Haunted Homes: When Assessments Turn Eerie

The House That Didn’t Want Me There

A few years ago, I was asked to carry out an inventory on a house built in the 1600s. It was a beautiful late-summer day, and I was driving my cream Mini convertible with the roof down. I remember feeling lucky to find a parking spot right outside, the only one on the street!

From the outside, the house was stunning. It had a large bay window with a cosy seat. Inside, the lounge was warm and welcoming, with an impressive inglenook fireplace. Everything about it felt calm and inviting.

That changed when I stepped into the kitchen. I left my jacket and keys on the counter and admired the view of a lovely courtyard garden bursting with roses.

Then I unlocked the back door…and everything shifted. The air turned cold, the light dimmed, and all the garden roses were wilting before my eyes. I hurried back inside, locking the door behind me.

That’s when my car alarm started blaring. No matter what I did, it wouldn’t stop until I went outside, started the car, and shut it off again. When I returned to the kitchen, every door on the appliances was wide open –  the fridge, the freezer, the dishwasher, all of them.

I didn’t wait to find out why. I grabbed my things and ran.

The Lodge on the Estate

About ten years ago, I was sent to complete an EPC on a small lodge within a large country estate. It was a bright but chilly day, and I picked up the keys from the housekeeper, who mentioned the property was empty and ready to rent.

When I arrived, I knocked as I always do, just in case there was someone inside. I thought I heard a faint thud, but no one answered so I entered the property. Inside, the air felt heavy, the rooms dark and cold. Then, from upstairs, came the slow creak of a door and the sound of footsteps.

I called out, but there was no reply. I finished the EPC as quickly as possible and drove straight back to return the keys. The housekeeper handed me a coffee and smiled. “Did everything go okay? No ghost?” she asked.

She went on to tell me a young woman had died there years earlier, under “suspicious circumstances”.

I smiled politely, but inside, I knew one thing for sure…I wouldn’t be going back to that lodge.