Change who's on the deeds,
without selling.
A transfer of equity adds someone to a property, removes someone from it, or changes the shares — while the property stays exactly where it is. Tell us about it and a specialist will call you with the cost.
When you need one
Not a sale. A change
to who owns it.
The property isn't going on the market and nobody is moving. What changes is the title: who is named on it, and in what shares. That is a piece of legal work in its own right, and it is the one a transfer of equity does.
General information, not legal advice — Conveyancing Index is not a firm of solicitors. A regulated specialist will advise on your own circumstances.
Separation or divorce
One of you is staying in the house and the other is coming off the deeds. This is the most common reason for a transfer, and the part that usually sets the timetable is the mortgage: the lender has to agree to release the person leaving, and to accept the person staying on their own.
Adding a partner or spouse
You owned the property before the relationship, and you now want it held jointly. A transfer of equity is what actually puts the other person on the title — moving in, paying towards the mortgage or paying for work on the house does not do it by itself.
Gifting or buying out a share
A parent passing a share to a child, siblings who inherited a property and one buying the others out, or co-owners rebalancing after one has paid down more of the mortgage. Whether money changes hands matters here — it is what decides whether stamp duty comes into it.
FAQ
Questions, answered plainly.
What is a transfer of equity?
A transfer of equity changes who is named on the title of a property that is not being sold. The property stays where it is and at least one existing owner stays on the deeds - someone is simply added, removed, or has their share changed. It is the mechanism behind buying out an ex-partner, adding a spouse to a home you already own, or passing a share to a child.
When do people need one?
Most often on separation or divorce, when one person takes over the property and the other comes off the deeds. Also when a partner moves in and is added, when co-owners rebalance their shares after one pays down more of the mortgage, when a parent gifts a share to a child, and when a joint owner dies and the title needs updating. A specialist will confirm which of these describes your situation.
Does the mortgage lender have to agree?
If there is a mortgage on the property, yes - the lender has to consent before anyone is added to or removed from the title, because it changes who is responsible for the debt. Whoever is staying on usually has to show they can carry the mortgage on their own. That is the lender's decision, not ours and not the solicitor's, and it is the single most common reason a transfer takes longer than expected. Where there is no mortgage the transfer is normally simpler.
Is stamp duty payable?
Sometimes. Stamp duty on a transfer of equity turns on whether money or an existing mortgage debt is changing hands, and on how much - not on what the property is worth. Several common situations, including some transfers between spouses and some on divorce, are treated differently again. It is a tax question with real thresholds behind it, so tell the specialist what is being paid or taken on and they will confirm the position before anything is signed.
How long does it take?
A straightforward transfer with no mortgage is typically a few weeks. With a mortgage, the timetable is set by how quickly the lender gives consent, and by whether the person staying on has to remortgage. The specialist will give you a realistic timescale for your own circumstances on the call.
What does it cost?
It depends on the work involved - whether there is a mortgage, whether a lender's consent and a remortgage are needed, and whether money is changing hands. There are also Land Registry fees on top of the legal work. Tell us about the property and a specialist will confirm the cost before anything goes ahead. There is no charge for the conversation.
General information, not legal advice — Conveyancing Index is not a firm of solicitors. A regulated specialist will advise on your own circumstances.
Recording who owns what share rather than changing the deeds? That is a declaration of trust.