Whether you’ve recently moved in with a partner, want to bring a family member onto the property ladder, or need help meeting your monthly repayments, adding someone to a mortgage is absolutely possible.
That being said, it’s not as straightforward as simply adding a name to a document.
This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about how to add someone to a mortgage in the UK, from the legal process involved to the costs you can expect.
If you need help adding someone to a mortgage, get in contact today to receive award-winning support.
Can You Add Someone to a Mortgage?
Yes, you can add someone to a mortgage via a process called Transfer of Equity, which adds a new borrower to both the loan and the property title. However, before the lender agrees, they will run credit and affordability checks on you and the person you’re adding.
You’ll usually have two routes to choose from:
- Stay with your current lender. Your loan balance and interest rate stay as they are. You’ll pay a change-of-parties fee (typically £100-£200) plus solicitor costs, but that’s often the simpler, cheaper option.
- Remortgage to a new deal. You’ll put both names on a brand-new mortgage, which could unlock better rates or terms. The catch is that you may face early repayment charges on your old loan.
Whichever route you take, remember that everyone on the mortgage becomes jointly and severally liable for the full debt.
It’s also worth knowing that if the new borrower has a weaker credit history, you might be offered a higher interest rate. Don’t let that put you off, though. It’s still possible to get a mortgage with adverse credit, and we can help you find lenders who’ll look at your situation more favourably.
Why Might You Want to Add Someone to a Mortgage?
There are several reasons why a homeowner might want to add someone to a mortgage:
- Relationship changes – Moving in with a partner and wanting them to share legal ownership of the property.
- Financial support – Adding a parent or family member to help improve borrowing power or reduce monthly payments.
- Inheritance planning – Bringing a child onto a property as part of an estate planning strategy
- Affordability – Combining incomes to qualify for a better mortgage deal or remortgage rate.
It’s worth noting just how common joint mortgages are in the UK. According to data from MortgagePro, 42% of UK mortgages are joint applications, with 65% of those between married couples, 18% between unmarried couples, and 17% involving family members or friends.
How Do You Add Someone to a Mortgage?
The legal mechanism for adding someone to a mortgage is known as a Transfer of Equity. This process, as the name suggests, transfers a share of the property’s ownership to the new person, making them a co-owner and a co-borrower.
However, remortgaging could prove to be a better option for you than a Transfer of Equity.
With that in mind, here’s a general overview of how you should go about adding someone to your mortgage:
Talk to a mortgage broker
Get in contact with a mortgage broker before you do anything else so that you can understand which option is better for you.
For instance, moving to a new provider could be the best option as a better rate may now be available to you. However, if you have a fixed-rate mortgage and will face an early repayment charge for leaving the deal early, sticking with your current lender may be cheaper.
A mortgage broker will calculate both scenarios to work out which will be most cost-effective for you.
Transfer of Equity
If a Transfer of Equity works at as the better option, your first step is to contact your existing mortgage lender and let them know you want to add someone to a mortgage. The lender will need to approve the new arrangement, as it changes the financial risk profile of the loan.
The lender will run a fresh affordability check. This means both you and the person you’re adding will be credit-checked and assessed on income, outgoings, and financial commitments. This is no different to a standard joint mortgage application.
You’ll need a solicitor or conveyancer to handle the legal aspect of adding someone to your mortgage. They’ll update the Land Registry title deeds to reflect the change in ownership, ensure the legal transfer is valid, and help both parties understand their legal rights and responsibilities.
Remortgaging
If the calculations show that remortgaging is the more cost-effective route, you’ll be switching to a new mortgage deal that is taken out jointly in both names, rather than amending your existing one. This can be done with your current lender (known as a product transfer) or with a completely new provider.
A broker, such as ourselves, will search across the mortgage market for the most competitive joint deal based on both your circumstances. They will then guide you through the application, which is essentially a standard joint mortgage application. Both you and the person you’re adding will be credit-checked and assessed on income, outgoings, and financial commitments.
If you’re moving to a new lender, a solicitor or conveyancer will still be needed to handle the legal side. They’ll pay off your existing mortgage, set up the new one, and update the Land Registry so that both of you appear as legal owners of the property.
The main advantage of remortgaging is that it gives you the chance to secure a better interest rate or more suitable terms at the same time as adding someone to the mortgage. It can also be a good opportunity to review your deal, such as borrowing more or changing the mortgage term.
