Buying or owning a home is the moment to make a will
A home brings real value and real responsibility. How your property passes depends on how you own it and whether you have a will. Joint tenants pass the home to the surviving owner automatically; tenants in common own distinct shares that pass under a will — or, with no will, under the rigid intestacy rules to relatives you may not have chosen.
What happens if you don’t have a will
- The intestacy rules decide who inherits your home — your partner may not be first in line, and an unmarried partner inherits nothing automatically.
- Your family may have to sell the home to divide the estate the way intestacy demands.
- Without planning, more of your estate than necessary can be lost to the 40% inheritance tax above the thresholds.
- Disputes over a valuable property are stressful, slow and expensive to resolve.
Why homeowners specifically need a will
- Decide exactly who inherits your home and on what terms.
- Make full use of the residence nil-rate band (up to £175,000) by leaving your main home to your children or grandchildren.
- Protect a surviving partner's right to stay in the home.
- Name executors to handle the property sale or transfer smoothly.
- Reduce the risk of a family dispute over your most valuable asset.
How ClearLegacy helps
Answer a few guided questions
Tell us about you, your home and who you want to provide for — online, at your own pace.
Review and confirm
You check and confirm every answer before anything is finalised.
Pay securely
Fixed £69 for a single will via secure Stripe checkout — no hidden fees.
Receive your will in 24 hours
A professionally drafted will ready to print, sign and witness to make it legally binding.
Simple, fixed pricing
No hourly billing. No hidden fees. One free amendment included.
Frequently asked questions
I own my home jointly — do I still need a will?
Yes. If you own as joint tenants the home passes to the surviving owner automatically, but a will covers the rest of your estate and what happens after you both die. If you own as tenants in common, your share passes under your will — without one it goes to relatives under intestacy, which may not include your partner.
Will my family pay inheritance tax on the house?
Inheritance tax is charged at 40% on the value of your estate above your allowances (£325,000 nil-rate band, plus up to £175,000 residence nil-rate band if you leave your main home to direct descendants). A will lets you plan to use these allowances; both are frozen until April 2031.
Is an online will legally valid for property?
Yes — a ClearLegacy will is legally valid in England & Wales when signed and witnessed correctly. We give you clear instructions on signing and witnessing so your property passes exactly as you intend.