What people charge
These are the published prices we found in October 2026 for a declaration of trust between two people who own, or are buying, a home together.
| Who does the work | Typical price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| High street solicitor | £300 to £720 including VAT | A solicitor drafts it after a meeting or call and can advise on your situation. |
| Online drafting service | £180 to £400 | You fill in a questionnaire and someone drafts the deed, usually within a few working days. |
| Word template | £8 to £40 | A blank document you edit yourself, with guidance notes. |
| Guided online template (us) | £59 | You answer questions, see the deed build as you type, and download it straight away with a signing guide. |
Some solicitors quote a lower fixed fee plus VAT, so check whether the price you're given includes it. A "floating shares" declaration, where the shares change as you pay more of the mortgage, usually costs more because the sums are more complicated.
Extra costs to watch for
If you own as tenants in common, your title should carry a "Form A" restriction. Applying for one yourself is free, yet some firms charge £100 or more to do it for you. You'll also want a copy of your title register to check it's there, which costs £7 from GOV.UK.
You don't normally need your lender's permission to sign a declaration of trust. Changing who is on the mortgage is a different job, with its own fees.
Why the prices are so different
A solicitor's fee pays for advice as well as the document. They can ask questions you haven't thought of, spot problems with your circumstances and stand behind the advice. That is worth paying for if your situation is unusual.
For the common case, two people both on the title who have already agreed how to split things, most of the deed is standard wording. The parts that change are names, amounts and a handful of choices. That's why templates can cost a fraction of the price.
When paying a solicitor is worth it
Get advice instead of using a template if:
- only one of you is, or will be, on the title
- there are more than two owners
- a parent is lending, not giving, part of the deposit and wants it back
- you've already separated, or you can't agree on the shares
- the property is a buy-to-let or owned through a company
- you're married or in a civil partnership and want the split to hold on divorce
If none of those apply, a template is usually enough, as long as you sign it properly as a deed.