Example: Adding a long term partner to your property
John and Ling have been dating for 3 years and are ready to move in together. Ling already has a property in Dee Why, Sydney worth $750,000 while John lives with his parents. The agreement is that John will move into Ling’s property and start making 50% towards the monthly repayments.
Ling has paid $50,000 worth of repayments and provided a $100,000 deposit. She now owns $150,000 worth of the property, which means she owns 20% of the property.
Ling and John first approach the lender to see if they can get approval to get a joint loan. After reviewing their finances, the lender consents to adding John’s name to the title and mortgage. The lender also works with a third party legal service to obtain all the legal documents and a draw up a "tenants in common" agreement. This allows them to specify how much each person will own.
They decide that Ling will own 60% of the property (including the portion she already owns) and John will own 40%. After Ling and John fill in the appropriate paperwork and pay the transfer fee of $350, the house is now under both of their names.

My uncle recently purchased a home and has since found out he is terminal. He wished me to have the property after he is gone. He is single and he does have two children who he never sees. It is a duplex and I can live in one and rent the other one out. I cannot be approved for a home loan at this time, but I can pay the note. It is an VA home loan. Is there anything I can do to keep this property. Thanks
My uncle recently purchased a home and has since found out he is terminal. He wished me to have the property after he is gone. He is single and he does have two children who he never sees. It is a duplex and I can live in one and rent the other one out. I cannot be approved for a home loan at this time, but I can pay the note. It is an VA home loan. Is there anything I can do to keep this property. Thanks
Hello Lisa,
Thank you for contacting finder.com.au. Please note that we are a financial comparison website and general information service designed to help consumers make better decisions. Please note that we are not mortgage specialists so we can only offer a general advice.
Sorry to hear about your uncle’s condition. Since the property of your uncle is still on a mortgage, he has to get in touch with his lender first to get consent before he can remove his name (and add your name) in the property deed. After he’s got his lender’s consent, that’s the time that he can start the process of transferring the property to other names (or in your name). Please note that since it’s still on mortgage, the lender would usually conduct an assessment of the new owner’s (you) overall financial situation and see if they can service the home loan. In this case, you’d need to get in touch with a mortgage broker – https://www.finder.com.au/mortgage-brokers who can help you with your borrowing options.
Further to the process of transferring the property, basically, this differs slightly in each Australian state and territory. The general process is actually outlined here – https://www.finder.com.au/how-to-remove-someones-name-from-a-property-title. Though removing/adding names to the property deed can be actioned by yourself, you’d still be best to seek advice from a conveyancer who can walk you through the whole process and the fees involved.
I hope this information has helped you in any way.
Regards,
Jhezelyn
My wife passed away several years ago and now i am re married how do i go about putting my new wife on the deed for the house and remove my old wife’s name Thank YOU
Hi Scott,
Thanks for your question.
You may want to check our changing property ownership guide if you are changing the details of your property deed.
Kindly note that each state and county have different processes and fees relating to changing the property deed. It would be best to reach out to the local government agency that handles property titles and deeds to discuss the process and fees in relation to making this change.
Cheers,
Anndy
I purchased a house and soon after I got married. What type of deed do I need to add her to house?
Hi Victor,
Thank you for your inquiry.
Once you get married, both involved in the property have rights to the property, so each individual would have a claim on the property regardless of whose names appear on the deeds.
I hope this information has helped.
Cheers,
Harold
how to remove someone’s name off a house title that is not on not on my deed or my loan?
Hi Fanniemay,
Thank you for your question and for contacting finder.com.au – we are a financial comparison website and general information service we are not mortgage specialists so can only offer general advice.
Removing a name from a title differs slightly in each Australian state and territory, so it’d be best to visit your local state government that handles property title transfers. Although basically, the transfer process is quite similar throughout Australia, to start with, you’ll need to fill out a relevant transfer form that can be obtained from your state government department’s website.
Please see the list of states on our guide on how to remove a person’s name from a property title. You should then learn more about how to do it according to which state you belong to.
Furthermore, if the property is under a mortgage, you’ll also need to speak to the lender about the name change on the deed for proper documentation. You can also seek advice from a conveyancer or solicitor to be guided with the correct process and the fees that may be involved.
Cheers,
May
what should i call the name of a person whom am joining in my property in an agreement between the me (the owner) and him/her (the one i want to join)
Hi Sammy,
Thank you for your question and for contacting finder.com.au we are a financial comparison website and general information service we are not mortgage specialists so can only offer general advice.
There are four types of a property ownership structure, which describe the way the property is owned. You may refer to the types of ownership structure below:
1. Outright ownership – In this structure you are the sole owner. Your name alone is on the deed and are responsible for the property.
2. Joint ownership – Here you own the property equally with someone else. This shouldn’t be confused with “owners/tenants in common” where owners can have a different size share in the property.
3. Trust ownership – This is where the property is owned and managed by a trust or another figure. A trust is an entity which holds assets in trust on behalf of its beneficiaries. There are a number of trust types around, although the most commonly seen are family trusts. These are useful for when a property is being left to younger family members.
4. Company ownership – You can also own property through a company.
In your case, you may fall under the ‘joint ownership’ structure.
Cheers,
May