What would happen if someone bought the Osbournes’ house after Ozzy is buried in the garden
Black Sabbath star Ozzy Osbourne has reportedly had his final wish honoured by being buried in a grave on the family's estate - but what would happen if the house went up for sale?
Many people like to visit the grave of a loved one after they have passed, but being buried on private property could complicate things if the Osbournes ever decide to sell up and move house.
Prince Of Darkness Ozzy passed away at the age of 76 last week, and he expressed his wishes in his autobiography I Am Ozzy, back in 2010, penning: “Eventually death will come, like it comes to everyone."
The 'Crazy Train' singer continued: "I've said to Sharon: ‘Don’t cremate me, whatever you do.’ I want to be put in the ground, in a nice garden somewhere, with a tree planted over my head.”
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In classic Ozzy style, the rocker wanted ‘a crabapple tree, preferably’ so that the ‘kids can make wine out of me and get p***ed out of their heads’.
“As for what they’ll put on my headstone, I ain't under any illusions. If I close my eyes, I can already see it. Ozzy Osbourne, born 1948. Died, whenever. He bit the head off a bat," he joked.
According to the Daily Mail, Ozzy has been laid to rest in a grave on his 250-acre Buckinghamshire estate near Gerrards Cross.
They reported that there was a huge floral backdrop spelling out 'OZZY F*****G OSBOURNE' as well as a smaller 'Ozzy' in purple flowers, similar to the one seen in the hearse at the funeral procession in Birmingham, which was watched by thousands of fans.
While there is no suggestion that Sharon and the rest of the family have any plans to sell the property, what would happen in future if they were to sell up?
A UK government website states that the family of the deceased do not automatically have the right to visit the property if a loved one has been buried on private land.
"You would not be able to gain access to the burial place if you sold the property/land to someone else and you would not be able to continue to pay your respects to your loved one. This could cause a lot of heartache and upset."
The price of the property might also plummet: "The value of your property will significantly decrease if you considered moving after the burial has taken place. Many buyers might not even consider the purchase of a property that has a body buried in the garden."
If a family has buried someone at home, there is no guarantee that they could be exhumed and moved elsewhere either as 'the Home Office may not give permission to move or 'exhume' the body to allow a re-burial in your new land.'
Forsters law firm says that there may be exceptions in terms of visitation rights: "You need to know whether the graves affect the title. Sometimes there are rights for descendants to visit the grave. While these tend to get forgotten over time, it is essential to check whether someone could come onto your property and on what terms, and whether in practice anyone does so."
One Redditor shared their concerns over a house they wished to buy which had a private gravesite in the garden.
Commenters agreed with the poster and said they were right to be worried: "I would also be concerned about family wanting to put flowers on the grave - it's completely understandable that they would want to, but it might prove annoying for the owners/residents. It might also complicate getting a mortage."
"There is also the issue that the new owner is under no obligation to keep the grave in good order," wrote another. "If they wished, they could put a small garden shed on top of the grave, as distasteful as that might be."
Fans have been laying floral tributes at the gates of the Osbourne mansion, while security patrolled the grounds to ensure the funeral was attended by only those with invites.
The likes of Sir Elton John, Yungblud and Metallica star James Hetfield attended to see the Birmingham legend laid to rest, just weeks after his final tribute concert.
Topics: Ozzy Osbourne, Sharon Osbourne
Jen Thomas