Renters - would you rent a property where the previous occupant had committed suicide?

[MN2025]

We have a portfolio of properties (LL investor) and a property has just come up for sale in our local area. It was a family home and the daughter committed suicide in the house.

The family understandably cannot face going back to live there - and have posted all over social media desperate to find a buyer. They’ve moved out already and renting somewhere else…

I’m thinking about making an offer on the house as I know there is ‘demand’ in the area in the rental market and I think it could rent out quick - but would you live in a place that had such a haunting past? Property was recently renovated so apart from a deep clean nothing will need to be done.
people die in properties of natural causes I get that - but not really that often in these tragic circumstances?

I'm not sure if it would be more difficult to rent, possibly; however it's not considered acceptable these days to use the term 'committed' suicide.

It depends on how.

This.

please use the term died by suicide

Of course, I can't think of any reason not to.

Millions of people on HA/council housing lists have to take what they're given.

Plus it wasn't the house that killed the poor person.

It wouldn’t bother me at all. The house I live in (council) both the previous tenants passed away within 6 months. It would only put me off it a high profile murder case had happened there. But it’s not the dead you need to worry about it’s the living.

We once lived on a street where someone commit suicide. The house sold quickly and I don’t think it affected the price much, if at all, so clearly some people aren’t bothered by it.

I don’t think it’s any different from renting any other property where someone died, unless you were in some way connected to that person and would find it too distressing.

How would you even know? Unless really high profile?

It would bother me more to rent a house from a portfolio investor LL. But I don't think people have a choice either way, do they?

I wouldn't want to live there - not out of superstition but because I have been deeply affected by the suicide of a family member and I think it would be triggering for me to live somewhere where someone else had done the same.

If the property is in a small town, it would be well reported and lots of local people would know the history. In a large city, where other neighbours are likely to be renters too and the turnover of residents is high, I don't suppose anyone would even remember what had happened after a year or two.

Absolutely not! No matter the circumstances or manner in which they did it - no way. Please, please don’t consider omitting this info from tenants either.

No-one said it was a slur?

However, it's a phrase that society is fast moving away from.

What you see as 'whinging', plenty of people will see as being educated.

Why? People die in houses all the time, why do they need to be told.

For a long time it was "committed suicide" but death by suicide is not a crime and so over the last decade or so there has been a move to the more respectful term died by suicide or ended own life. It might not matter to you but it matters to a lot of people who love someone who ended their own life.

I only learned this a couple of years ago on MN, and far from feeling 'whinged' at, I was grateful for the information.

I don’t think I could buy a house where someone committed suicide.

Would t worry me in the least, unless the reason behind the death was that neighbours behaviour drove them to it

What is the correct terminology?

I have no idea if people who have lived in homes before me had died there and don’t know how I’d find out.

howevever I don’t think you should low ball a grieving family if that was the plan.

i also wouldn’t invest at all in buy to lets now I’d stick to shares.

I think this would be a personal thing - it wouldn’t bother me. It probably depends on how rational vs emotional the renters are in your area and how tight the market is.

Some PC language comes over a bit daft, but not this one. The word ' committed' was used because suicide was considered wicked, as for perjury or adultery. We don't want that connotation now.

Renting anything is hard enough at the moment as I understand it. Beggars can't be choosers so to speak. In a few years it's in the past.

It wouldn't bother me. I'm currently wrapped in a very comfy blanket that someone died while using.

I'm not squeamish enough about death to let it put me off a place I otherwise liked. I probably would use it to attempt to get a bit of a rent discount though, but that's mostly due to a very limited budget.

As PPs say, use “died by suicide” or “took their own life”. It’s not been a crime since 1960-something.

@MN2025 it wouldn't be an issue for me but clearly it would for some people so I would maybe flag it when renting. Better to be upfront perhaps.