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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To find out if anyone ever died in the house we just bought?

115 replies

Ginnyfromtheblock · 29/04/2023 12:09

Currently having the house we just bought renovated. We aren't living in it yet and because it is near where my brother lives and we have a newborn we gave him a set of keys to go and check up on builders etc.

Yesterday he went to the house after work and video called me to show me the progress. While he was there he suddenly said how just saw a small child in the house and he ran out the house and locked the front door and left.

He isn't the pranking type and also isn't the superstitious type, nor am I. But I am a total wimp and cannot watch any type of horror or anything and I'm now terrified. In the loft there was an old cot and nothing else. I've also got a year's worth of maternity leave and imagine I'll be home alone with baby while DH is at work.

Does anyone know how to find out if there was ever a death in the house or a building? I'm in the UK if that helps.

OP posts:
Whisper23 · 29/04/2023 15:07

ANiceBigCupOfTea · 29/04/2023 15:02

Can you not get that information from your solicitor?
I'm in NI and we were offered the information as standard. It's with all the legal bits.

How would the solicitor know if anyone has ever died in the house? I don't think anyone keeps a running total.

CruCru · 29/04/2023 15:10

Motorcycleemptyness · 29/04/2023 12:31

Are you sure it was a ghost small child or has your brother inadvertently locked your new neighbours curious kiddo in your house and done a runner?

Yes, please could you check this isn’t what’s happened?

FluffyTrousers · 29/04/2023 15:24

I don't think there is a register of where people died. So how are you going to find out?

Mars27 · 29/04/2023 15:26

OP, please ignore the people telling you off for being "silly". I think I understand what you're saying, you would like to know if a unnatural death, let's say, happened in the house.

I read an article in the Guardian a while ago about a man who bought a flat where multiple killings had happened. IIRC it was in East London and the killer had fled to India (I think). It was an interesting read and maybe if people had read that they wouldn't be so judgmental.

When I came to live in the property I am now (a HA flat) we found out the previous tenants were evicted due to subletting. Original tenant sublet the flat to a couple and talking to neighbours we found out they were all from the same background, a place in world known for witchcraft and spiritualist "religions", let's say. In the first visit it was clear the tenants had been evicted in a hurry with masses of stuff left behind.

After it was cleaned and painted we came to live here and all I can say is that the first two years were absolute hell. We've had all sorts of problems going from being threatened by thugs that used to hang around the corner, a plague of cockroaches, and just bad luck overall. I was having panic attacks and crying every day till one day I said well that's enough. I spoke to the priest of my son's school at the time and explained the situation. He came and blessed the house in a very "specific way" and while things didn't get better straight away they surely got better over time, so much so the scumbag who harassed my husband was arrested, the dealers that used to hang around the corner dispersed, the house across the street which was a hub of dealers went very quiet.

I am ever moving from here I'm going to research the shit out of the new address. I'm fine with old people dying peacefully at home, that's the circle of life. Anything other than that it's a big no, not even if you give me a palace to live for free.

StoatofDisarray · 29/04/2023 15:33

Where would you like to draw the line? How about children who have been beaten or abused in the house, women who have been raped, or murders? If you're going to buy into this woo, why stop at simple death? There must be lots of reasons for haunting. What about Pipes? He was a kiddie fiddler and he haunted that house.

Mars27 · 29/04/2023 15:49

Link to the Guardian article if anyone's interested amp.theguardian.com/money/2022/nov/19/the-more-we-pulled-back-the-carpet-the-more-we-saw-what-i-learned-when-i-bought-a-house-with-a-dark-past

It's got some other stories as well from the agent who sold Dennis Nielsen's flat to a woman who found out she bought a house where babies had murdered in Victorian times.

And correction: it wasn't in the writer's house that the man committed the rapes and murders, he only started fires in the house multiple times (God know knows why).

finallygotospeaktoSky · 29/04/2023 15:54

When we first moved into our bungalow our elderly neighbour gleefully told us that the previous occupant an older woman had died in the kitchen / lounge door way. We just smiled and said "Well, sorry to hear that but we live here now., it's not a problem"
Been happy here for nearly two years, must have oissed on neighbours chips as she ignores us now.

finallygotospeaktoSky · 29/04/2023 15:54
  • pissed
dishyrishi · 29/04/2023 16:07

Our house is old, 1900, definitely seen a few croak it. I actually did research on the previous occupants. Funny thing is though, is it the 1980s extension that gives me the creeps, not the old bit of the house!

ChristmasFluff · 29/04/2023 16:16

It's not about the dying, it's the manner of death. So for people who died in their own home - probably the way the wanted to go.

People who died trying to escape a mine collapse on the ground of an estate still to be built? Yup,. those are gonna haunt.

I lived in a house where a similar scenario to the above happened. I couldn't go near the landing alone at night, and always felt watched from there. I later found out from a neighbour the reason why,

So trust yuor own intuition. No reason for a person dying in a house to discount it. And could be your way to a bargain.

LittleBearPad · 29/04/2023 16:24

What a ridiculous man.

If it’s any age at all it will have had people die in it. That was normal. It’s only recently that dying in hospital has become more common.

Death is a part of life. There are no ghosts.

usernother · 29/04/2023 16:24

You've just bought it. What on earth will you do if you find out someone has died in it (which is highly likely if it's old). Put it up for sale immediately? You're being ridiculous and as another post said, very childish

Mars27 · 29/04/2023 16:31

ChristmasFluff · 29/04/2023 16:16

It's not about the dying, it's the manner of death. So for people who died in their own home - probably the way the wanted to go.

