Give me your best theories...

[myheroinepretend]

Long time lurker, first time poster.

What do you think causes homes to lie completely abandoned for decades on end? Where are the owners or their families? Why did they leave in such a hurry? How common do you think it is?

Each residential site report I read feels like an unsolved mystery that I'm dying to get to the bottom of, though I fear the real explanation will likely be very mundane.

Please indulge my imagination with your best theories.

 

[mookster]

In a lot of cases houses are left empty after the occupant dies and the family lives abroad, or there is a contested will, or other similar situation.

 

[Esoteric Eric]

I have an example of someone I know who's grandmother has to now live in a dementia care home and left their house unoccupied with all their possessions inside.

The family don't live near by and can't keep too close of an eye on the house and it has since been broken in to and then ransacked by children.

The family then boarded the whole thing up with the possessions inside, all while the demented owner is none the wiser. Quite sad really.

 

[HughieD]

Yup. I think @mookster and @Esoteric Eric have got it covered here. Either people are too old/ill to live in their property or die and their lineage runs out or the next of kin live at distance and/or aren't bothered.

I know that sometimes the houses are of value either in their own right or for the land and it seems illogical that they are left to decay and fall down. But ultimately there's always a reason behind it. And often it's quite a sad story.

 

[mockney reject]

aliens and ghosts

 

[Joshrowlands]

as per the first reply, either the family lives abroad or the will is contested. I put a report up last week on an abandoned house left overnight in a normal residential street and I was left wondering the same. However I can’t help but think no matter where in the world I lived if I had something such as a house left to me I would arrange for estate agents to sell it for me even if it meant at a reduced price.

 

[mrwhite]

or like that prik ortise williams, who left his mansion uninhabited for what ever reason, now look at it. such a shame the once home of ronnie corbett reduced to ash.