Property Press Online

There may be a few situations in life where you need to take a name off the title deeds for your home. A common one is divorce when one partner is perhaps buying the other out. Circumstances may also include death of an owner, or some other change.

Most often it’s the owner of the property who carries out the removal of another owner, and if the other owner is included in the process they complete a transfer deed. The task can be done by yourself as an owner, but it’s recommended you involve a solicitor to help make sure everything is legal and help with the paperwork.

What are the steps involved to remove a name from a title deed?

You can remove a name from your title deed in just 4 steps:

1. Apply

A form called AP1 needs to be completed to change the register.

If you want to get a copy of the official title register, it’ll cost you £3 from HM Land Registry.

2. Transfer deed

Named TR1, the transfer deed needs to be signed by all property owners, including any being removed.

3. ID1 form

You’ll need to ask a solicitor to complete your ID1 form, which is to certify the identity of a private person. Bring with you a valid form of identification too. You can choose from the following:

• A passport which is in date
• A photocard driving license from the EU, UK, Isle of Man or Channel Islands. A provisional license won’t be valid
• A Biometric Residence Permit from the UK

You will also need to take along two items from this list:

• A council tax bill for the current year
• A utility bill sent by post within the last 3 months
• A mortgage statement sent by the post for the most recent finished accounting year
• A UK-issued credit card, along with its recent account statement within the last 3 months
• A council rent book for the last 3 months
• A current firearm or shotgun certificate

4. Post the forms

All the completed forms need to be sent to HM Land Registry to update their records. Here’s the address you’ll need:

HM Land Registry
Citizen Centre
PO Box 74
Gloucester
GL14 9BB

What to do if a property owner has died

If an owner on a title deed has passed away and they need to be removed from the document, before following the other steps you’ll need to complete the DJP form. The form will need mailing to the same address as above.

What to do if the property has a mortgage

If the property you’re trying to change the title deeds of has a mortgage in place, you’ll need written consent from your mortgage lender before you go ahead. Usually, it’s easier to get this written consent if the person or people left on the title deed are financially secure. This is because the individual left will need to be able to comfortably afford the mortgage without the other who was on the deed. If they can’t afford it, they may have to sell the home.