As bizarre as it may sound, it is common for country homes and estates to have a few skeletons in the house, or at least on the grounds. Many have cemeteries or graves on the property, mainly for former occupants.
Sometimes the heirs or their trustees keep the graveyards or mausolea and even have them blessed. However, what do you do if the house you are buying has graves on the grounds?
While there are no laws that prohibit a person from being buried in their own backyard, many people will not even entertain the idea of living in a house with somebody buried in the garden.
In the United Kingdom, a brand-new three-bedroom home is available for the ridiculously low price of just £125,000 ($172,000). However, potential buyers have been warned the property comes with its former owner buried in the garden.
The previous resident of the terrace in Middleton, Leeds, got his request to be buried where he was born and where he passed away. The previous owner’s family granted his request, according to a notification on the home’s Zoopla profile, and Leeds City Council is currently renting out a portion of the garden.
The profile says:
“Please be aware this property is being sold by family members as part of a relative’s estate.”
“It was the deceased’s wishes to be buried in the garden as he was born and died in the house. This wish has been carried out and the property will be sold as is.”
Photos from seller’s Manning Stainton on the real estate website Zoopla depict the roomy family house, which includes a sizable kitchen, bathroom, and light living area.
The home offers double glazing and “eco-friendly heating,” which includes a gas boiler, solar panels, and the ability to use the wood burner in the living room to fuel the heating.
It features a foyer, sliding glass doors leading to the conservatory, a dining kitchen with pine cabinets, three “excellent size” bedrooms, and a white suite in the bathroom.
A shared road and parking are located in front of the house, and there is a garden with storage and wood buildings in the back.
The location, Middleton, is roughly four miles from Leeds City Centre.
Since it was posted on social media, the listing has alarmed some users, who are turned off by the peculiar clause of sale.
“F***ing hell that is mental,” one Twitter user wrote.
“What on earth?” Another said.
“All in all, I’d be more inclined to grow roses than potatoes,” a third one wrote.
“We’re probably all living on top of previous inhabitants of the earth, just some more recent than others,” with Daily Mail readers also provided feedback on the story.
Another added: “He’d 6 foot down so hardly going to be a problem to a lawnmower. What would certainly put me off is the shared parking and access – that’s a recipe for disaster.”
“This wouldn’t bother me for the reasons it would bother most people. I’m not superstitious, don’t believe in ghosts, etc. But I would be concerned with two things. The first would be privacy. Does the family of the deceased expect to be allowed to traipse through the garden as and when they please to visit the grave? And secondly, the grave would mean restrictions on what work is done in the garden,” one reader also wrote.
Sources: Awm, Bt24news, Express
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