One in three of us are spooked by our own homes, says survey

A survey has discovered that around a third of homeowners have experienced something spooky in their home, and that around one in eight have moved out of a home as they thought it may be haunted.

The survey, from specialist insurance broker Towergate Insurance, questioned around 2,000 people about the ghostly and paranormal experiences they may have had in their property. 32% of respondents said they had been spooked in their home, with nearly one in five seeing a ghoulish apparition, 18% having felt an “icy chill”, and one in four hearing unexplained noises.

These experiences, or fears of having them, have also had a major effect on their homeownership and homebuying, too. One in eight would immediately put their home up for sale if they believed it was haunted, while others would take steps to exorcise the ghost via a member of the clergy (6%) or a paranormal investigator (9%).

Some of those taking part in the survey even thought the ghostly experiences might be a boon, with 6% saying they would advertise and charge visitors to stay overnight in their home to experience it themselves.

Of those looking for a new home, one in eight said that they had chosen not to put an offer in for a home because they believed it to be haunted, while 14% said they would not purchase a home they liked if their pets were spooked by it. Even if they weren’t put off buying it altogether, a third of house-hunters would try to get a discount of around 20% off the asking price.

Location was a big consideration for many of those questioned, with two-thirds of them saying they would refuse to consider a home located near a graveyard, undertaker or “sinister-looking church” and three-quarters horrified at the idea of buying a home near a morgue.

Rob Ashburn from Towergate Insurance says: “When there are stories of something strange in a neighbourhood this can be a huge turn-off for potential buyers. Some people thrive on stories of haunted houses, and can use tales of things going bump in the night to their advantage. What is clear from this research is that spooky vibes can be real deal breakers when it comes to buying and selling properties - and this makes it a scary time for sellers.”