Have you ever viewed a house and felt a strange presence? (And we don’t mean the Estate Agent!) Some houses just don’t feel comfortable and inviting. It could be the décor and dog aroma but what if it’s something more paranormal? What if there are skeletons in the closet?
In the UK sellers have to disclose information about their property and about any neighbour disputes they may have had, but they don’t have to reveal any supernatural occurrences. This could mean you might have unpacked before you realise you are not alone – and then who you gonna call?
Withholding information about ghostly apparitions would however land you in hot water in the States. In the case of Stambovsky v Ackley in 1991, the New York Supreme Court upheld on appeal a complaint by the buyer of a haunted house that the owner had failed to warn him the property was haunted. It was a widely known fact in the area that the house was possessed by poltergeists and Ackley had even listed the house on a haunted homes tour! Stambovsky got his deposit back and Ackley had to find a new buyer.
Not everyone is put off by ghostly encounters. Some people are happy to share their homes with spirits. Beverly Thomas from London used to share her home with a ‘friendly ghost’. She says, “When I was a child we had a ghost who used to sit on the end of my sister’s bed. We couldn’t see a figure but you could see the indentation of someone sitting there, and the room would get really cold. We never felt threatened or frightened by it though.”
If you have never experienced any spooky goings on but have always wanted to go on a ghost hunt or spend the night in a haunted building, there are companies like Hauntedrooms.co.uk who offer the chance of a paranormal encounter. You can choose from hotels, inns or castles…but don’t expect to get much sleep!
Feature image credit: Vjacheslav Shishlov/Shutterstock