People who died trying to escape a mine collapse on the ground of an estate still to be built? Yup,. those are gonna haunt.

I lived in a house where a similar scenario to the above happened. I couldn't go near the landing alone at night, and always felt watched from there. I later found out from a neighbour the reason why,

So trust yuor own intuition. No reason for a person dying in a house to discount it. And could be your way to a bargain.

Yes, it's not death itself but the manner of death.

Unfortunately lots of PP being patronising, judgemental and not understanding where the OP is coming from

Aweebitpainful · 29/04/2023 16:33

More than likely I’m afraid

LittleBearPad · 29/04/2023 16:34

Mars27 · 29/04/2023 16:31

Yes, it's not death itself but the manner of death.

Unfortunately lots of PP being patronising, judgemental and not understanding where the OP is coming from

Show quote history

So having bought the house, is OP going to refuse to move in and put it back on the market?

Curtains70 · 29/04/2023 16:34

Loads of people die at home so I would say yes somebody will have died there. Doesn't mean its haunted though

Freysimo · 29/04/2023 16:45

LlynTegid · 29/04/2023 13:53

I doubt if you can, though there are some places where you could assume it is very possible. Hyde in Greater Manchester (Harold Shipman was a doctor there), or anywhere that was an old people's home in 2020 (where Matt Hancock and Boris Johnson sent people with Covid from hospitals).

Wasn't just Boris and Matt. Wales and Scotland's FMs and Health Ministers did too.

annielou55 · 29/04/2023 16:51

Statistically a large percentage of people dies in their homes (most either peacefully or suddenly, rather than in suspicious circumstances.
Next most likely place is hospital, then a hospice..
Much rarer are RTA or while travelling.

I work in the hospital where both my parents died, one several years before I worked there and one more recently. It’s the only hospital in the area so although it’s not very nice, not entirely unavoidable. otherwise they both would have died at home.

redbigbananafeet · 29/04/2023 16:54

7Worfs · 29/04/2023 12:16

The old ladies eating biscuits after Sunday service in the local church. You should go to a service, then afterwards stay and chat to them about the community, and you can then ask about the history of your house.

Also churches don’t advertise it loudly, but there is a branch of priests specialising in banishing paranormal stuff.

I’m not at all woo, but I imagine if I ever find myself in your situation, I’d be heading to the nearest church.

That's such a clever, clear headed idea. I love it.

electricmoccasins · 29/04/2023 17:06

In the loft there was an old cot and nothing else.

Nice touch…

Slitheringheights · 29/04/2023 17:09

We viewed a house years ago, quite liked it, but later found out there had been a house fire around 1983 killing 2 small children. We didn’t buy the house. So sad

SmurfHaribos · 29/04/2023 17:13

Why would it matter? I assume people have died in absolutely loads of UK houses. Similarly loads of births, parties, arguments, celebrations, proposals, divorces etc etc.
All part of life’s rich tapestry.

JackiePlace · 29/04/2023 17:15

In the loft there was an old cot and nothing else.

Don't watch The Changeling, whatever you do. 😨

SmurfHaribos · 29/04/2023 17:16

Mars27 · 29/04/2023 15:26

OP, please ignore the people telling you off for being "silly". I think I understand what you're saying, you would like to know if a unnatural death, let's say, happened in the house.

I read an article in the Guardian a while ago about a man who bought a flat where multiple killings had happened. IIRC it was in East London and the killer had fled to India (I think). It was an interesting read and maybe if people had read that they wouldn't be so judgmental.

When I came to live in the property I am now (a HA flat) we found out the previous tenants were evicted due to subletting. Original tenant sublet the flat to a couple and talking to neighbours we found out they were all from the same background, a place in world known for witchcraft and spiritualist "religions", let's say. In the first visit it was clear the tenants had been evicted in a hurry with masses of stuff left behind.

After it was cleaned and painted we came to live here and all I can say is that the first two years were absolute hell. We've had all sorts of problems going from being threatened by thugs that used to hang around the corner, a plague of cockroaches, and just bad luck overall. I was having panic attacks and crying every day till one day I said well that's enough. I spoke to the priest of my son's school at the time and explained the situation. He came and blessed the house in a very "specific way" and while things didn't get better straight away they surely got better over time, so much so the scumbag who harassed my husband was arrested, the dealers that used to hang around the corner dispersed, the house across the street which was a hub of dealers went very quiet.

I am ever moving from here I'm going to research the shit out of the new address. I'm fine with old people dying peacefully at home, that's the circle of life. Anything other than that it's a big no, not even if you give me a palace to live for free.

That all sounds more about moving into a dodgy area.

Redebs · 29/04/2023 17:18

Ginnyfromtheblock · 29/04/2023 12:09

Currently having the house we just bought renovated. We aren't living in it yet and because it is near where my brother lives and we have a newborn we gave him a set of keys to go and check up on builders etc.

Yesterday he went to the house after work and video called me to show me the progress. While he was there he suddenly said how just saw a small child in the house and he ran out the house and locked the front door and left.

He isn't the pranking type and also isn't the superstitious type, nor am I. But I am a total wimp and cannot watch any type of horror or anything and I'm now terrified. In the loft there was an old cot and nothing else. I've also got a year's worth of maternity leave and imagine I'll be home alone with baby while DH is at work.

Does anyone know how to find out if there was ever a death in the house or a building? I'm in the UK if that helps.

Absolutely ridiculous. Sorry OP, but this is the 21st century. We know better nowadays.