Buying a house – three windows and the front door have just been smashed. Would this worry you?

[BeQuaintLion]

Hi everyone,
I’m currently in the process of buying a house, and something rather concerning has come to light over the last couple of days. I’d really appreciate some outside opinions.
I had a survey carried out on the property yesterday, and it was the surveyor who initially discovered that three separate windows and the front door had been smashed/vandalised. This damage has only occurred within the last few days, as it wasn’t present previously.
What strikes me as particularly strange is the extent of the damage.
If it were just one smashed window, I’d probably put it down to a passing yob or mindless vandalism. Similarly, if someone was attempting to break in, why would they need to smash three separate windows AND the front door?
To me, this seems more deliberate and targeted rather than a random act of vandalism.
To make matters more concerning, I’ve since heard some unverified information suggesting that the damage could potentially be connected to previous occupants of the property, although I have absolutely no way of knowing whether there’s any truth in that.
The house is currently vacant, and until this happened, everything had been progressing nicely with the purchase. I’ve already had my mortgage offer issued, and the conveyancing process is well underway.
I’m now wondering whether there could be some history attached to the property that I’m completely unaware of, and whether whoever caused the damage might return.
I’ve raised the matter with the estate agent and intend to ask my solicitor to make further enquiries.
What I’d really like people’s opinions on is:

• Does smashing three windows and a front door seem like targeted vandalism to you?
• Would this make you suspicious that there’s something more going on?
• Has anyone experienced anything similar when purchasing a property?
• Would you continue with the purchase if you could establish what happened, or would this be enough to put you off?
• Would you consider renegotiating the purchase price, given that this has happened during the buying process?

I’m particularly interested in whether others think I’m overthinking the situation or whether my concerns are justified. It’s a lovely property that I was genuinely excited about buying, but the last thing I want is to move into a house that might be the subject of ongoing trouble. Would you be concerned if this happened to a house you were in the middle of buying? Thanks in advance!

So did the current owner (who is now in a care home) commit manslaughter against his step-father because his step-father was walking away with his mother's money?

Good on him. This kind of thing happens way too often when people try to leach off of others rather than making their own money.

Not sure where that leaves you though. If you like the house, I would still go for it but install cameras. Also, try to make it obvious it's under new ownership by changing how it looks from the outside.

Nope. They aren't supposed to tell lies either but they have extraordinary powers in relation to turd polishing.

It would worry me. I would think the area isn't safe.

Oh dear, it sounds like you’ve uncovered what’s behind it. If the case is recent/currently ongoing it might give you more peace of mind to walk away from this one.

Surprise surprise. Regardless of the outcome I wouldn’t proceed. It’s only a house - another one you like will come up.

The owner, as in the elderly man? Or the son?

What a plot twist. No advice; I think I'd still question the solicitor if anything like this has happened before or if it's a one off. I mean, surely the vandals know it's up for sale and are likely trying to make the owner's life hell by scaring away potential buyers.

That makes me think it's more of a one-off in the process, but obviously this is all assumption.

hmmm you'd have to prove they didn't know........ but I wouldn't buy a house where that level of damage is passed off as "halloween hi-jinks" either.

I'd worry more that it's someone in the family doing this to scupper a sale if it's inheritance related. I'd walk away before you spend any more time or money.

That was my thought too

So what the whole picture looks like? The father of the man who behaves like he is the seller , he is the seller but not the owner, has a father in a care home who man-slaughtered his step father because he mishandled his mother's estate? So who is vandalising the house of the step son?? His step siblings?

so the person i am buying of is the son, he’s bio dad who used to live there is in a “care home” apparently. He’s step father is the person who passed away

It could be two things:

1. a rough area (although surely you can tell) or
2. a personal attack

I had a family member who was to put it mildly a complete little gobshite who was always starting shit with the local chavs. He got the windows put through often along with lots of other things (graffiti, slashed tires, smashed camera, bin fires etc...).

In all the time other family members lived on that street no one ever smashed the windows and no one is smashing any of the neighbors windows either. Its nothing to do with the house itself, its to do with him personally having enemies. If he moved they would stop smashing the current house windows and go smash his new house windows so I'm sure the buyer would be left alone once they realise it sold.

Could be personal and connected to the allegations. Could be a rough area. Could be that someone has identified the house as unoccupied and the next step will be squatters. I would pull out in any event- too much risk, too much hassle.

So the hospital consultant son is being accused of killing his stepfather? Have I got that right? Just trying to make sense of everything.

Who is "her mother"?

I would pull out OP. If you found out what happened there then when you come to sell other people will too. It also might continue to be targeted.

In the next town a head of a criminal family was murdered after he got out of prison. About a year later the house he owned which was now up for sale was torched. No-one was ever charged.
The theory was either his family did it as the money would have went to the governments proceeds of crime people. Or it was a rival criminal group who did it.

Pull out immediately OP, I know an elderly man local to me his address has been targeted for many years, no idea why, police have bn involved and investigated, advised him to move, which he refused to do. He has had repeated acts of vandalism. It’s a horrible way to live.