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 doubt this would be any kind of impediment to lettings. Purchasers maybe, but even then, they wouldn’t normally know unless the story had made the press. Facebook is ephemeral (plus, who on earth is posting about selling because of such tragic circumstances? That seems incredibly odd)

I think this too. The tenants wouldn’t be aware of what happened. If there was a notorious murder, or something… Dying by suicide is tragic. But people can still live in the house.

I did not know this and have had loved ones die by suicide so have used the term not infrequently. I assumed it was from the person committing themselves to die, like in funerals when you are commited to your grave (or something like that - I'm not religious).

I think many people don’t know this, but it dates back to when it was considered a sin (people who died by suicide were not allowed to be buried in consecrated ground until 1823) and it was a crime in England and Wales until the Suicide Act 1961. Between 1952 and 1956, 2,922 people were convicted of attempted suicide. Some received prison sentences.

Until 1967 gay men could go to prison for “committing buggery” or “committing an act of gross indecency” but I can’t think of anyone who would use that language now.

It’s how language evolves I think, nothing to do with PC or wokery.

Abolish landlords x

It would bother me. Im not woo normally but I think that houses can have "atmospheres".

When I was looking for somewhere to live it was tough finding anything decent even at inflated rent rates. I did find somewhere eventually but it’s hard to find a safe secure place. If my flat’s previous occupant had ended their life, I would feel sorry for them because I have been depressed myself, but it wouldn’t bother me when renting their place. I’m not into the supernatural or anything. If you are a “woo” person I can see why you might be put off but otherwise, if it’s safe, warm and secure I’d consider moving in.

Sorry you have had this experience. I used the phrase in the past too, , including about a family member, but as soon as the history and implications were pointed out, I stopped. They didn't commit anything, they felt unable to carry on living and made a painful choice.

A Woman took her own life in the house where I live a couple of years before we bought it and I don’t give it a single thought. It’s an old house with lots of history.

About 20 years ago friends were put off renting a house. It was absurdly cheap but there has been a suicide but a relative had then kept the body there for some time afterwards. All the news articles about this were full of detail about what happened there. On the other hand, it was 25% cheaper (and still not shifting), presumably it’s not standing empty now…

Surely the shift is about reducing stigma and encouraging more neutral language, rather than declaring the old phrase offensive or unacceptable. We're not writing NHS patient literature here, we're just having a conversation. I think @ThreeNewWords is right to be wary of policing language around such a sensitive topic. It's a bit like funeral celebrants avoiding the word "died"; some people just like to call a spade a spade, and in some cases suicide must feel rather like a cruel act of violence towards those left behind although clearly the deceased person cannot be held to blame for their state of mind.

Re living in a place where someone had done-that-thing-we-must-be-mealy-mouthed-about, I'm not sure I'd fancy it, but on the other hand it's not the only place they would have felt despair. If we really believe that locations somehow absorb misery, then there must be an awful lot of bus stops and park benches etc around that carry a heavy burden.

I think this thread just proves how Diff everyone feels about living there or how to speak about it

as i said I still live here where dh killed his self

I have also Said he committed suicide and don’t take offence if someone says that to me

It still is considered a sin in most major religions. Only God can take life.

Granted fewer people are religious these days, but that doesn’t change religion itself. I think what might changed is the legal definition. Previously suicide was considered a crime.

But 'committed' is a word that has multiple different meanings, non of which means 'crime'.

It can mean hard working, loyal, honest/determined, institutionalized or performed.

The most negative term relates to being 'institutionalized' which can be either medical or legal but thats the one that makes the least sense in terms of the phrase so thats not what 'committed' refers too.

Committed in the form of 'committed suicide' literally just means to have 'performed the act of'.

Precisely. Adultery isn’t a crime either, but we still say commit adultery.

It’s just nonsense made up by some self important twerp who was probably trying to validate their job rather than doing anything that is actually meaningful or important. Terminology changes nothing.

People can use whatever language they like but don’t preach to others.

I would, but it might put some people off.

Absolutely, but when leading suicide charities ask people to shift their language slightly, to use more neutral, person-centred language, for instance to stop using ‘committed suicide’ (with its association with crime or sin) or ‘unsuccessful suicide attempt’, don’t you think we might listen to their expertise and experience, rather than see them as ‘some self-important twerp’?

https://www.iasp.info/languageguidelines/

I dont know as a disabled person I have had many an argument with workers for 'charities' who have tried to police my language and 'educate' me in regards to MY disability.

The one that still stands out 15 years ago is being told by 2 women running a disability education care course to watch my language and that we must now be referred to as 'invalids'... like bitch I am perfectly 'valid' and will call myself whatever I want to be called as it MY identity.

No company, person or charity gets to decide for us or police what language we used and even within a group of similarly afflicted people they will use completely different terms and language to refer to their own situations. There is no universal 'right' phrase.

I have had 2 family members and 2 friends commit suicide and honestly the phrase has never bothered me. Like I said it just means 'did the action of suicide' which is true.

These factual words getting banned and replaced is just ridiculous busybodying, a perfect example of forced change is algorithms banning/censoring accounts causing the sudden uptick in 'unalived' used instead of 'dead' it makes something thats serious and important sound childish. Its like saying you can no long say a person is sick/ill you must say 'pooly' or you'll get cancelled/banned, it just infantilizes everyone.

I imagine you misunderstood the ‘invalid’ comment. It’s decades since anyone has thought that was acceptable terminology.

People might not even teapis this is that house. Personally I'd paint in a different colour and go ahead.

I agree with this and feel qualified in having this opinion having lost people this way.
What I cannot stand are the ‘accepted’ terms, in particular ‘completed suicide’. I hate that one on several levels. I think it’s potentially dangerous. But people can say what they want, i don’t find any of the language around suicide offensive personally.

People die in houses all the time,I'm not sure why you need to disclose it.

As someone who has lost two people to suicide I'll give anyone short shrift who corrects how I describe it, there is nothing wrong with using the term 'to commit suicide.' Use whatever you like but don't correct anyone else. Commit just means to carry out.

How very ironic that some posters continue to scold @ThreeNewWords after that poster's eloquent, personal and moving explanation of her use of the term.

ThreeNewWords 💐

Yeah. So much for the brave march towards more sensitive language to show respect for people's lived experience.

‘Committed’ was used because suicide used to be a crime, and many people did get prosecuted for attempting it.

To answer the OPs question, I don’t think it would put people off. A member of my extended family died by suicide many years ago, and there were no shortage of offers when the house was put up for sale shortly afterwards.