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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Death in property

137 replies

Bubbles121 · 19/09/2018 21:33

Hi all! I'm posting here for traffic, I don't really have an AIBU...

How do you know if someone died in your house when you're moving? Is there a website or something like in America which tells you - or does the agent or vendor have to disclose it to you?

OP posts:
Original poster
Bubbles121 · 19/09/2018 21:54

@GreenMeerkat no census sadly - they are only public record for 1911 and earlier from what I can see and this was only a few decades ago. Obviously before they put all the details on the internet though!

OP posts:
MacosieAsunter · 19/09/2018 21:54

If you are that superstitious and you like the house, then I'd get a priest in to bless the house

InstagramPork · 19/09/2018 21:54

Also it will only list medical cause of death, not place

Namechangeforthiscancershit · 19/09/2018 21:55

Death cert is your only way I reckon, assuming you’ve exhausted google.

Original poster
Bubbles121 · 19/09/2018 21:56

@InstagramPork all the close family members are dead! I suppose I could lie although it's a bit late to contest any wills. Would the seal the records if it was a murder?

I'm reluctant to dig too much just in case it turns out it was that house or next door or something - we love the house and no other house compares and maybe not knowing is somehow better....

OP posts:
dinosaurkisses · 19/09/2018 21:56

Could you ask around a few neighbours?

Check Facebook to see if there’s a local historical society- we have one which shares tales of nearby crimes and murders which happened in The 1900s. The people who run then are usually very well informed on local gossip!

Namechangeforthiscancershit · 19/09/2018 21:57

Yes that’s your other problem, if you love the house, are you better living in blissful ignorance?

Redglitter · 19/09/2018 21:57

If it happened in the 60s does it really matter?? People have been living there quite happily ever since. My house was built in the early 1900s by the law of averages I suppose someone's probably died here but I can't say it's something I'd bother about

MorningsEleven · 19/09/2018 21:57

My house is 200 years old so I expect someone pegged out here at some point.

I do know that a woman was raped in my house around 15 years ago and I feel enormously sad for her. She sold the house to a police officer, I like that.

There's no spookiness or weird vibes in the house. No curses or anything, just an old house with a history.

Original poster
Bubbles121 · 19/09/2018 21:59

@InstagramPork I didn't say - I'm really sorry about your dad, for both you and your mum. That sort of more natural death is a completely different situation and really wouldn't require disclosure.

OP posts:
InstagramPork · 19/09/2018 21:59

@jen85 Estate agent here too. You only by law have to disclose death / suicide in the property if it is relevant to the sale - so if it within the last few years or with the last owners. A murder from 5 decades ago, if the property has had several owners since wouldn’t be considered legally relevant.
The reason you disclose is to protect the purchaser from any potential increased risk of crime or harm via owning the property

Namechangeforthiscancershit · 19/09/2018 22:00

The reason you disclose is to protect the purchaser from any potential increased risk of crime or harm via owning the property

Oh that’s interesting. Like if someone involved with the crime thought witnesses still lived there or something?

InstagramPork · 19/09/2018 22:00

^ yes exactly

InstagramPork · 19/09/2018 22:02

@Namechangeforthiscancershit you also have to disclose neighbour disputes that have been logged with the police and also if the house was repossessed

TheFluffyHippo · 19/09/2018 22:04

Could you pop down to the local pub? If it’s local knowledge, I’m sure there’d be people there who would know

HamishsMomma · 19/09/2018 22:08

Friends of mine bought a house where the wife killed her husband and then hanged herself. It was empty for ages. They bought from the son and have made huge alterations to it. It is gorgeous now and there is not feeling of doom and gloom. They naturally got it for a song as no one wanted to buy it.

BuggerOffAndGoodDayToYou · 19/09/2018 22:08

I know for a fact that someone died in my house. They died in my DSs bedroom.

It was about 10-15 years before I bought the house.

No one mentioned it during the sale and I wouldn’t have expected it either.

GreenMeerkat · 19/09/2018 22:10

Someone died in the house next door. He fell down the stairs and died. I called the police as he lived alone and hadn't seen him for a few days and they found him.

House was bought by an investor and done up and now a young family live there. I wouldn't dream of telling them though. Unless they asked.

Original poster
Bubbles121 · 19/09/2018 22:11

I'm loathe to put it onto fb because I'm concerned people will start telling half fake ghost stories and freak me out even more....

It wouldn't ever have occurred to me to ask either. I only found the story because I was looking for old pics of the house to see if it used to be one house now split into two, or if it was always a semi detached.

OP posts:
specialsubject · 19/09/2018 22:13

beyond the issue of attracting crime - why would it matter?

Winegumaddict · 19/09/2018 22:13

My house is nearly 300 years old I'm sure it's got lots of history but to me it's just my house. Even if the murder was in the house it was decades ago. I'd buy it if it was the house for me in a heartbeat.

Babyroobs · 19/09/2018 22:13

My mum died ( suddenly) in her home. I'd hate to think that anyone would ask questions or it would affect selling the house. It's just one of those things that must happen frequently. Many people want to die at home.

Lucy001 · 19/09/2018 22:14

I'm relatively positive that being a mad axe murderer isn't contagious, so you can't catch it.

How do you know that someone wasn't murdered on the road you take to work every day? Is there a statute of limitations - after two centuries does the taint wear off? How would you know?

Seriously, if you like the house, buy it. If you don't, don't. Whether you like it or not is the only measure to use.

Dollymixture22 · 19/09/2018 22:17

Why do they have to declare in America? Surely it’s only superstitious people who would care??

SerenDippitty · 19/09/2018 22:18

My gran died in our parents’ house. Of old age, nothing sinister at all. We never mentioned it to prospective buyers when we came to sell the house.

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