house selling legal question!

pbfhpunk

The previous owner of my house committed suicide themselves by hanging themselves from the spindle of the bannister, he was about 24 and his wife had left him and she then rented it out for a few months and redecorated, he had also written things over the walls in black paint, and put it on the market. I bought it and then a couple of years later I got a job with someone in the same road and they told me all about it, it never bothered me but people that come to visit and find out about it get quite spooked and say they couldn't live in a house that someone had comitted suicide in.

I've had the house for 9 years now and am, hopefully, moving in the next few months. Is it a legal obligation that I tell agent's and prospective buyer's about it? I know in some parts of the US you have to by law so wondered if anyone knew.

Thanks Helen

silvercar

Buyer beware!

Say nothing and don't recount the story too frequently or word will get around.

Nine years is a long time and you have, presumably, now filled the house with good vibes.

Most houses have unknown histories, I wouldn't worry about it. Even people who would not have bought the house when you did will feel less squeemish now. If you are selling your houe I wouldn't retell the story anymore.

pbfhpunk

silvercar wrote:

Nine years is a long time and you have, presumably, now filled the house with good vibes.

QUOTE]

True, and if not my hippy sister-in-law gave me a sage stick to do a 'smudging' ceremony, but I think the stench of burnt sage would put buyers off more!!

thanks

Helen

courtjester

To my knowledge, there is no question on the sellers information form you will be required to complete, asking about whether any suicide or murder has taken place in the property!! You *are* asked to declare any (legal) dispute you may have had with neighbours, but that is entirely different.

It's hardly surprising that in the USA declarations of this sort are common, but their culture and legal system is thankfully not ours.

As far as the marketing of the property, you must provide accurate information and honest answers to questions, otherwise you are not required to disclose ANY information about the property. It is up to the buyer to make their own enquiries.

Also, note that as far as the information you were given about this incident, it is only *hearsay* - someone told you. That doesn't make it fact. In view of the time which has gone by and the circumstances described, I would say you would be quite entitled to deny any knowledge even if an enquiry were specifically made on this point.

To the best of your knowledge (the facts being unproven) nothing untoward has taken place in the property, certainly not within the period of your own ownership which is all you can be expected to comment upon.

pbfhpunk

Thanks.

Although regards the hearsay point, since I originally found out some years ago, my uncle told me he worked with the guy, I've had people round that have done work on the house that knew about it including somone who's knew the fireman that smashed the door in, we also found the missing spindle cleaning out the loft and the evidence of black paint was all over the windows, ceiling and skirting board of the front room.

I know it's a bit friend of a friend but that many people knowing about it makes it more believable!

I wouldn't say it to anyone seeing the house, which is also why I'm very reluctant to go through the agent that I got the house through, and if I was directly asked I wouldn't lie but just wanted to know if Ihad a legal obligation.

Thanks for all your help, I wasn't looking forward to marketing the 'House of DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!' What's strange about the spindle is up until we found it everyone that lodged with me, and myself included, had problems with money, since we threw the spindle out everything is ok!

thesaint

I'm going to check my loft for a spindle:rotfl:

HugoSP

All houses have histories - the older the house the longer and more varied the history.

I know of several houses where people have died - one quite tragic incident that happened in our village a few years ago was the death of a young girl via a diabetic coma. she simply hadn't taken her insulin injections. The house was soon bought off her landlord by the next door neighbour who has added it to his dwelling and was despareate for space for his 4 kids.

We have 3 period properties and I bet my bottom dollar that people have died in each of them. The fact that it is a suicide rather than a natural death or accident is a great shame - and nothing else. I only hope he is at peace now. It must have been terrible for those around him at the time.

BiLs house was found to have had a fire. He didn't know this when he bought it but found out soon afterwards when 1) the window cleaner told him that a lot of the glass had to be replaced, and 2) he replaced his kitchen to find black soot behind the old units. I understand that the fire was started deliberately by a foster child.

space_rider

ooooerr..I would keep quiet. I think I would be put off.

mystic_trev

Make sure there's no one hanging around when you come to sell it!