More than a quarter of Brits think their homes are haunted

More than a quarter of adults in this country say they have had a paranormal experience in their own home, according to research conducted by Ocean Finance

These paranormal experiences by 27% of Brits included seeing ghost-like figures, orbs, unexplained movement of objects and inexplicable noises.

Some 30% of women surveyed said that they have had a paranormal encounter in their own home, compared with 25% of men.

Unusual experiences do not just occur in your own home: many people say that a ‘strange feeling’ has also affected their choice to buy or rent a particular home when viewing a property.

Common ‘strange feelings’ which have occurred when viewing a property include the house feeling; cold, eerie, and dark, with almost one in five saying that they decided not to buy or rent a property due to a negative feeling.

More positively, renters or buyers also report that some properties have an unexplained “positive vibe” making it seem cosy, warm and inviting.  A quarter of people have decided to buy or rent a home because of a positive feeling.

Ian Williams, from Ocean Finance, said: “During this spooky season it’s interesting to find out that many people take in to account their emotional response to a property when deciding whether it’s going to be their new home.

“Perhaps it is reassuring that the vast majority of us don’t think that our homes are haunted. But it’s still surprising that quite so many people do believe they share their home with ‘something else’. Those with a rational approach might point towards noisy plumbing or creaky floorboards as more likely explanations. Either way, luckily mortgage lenders don’t yet require people to disclose non-living residents!”