Does moving house invalidate your will?

No. Moving to a new address does not, by itself, cancel your will.

This means you do not automatically need a new will every time you move.

However, a will can remain legally valid while no longer producing the result you intended. The important question is therefore not only whether the will is valid, but whether it still works properly for you.

Is the old address on the will a problem?

Usually, no.

The address written in your will normally records where you were living when the will was made. It helps identify you, but it does not usually restrict the will to that address.

You should not write your new address onto the original document or cross out the old one. The old address can remain on the will.

It is still sensible to tell the person or organisation storing your will that you have moved. This helps them keep their records up to date and contact you when necessary.

You should also make sure that your executors know where the original will is stored. A photocopy can be useful for reference, but the original document will normally be needed when your estate is dealt with.

What happens if the will names the old property?

This is the part that needs closer attention.

Many wills leave everything a person owns, or everything left after other gifts and expenses have been dealt with, to their chosen beneficiaries. In that situation, buying a different home may not cause a problem. The new property may simply form part of the overall estate.

The position may be different if your will makes a specific gift of your former home.

The person named in the will would not necessarily receive your new home or the value of the old one instead.

The exact result will depend on how the will was written. Some wills refer to a person’s home more generally or include wording that covers a replacement property.

If your old property is named in the will, the document should be checked rather than assuming that the new home has automatically taken its place.

Should you review how the new property is owned?

Yes, particularly if you bought the property with another person.

There are two main ways of owning a property together.

Joint tenants

If you own the property as joint tenants, the property normally passes automatically to the surviving owner when one of you dies.

You cannot usually use your will to leave a separate share of that property to someone else because you do not own a separate share.

Tenants in common

If you own the property as tenants in common, each owner has a separate share.

Your share does not automatically pass to the other owner when you die. You can decide in your will who should receive it.

This difference can be important. For example, you may want your partner to continue living in the property while eventually leaving your share to your children.

That type of arrangement may require the property to be owned in the right way and the will to contain suitable instructions.

Buying a new home is therefore a useful opportunity to check that the property ownership and the will work together.

Should you change the will yourself?

You should not make handwritten changes to a signed will.

Do not:

• cross out the old address;
• write the new address above it;
• remove or replace pages;
• add new instructions in the margins; or
• attach an informal note and treat it as part of the will.

These actions can create uncertainty and may lead to disagreements about whether the will is valid or what you intended.

Once a will has been signed and witnessed, changes must be made formally. This may involve a document called a codicil or the preparation of a new will.

For an address change alone, you may not need either. The safest approach is to have the existing will checked before deciding whether any formal change is required.

When is a review enough, and when might a new will be needed?

A review does not automatically mean that your will must be replaced.

A review may confirm that no change is needed where:

• only your address has changed;
• your former property is not specifically named;
• the people you have chosen are still right;
• your wishes remain the same;
• the new property is owned in a way that fits your plans; and
• the wording of the will already covers your current estate.

A new will may be worth considering where:

• the old property is specifically named;
• you want someone to receive the new property;
• the way you own the property has changed;
• you have bought the home with a new partner;
• you want to protect both a partner and children from an earlier relationship;
• your executors or beneficiaries need to change;
• your financial or family circumstances have changed more widely; or
• several parts of the existing will need updating.

In some cases, a codicil can be used to make a limited change. However, where several changes are needed, a new will is often clearer than keeping the original will together with one or more additional documents.