Adding spouse to house deed

Can anyone advise of the process and costs please? House was mother's, bought out sibling using share as deposit and mortgage. Mortgage in both names house in one name due to tax. Was told to wait a few years and then change.

My experience it will take a remortgage or for the house to be be mortgage free before this can be done.

Savvy said:

My experience it will take a remortgage or for the house to be be mortgage free before this can be done.

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Not sure I understand logic. Mortgage is in both names. Land registry says you can add a spouse but I wonder if I meed a solicitor to do.

partnership said:

Not sure I understand logic. Mortgage is in both names. Land registry says you can add a spouse but I wonder if I meed a solicitor to do.

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Sorry Partnership, misread your situation.

Given the live mortgage then you will need a solicitor to request the deeds from the bank to update. Your solicitor can advise.

partnership said:

Mortgage in both names house in one name due to tax.

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What exactly does this mean?

partnership said:

Was told to wait a few years and then change.

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Told by whom?

ClubMan said:

What exactly does this mean?

Told by whom?

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Solicitor advised us to put house in name of person who inherited one quarter of it. Otherwise the other person might have had to pay tax.

partnership said:

Not sure I understand logic. Mortgage is in both names. Land registry says you can add a spouse but I wonder if I meed a solicitor to do.

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Given the importance of the nature of the transaction I would regard the instruction of a solicitor as well worthwhile just to make sure it is all done properly and that the parties intentions are actually met.

Shop around for quotes from a few solicitors before instructing anyone. Before engaging be sure to get a written summary of the likely work involved and ask for an estimate of the likely costs.

My now late parents did this with the assistance of a solicitor at the same time as they made their wills.
The house, their family home, was mortgage free at that point.
A deed of conveyance was drawn up and executed and then registered in the Registry of Deeds. This was circa 1999.
The deed transferred the property from just Dad's name to both his and Mam's, and the consideration (which I've since been told is pretty standard) was "natural love and affection".
On Dad's death the property automatically became Mam's as they co-owned it at that point as joint tenants.
The house did not form part of Dad's estate which was, I assume, the reason for doing it in the first place.

I would concur with the advice above that a solicitor's guidance would be best in this sort of instance.