full thread and didn't mean to cause distress to those on here who have lost loved ones through suicide? Even I am offended by this and I, thankfully, have not lost someone in this way.

to everyone grieving on here

I really don't think Senpai meant any disrespect. She was just applying a practicality in what was a conversation that asked for it.

Sensitive issue here. I know of a house for sale nearby which was the home of a well known murderer which was in the national press over many years. Most locals are aware of the house and it does remain unsold. The house where the murder took place was also sold but the buyers where unaware of this, as was everyone else until many years later.

Houses have their own feel and sometimes you can pick up an atmosphere. You were obviously happy with the feel of the place and put an offer in so unless it really troubles you, I would go ahead. I don't think the agent has done anything wrong.

Another home nearby has been sold five times and each time the sale goes off. We know the owners and it is the environmental report/search because the sea is close by. It clearly comes up as a flood risk. Having lived here twenty years, it has never flooded but it is down the wariness of lenders. Again, it is pretty obvious where the sea is and not down to the agent to tell you!

Fair enough, I just thought the wording was very insensitive given the experience of some posters.

No.

If the house was two hundred years old would you want a complete list of who died there? You wouldn't get it and are not legally entitled to be told anything of the sort.
It wouldn't bother me, people die all the time and we have to pop our clogs somewhere.

Wow, this thread has spiralled at bit. FWIW I don't think ANYONE was comparing someone who commits suicide to Denis Nielsen. Why would they? Suicide is not considered a sin and generally people tend to just convey sympathy for the victim. As I said before, I would have no huge issue living in a house that Denis Nielsen used to live in. It would unsettle me to live in a house where one of his victims died. It might also unsettle me to live in a house where someone recently shot themselves, but probably not as much. That is not in any way comparing a suicide victim to a murderer. If you think that, you are reading something that is not there.

I know someone who committed suicide at home. His family sold the house some years later and thinking about it, I would not have any problem living in that house, because I knew him and I knew that he was finally at peace. However, at uni, my friend lived in halls where a girl had hanged herself over the summer holidays in the wardrobe and her body had been undiscovered for 3 weeks. There was still a bend in the wardrobe rail. That would unsettle me because of the unhappy circumstances. Not because I think she is morally blameworthy or should be compared to a criminal.

When I moved into my last house, in between me purchasing it and moving in a woman was murdered in her house two doors down. In a town where nothing like this EVER happens it made national news for quite some time. The street was closed for public entry and we had armed police on the street 24 hours a day until he was caught. The house sold within a month.

Sadly, as evidenced on this thread and in genera life, there is a lot of stigma around suicide. It's widely acknowledged.

I am a bit woo about things like this but if it's your dream house don't let it put you off. My MIL lives in a house where someone committed suicude and I have never been scared there, it's what you make of the house, by the time you personalise it you won't think of it. I had an uncle who committed suicide and his home sold easily enough. Is your concern because it's recent?

Pretty bad thread tbh. I hope the op wasn't too scared by the replies and subsequent posts.

Dexterjamesmummy

Denis nielsen got a mention up thread, hmm I don't think I'd like to live in any house that he lived in. It wouldn't be any disrespect to his victims, just the thought of him even making a cup of tea in the same kitchen, or going to sleep in the bedroom he slept in, no ta I'd feel quite uneasy, however if I was never told that he had lived there I'd be none the wiser and it would never cross my mind.