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?

It wouldn't stop me, no

If I knew, then no.

Mind also.

There are also pretty strict guidelines for reporting in the media etc. for the use of language around suicide too.

We now say "died by suicide" or "took their own life". What a lot of people don't realise is that it was once a crime up until the 1960s, I believe, and people could be arrested for attempting it, hence the outdated terminology.

My daughter took her own life last year. Thank you to those challenging the use of the word “committed”. I personally find it distressing. For those who think that’s ridiculous or unnecessary, I agree that some who have lost someone to suicide don’t care about that word, but it’s no hardship to just not use it is it?

Thank you very much. I hadn’t actually realised this and it makes sense.

Oh! I didn't know this, thank you

It wouldn't bother me. My ds2 attempted to take his own life in our house. I know he didn't actually die but I can't imagine anyone not wanting to live here because of that.

We once seriously considered a lovely house where a double murder had taken place of a mother and daughter and a crazed ex boyfriend.

Adultery isn’t a crime, but the usage ‘commit adultery’ remains.

’Purposefully (gah!) unalived themself’ is probably next up.

I don't need to 'do research'. I'm not saying that no-one should avoid the term I am just asking people not to police other people's language. You just have no idea what might sound right and might sound wrong to individual bereaved people.

Some bereaved people do want the term to be avoided, yes, and of course you should respect that when talking to them. Others don't. I don't. Personally I find it grotesquely offensive that people should be made to become even more self-conscious and afraid than they already are when they talk about deaths by suicide.

And even though it is not, strictly, euphemising to avoid the ordinary common term 'commit suicide', the avoidance has the same softening, blurring, derealising effect, which, for me, is harmful and offensive. I don't want anything smacking of euphemism to come near my son's very brutal death . I can't encounter the death properly and I want to. I want people to speak about it directly, frankly.

If people don't want to use the term 'commit suicide' that's their decision. It's fine by me, though I would hope they wouldn't replace it with something sickly like "took his own life" or (and I actually heard this term being used - unsurprisingly by someone who had not herself been bereaved) "unalived himself". But I wouldn't want them to imagine that they were being sensitive to me in their choice of words.

Why do mental health and suicide support charities say not to use “commit” any more then? Are they performative virtue signallers as well?

It wouldn’t bother me to buy it or live in it, no. I would think about that person (if I knew of the death) and sort of…….wish well for them? Light a candle for them? I’m not sure, but I would almost try to comfort their soul??? I’m not explaining it very well.

I used to work with some mental health nurses (within the last two or three years) and they all used the term ‘completed’ like ‘she completed’ or ‘she didn’t complete’. I don’t know if it was just their department or more widely used.

I once rented somewhere where the previous tenant died by suicide. I didn’t stay long, but that was because it was dark and damp.

I'm not getting into a protracted debate with you over this. There is overwhelming support for it not to be used, and for good reasons. You keep your view and I will keep mine.

What… why? I have never ever known anyone that would want the full occupier history of a property!! Knowing is what would make someone feel off, disclosing it is in no way mandatory unless it’s caused a health and safety issue with the property (which you wouldn’t rent out in that state anyway).

I say committed suicide

and I still live in the same house where dh killed his self

in the way/sobs groups I went to all varied

I stayed

another never stepped foot into house

another tried living but couldn’t

another rents it out

another sold after a few years /met someone

the dead can’t hurt you. Only the living can

i have many happy memories here and one very very bad one finding dh

It wouldn't bother me, I have a very old house where I'm sure people will have died. I don't know the ins and outs of how but I also don't feel the need to, it's often part and parcel of buying house with previous owners.

Clearly there is a grieving family in what sounds like a desperate situation, I would like to think you wouldn't take advantage of that by offering a silly price to them.

It is interesting, I just talked to my daughter about this the other day. No, I would not do it, but it does not mean that you should not either. It is totally personal.

@Ihateboris i couldn’t read your comment and just pass by. I am so sorry that you feel like that. I hope there is someone you can talk to in real life who help to support you. ❤️

Sending you love @BeKookyExpert ❤️

Died by suicide.

It was also a crime. People who tried to take their own lives and stayed alive could go to prison.

Terrible.

I wouldn't want to, but these things often won't be public knowledge, plus many renters have to take whatever they can, so they might not have a choice.

Irrationally, I get a bit spooked out by supernatural things and wouldn't choose to live where I knew someone had died or near a cemetery etc.