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Original poster

Can someone buy a house/get a mortgage by themself if they are married?

25 replies

HibiscusPurple · 14/01/2021 12:41

I’m married.

We need to buy a home using my salary alone and the mortgage will be in my name only. DH and I will both live in it.

Is that allowed or will some banks be weird with it?

OP posts:
WiseOwlRelaxing · 14/01/2021 12:42

i think his credit history would still be relevant.

Housebuyer2021 · 14/01/2021 12:47

I posted similar last night strangely and was told it was ok!

Marmite27 · 14/01/2021 12:49

@WiseOwlRelaxing

i think his credit history would still be relevant.
Why would it, if he’s not on the mortgage?

OP, it will be fine. Banks don’t really care if you’re married, only your LTV and that you meet your repayments.

unmarkedbythat · 14/01/2021 12:51

Yes, of course you are allowed.

onetwothreeadventure · 14/01/2021 12:52

Yes. I did it this way recently. We both had to sign a legal document saying DH had no claim to the house (like if I didn't pay mortgage it would become the banks not his but obviously i can still leave it to him in a will). I think the bank ran a credit check on him to check for debts and maybe asked why he was there any reason he wouldn't want to be on the mortgage but otherwise he wasn't involved.

Original poster
HibiscusPurple · 14/01/2021 12:58

@Housebuyer2021

I posted similar last night strangely and was told it was ok!
I’ll have a search!
OP posts:
Original poster
HibiscusPurple · 14/01/2021 12:58

@onetwothreeadventure

Yes. I did it this way recently. We both had to sign a legal document saying DH had no claim to the house (like if I didn't pay mortgage it would become the banks not his but obviously i can still leave it to him in a will). I think the bank ran a credit check on him to check for debts and maybe asked why he was there any reason he wouldn't want to be on the mortgage but otherwise he wasn't involved.
That’s reassuring. May I ask what your DH’s reasons were? Smile
OP posts:
Chewbecca · 14/01/2021 12:59

I did it a long time ago so things may have changed but like a PP, DH had to sign a waiver.

Original poster
HibiscusPurple · 14/01/2021 13:00

Here’s another question as you’ve all been so helpful!

DH has bought a property in the past (long gone now). Apparently that means I’m not a first time buyer, due to being married, even if I buy a house just in my name etc. So I would have to pay stamp duty.

Is that right?!

OP posts:
Autumn101 · 14/01/2021 13:01

Yes we bought out first house just in DHs name - could get a bigger mortgage that way as I was SAHM at the time so no income. We changed it to both our names after a certain period of time (can’t remember how long that was though)

Bluntness100 · 14/01/2021 13:02

This is completley fine. As long as you pass the checks, Can afford etc you’re allowed to buy a house in yout name only.

BrieAndChilli · 14/01/2021 13:04

We are doing this as my credit file isn’t perfect, and I’ve been on furlough so want sure bank would accept my I come anyway as secure income. I’ve had to sign a form saying I have no legal claim on the house

mrsbyers · 14/01/2021 13:16

Yes our home is in just my name , I didn’t need to provide any information related to spouse as could afford mortgage on my own with equity from
Previous property

Figmentofimagination · 14/01/2021 13:19

You can buy a house in your name only - only your name would be on the mortgage deed and only your name would be added to the title deeds of the property.
Not sure about SDLT though.

Farahilda · 14/01/2021 13:20

Depending on the jurisdiction in which you live, the house will be considered a marital asset.

Barton10 · 14/01/2021 13:23

Hi op you can buy on your own but DH will have to sign an occupiers consent form provided by the bank prior to completion. If your DH has bought another property previously then unfortunately you no longer qualify as a first time buyer.

marshmallowfluffy · 14/01/2021 13:26

Couples can buy a house when one person has zero income eg SAHP if that's why only your income is being used

Original poster
HibiscusPurple · 14/01/2021 13:27

@Barton10

Hi op you can buy on your own but DH will have to sign an occupiers consent form provided by the bank prior to completion. If your DH has bought another property previously then unfortunately you no longer qualify as a first time buyer.
Thank you for letting me know.

It’s such a shame. DH bought it years before we met, and then it sold at a loss, again before we even met. We’ve only ever rented since we’ve been together. Now I am liable for thousands for a tax! Seems mad to me.

OP posts:
CRbear · 14/01/2021 13:27

You can do it but you won’t get first time buyer stamp duty relief

Lookingforwardto2021 · 14/01/2021 13:32

Why shouldn’t op get the relief? She is buying it in her name only? Presumably she wasn’t an owner of her partner’s property.

How would anyone even know?!

shesyourlobster · 14/01/2021 13:39

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

movingonup20 · 14/01/2021 13:57

We bought on just his income so didn't submit my salary details however I was listed, not sure if you can not put him on if he'll be on the deeds

MooseBeTimeForSummer · 14/01/2021 14:16

OP - are you taking steps to protect your deposit? As a PP said, depending on where you are, it will be a marital asset. The fact you are the only owner might be irrelevant if you divorce. He’d be entitled to half of the equity and you wouldn’t necessarily get your deposit back.

ForeverBubblegum · 14/01/2021 14:46

We did this for our first flat. At the time DH had just become self employed, so the bank wouldn't accept his income. If we had bought together he would have been classed as financially dependent in the affordability calculation, so we were more likely to be accepted if I was the sole applicant. At the time we didn't have any joint account so weren't considered financially linked even though we were married. Not sure if that made a difference.

I'm not sure about the stamp duty rules, as both that flat and our current house are under £125k (we're up north) but he was still classed as a first time buyer, and could open a help to buy isa, which we used to increase our deposit for our current home, which we bought together.

Original poster
HibiscusPurple · 14/01/2021 16:00

@MooseBeTimeForSummer

OP - are you taking steps to protect your deposit? As a PP said, depending on where you are, it will be a marital asset. The fact you are the only owner might be irrelevant if you divorce. He’d be entitled to half of the equity and you wouldn’t necessarily get your deposit back.
The deposit is joint - we have a 'one pot' system in the house so it's shared money.

And so if we ever did divorce then I would be more than happy for him to have half of it. It's just circumstance that means we have to do it this way. It'll be my house in name but it'll be ours in every other sense!

OP posts:
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