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Wills · 6 min read · Published

Just bought a home in Bridlington? Why a will and LPA should be next

Completing on a home is the moment to sort your will and LPA. How you own the property decides who inherits it. Most buyers never find out which way theirs is set up.

By Aaron Johnson, Consultant Solicitor and TEP, a solicitor in Bridlington who writes every guide himself.

Guides · Wills · No. 2 of 18Published · 6 minutes

Completing on a house is a big moment. It is also an important legal one. The way your new home is owned decides who inherits it. Your mortgage and life cover have changed what your estate is worth. And if you lost the ability to manage your affairs, someone would need legal authority to deal with the mortgage you have just taken on. Most buyers are never told any of this at completion. Here is what to sort, and why the weeks after moving in are the right time.

First, find out how you own it

Neither is right or wrong. They suit different situations. Joint tenancy suits many married couples who want everything to pass to each other. Tenants in common matters for unmarried couples, second marriages, unequal deposits, and anyone planning for care costs or inheritance tax with trusts in their wills. Know which you have, check it matches what you want, and remember it can be changed.

Why the will comes now

  • Unmarried couples have no safety net. The intestacy rules make no provision for an unmarried partner. If your co-owner died without a will and you hold as tenants in common, their share of your home could pass to their family, not to you.
  • Your estate has changed shape. A property, plus the life insurance that often comes with a mortgage, can push an estate towards inheritance tax faster than people expect. A will is where the planning starts.
  • Children raise the stakes. A will is where you name guardians and set the age at which children inherit. The intestacy rules do neither the way most parents would choose.
  • Marriage revokes a will. An existing will is revoked by marriage unless it was made in contemplation of that marriage. This catches out many couples who buy first and marry later.

Why the LPA comes with it

A lasting power of attorney (LPA) lets people you choose act for you if you can no longer manage your own affairs. A mortgage is a monthly legal obligation. It does not pause if you are in an accident or become seriously ill. Without a property and financial affairs LPA, nobody, not even your spouse, automatically has authority to deal with your mortgage lender, your bank or your bills. The alternative is a deputyship application to the Court of Protection after capacity is lost. That is slower and far more expensive than registering an LPA while you are well (the Office of the Public Guardian fee is £92 per LPA). Making the will and LPA together, once, is the efficient way to do it.

The post-completion checklist

  1. Find out how you own the propertyCheck your completion papers, or ask Aaron, to see whether you hold as joint tenants or tenants in common. Confirm it matches what you want. Changing it is straightforward.
  2. Make or update your willCover the new property, your partner, children and guardians. If you already have a will, buying a home is a classic trigger for reviewing it.
  3. Put both LPAs in placeA property and financial affairs LPA for the mortgage and money, and a health and welfare LPA for care decisions. Each is registered with the Office of the Public Guardian for £92.
  4. Check beneficiary nominationsThe life policy behind your mortgage and your pension death benefits pass outside your will. Make sure the nominations name the right people.

Every fee for this work, what happens in order and how a home visit is arranged are on Aaron’s page as a wills solicitor in Bridlington.

A local solicitor who comes to you

Aaron Johnson is a Consultant Solicitor and TEP (a Trust and Estate Practitioner qualified through STEP). He helps families across Bridlington, Driffield, Filey, Hornsea, Beverley and the wider East Yorkshire area. New-home paperwork is the moment to get the rest of the file right. It is usually one unhurried visit.

Written by Aaron Johnson, Consultant Solicitor and TEP · Law of England and Wales as at 19 July 2026 · Ends

Questions

Questions people ask about this.

General answers for England and Wales. What applies to you depends on your circumstances.

Should I make a will after buying a house?

Yes. Buying a home is a classic trigger. The property, plus any life cover behind the mortgage, usually changes what your estate is worth. How you own it decides whether your share passes automatically to a co-owner or under your will. For unmarried couples it matters most: the intestacy rules give an unmarried partner no automatic inheritance at all.

What is the difference between joint tenants and tenants in common?

Joint tenants: your share passes automatically to the surviving co-owner on death, outside your will. Tenants in common: you each own a defined share that passes under your will. Which one you have was set at purchase and can be changed. It matters most for unmarried couples, second marriages, unequal contributions and care-cost planning.

Do I need an LPA if I have a mortgage?

Yes, it is well worth having. If you lost the ability to manage your affairs, nobody, including a spouse, automatically has legal authority to deal with your mortgage lender, bank or bills. Without an LPA your family would need a Court of Protection deputyship, which is slower and much more expensive than registering an LPA (£92 per LPA) while you are well.

Does getting married cancel my will?

Usually, yes. In England and Wales, marriage or civil partnership revokes an existing will unless the will was made in contemplation of that specific marriage or partnership. Couples who buy a home together and marry a year or two later often leave themselves with no valid will without knowing it. If a wedding is planned, tell your solicitor when the will is drafted.

Next step

Ready when you are.

Get your priceStart onlineTalk to Aaron

Sixty seconds of questions that end on a named plan and a fixed fee, with VAT.

Or call 01262 310 850, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5.30pm.

Appointments are usually available within a few working days, including Tuesday and Thursday evenings, and home visits across East and North Yorkshire.

Important

This guide contain general information about the law of England and Wales as at July 2026. It is not legal advice and should not be relied on in place of advice on your own circumstances. Wills, inheritance and intestacy law change often; check any specific point before acting on it. Outcomes for any one person depend on their facts, the documents, and decisions taken by HMRC, the courts and others. Fees shown are fixed once agreed in writing, before any work starts. Safe Harbour Legal and Legal Studio Solicitors are trading names of MDLS Solicitors Limited (company number 08599445), authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, SRA 598793. The complaints procedure is at legalstudio.co.uk/sra-complaints (Legal Studio's website).