However, there are costs to be aware of:
- Early repayment charges: If you’re still within a fixed or tracker deal, leaving early could trigger a charge, often a percentage of the outstanding balance.
- Arrangement and valuation fees: Some lenders charge product or arrangement fees, plus valuation fees
It’s always best to speak to a remortgage advisor who will talk you through the process.
Download our completely free guide to remortgaging to learn more.
Joint Ownership: Tenants in Common vs Joint Tenants
When you add someone to a mortgage and the property title, you’ll need to decide how you hold the property together. There are two main options:
Joint Tenants
Both parties own the property equally. If one person dies, their share automatically passes to the surviving owner. This tends to be the most common arrangement for married couples.
Tenants in Common
Each party owns a defined share (e.g. 60/40 or 70/30). Each person can leave their share to whoever they choose in their will. This is often more appropriate for friends, family members, or unmarried couples with unequal contributions.
Will Lenders Always Approve Adding Someone to a Mortgage?
Unfortunately, it’s not guaranteed that your lender will accept a new applicant on your mortgage.
When you ask to add someone to a mortgage, lenders will want to ensure the new arrangement is financially sound just as they did when you applied for your mortgage in the first place. The key factors that they’ll assess include:
- The new applicant’s credit history: any missed payments, defaults, or CCJs could affect approval. (You can check your credit via this link)
- Combined income and whether it comfortably covers the mortgage repayments.
- The loan-to-value (LTV) ratio, lenders may be stricter if the mortgage is already at a high LTV.
- Whether both parties pass an affordability check.
It’s also worth noting that adding someone to a mortgage creates a financial link between you on your credit files. This means their financial behaviour will have an impact on your own creditworthiness going forward.
Are There Any Costs to Add Someone to a Mortgage?
Adding someone to a mortgage isn’t free, so if it’s something you want to do, you should budget for the following:
- Solicitor fees – Typically between £100 and £500 for a Transfer of Equity; however, this can vary.
- Land Registry fees – A fee is payable to update the title deeds. This varies based on the property value.
- Lender arrangement or remortgage fees – If a new mortgage deal is required, you may face arrangement fees from the lender.
- Early repayment charges (ERCs) – If you’re mid-deal on a fixed rate, your lender may charge a penalty for switching early.
What About Stamp Duty?
Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) can apply when you add someone to a mortgage, depending on the circumstances. If the new person is taking on a share of the mortgage debt, HMRC may treat this as a property transaction. The amount of stamp duty owed depends on:
- The value of the share being transferred.
- Whether the new applicant already owns another property (the higher 3% surcharge may apply).
- Whether the transfer counts as a chargeable consideration in HMRC’s eyes.
This is a particularly important area to take professional advice on, as stamp duty rules can be complex. Speaking to a professional, whether that be a solicitor, mortgage broker, or tax adviser, before you add someone to a mortgage could save you a significant amount of money.
Things to Consider Before You Add Someone to a Mortgage
Adding someone to your mortgage is a big deal, so before going ahead, it’s worth thinking through some important questions.
- What happens if the relationship breaks down? Removing someone from a mortgage is also possible but involves a similar legal process, and both parties must agree (or a court must order it).
- Do you both understand your joint liability? Both parties are 100% liable for the full mortgage debt. If one person stops paying, the other is responsible for the whole amount.
- Have you both taken independent legal advice? Solicitors will often recommend this to ensure both parties fully understand what they’re agreeing to.
- Could it affect first-time buyer status? Even if one person on a joint mortgage has previously owned property, the entire application loses first-time buyer stamp duty relief.
Adding someone to your mortgage can be the right step for many couples and families, but it’s a long-term legal and financial commitment that’s not always easy to undo. Taking time to talk openly about the “what ifs”, getting independent legal advice, and understanding exactly how joint liability and first-time buyer status could affect you will help ensure everyone goes in with their eyes open.
If you’re unsure, speaking to a qualified mortgage adviser before you proceed can help you weigh up the options and avoid costly surprises later.
Final Thoughts
Whether it’s a partner, a parent, or a friend, it is possible to add someone to a mortgage; however, it’s a significant legal and financial decision that affects both parties’ credit files, tax position, and long-term financial security.
Before you take the plunge, speak to a qualified mortgage broker who can assess your options, compare lenders, and guide you through the process from start to finish. Getting the right advice early can make the whole experience far smoother, and much less costly.
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