Transfer of house deeds into my name

[Shazbat_1]

My husband and I want to transfer the house deeds into my sole name (no mortgage) - how do we go about this please - is there a diy way to do it without using a solicitor?

[Golden Shred]

You can DIY without a mortgage. Simply phone your local District Land Registry Office and they will guide you through the process (a couple of straightforward forms and a fee of around �60). Sometimes these transactions attract Stamp Duty so phone [phone] and put your valuation to them to check - in any case you will need a Stamp Duty Land Tax certificate from them for the Land Registry so arrange for that whilst speaking to them.

[Shazbat_1]

Thanks for the advice - but why would it attract stamp duty - I thought that was only for house sales?

[Golden Shred]

In the broadest possible sense by transferring half a house - with or without money - you are "selling" it. The Stamp Duty rules are very complicated (the explanatory book runs to over 800 pages) and so it is necessary to check exactly where you stand before activating your proposal. If the Stamp Duty bill is more than people can afford then sometimes this proposal is abandoned. However, if you do proceed there is no escape. The Land Registry can do absolutely nothing without a Stamp Duty Land Tax certificate whether or not Stamp Duty is payable, and to obtain one you have to declare all to the Stamp Duty Land Tax office.