Signing guide · Trusts
How to sign your trust and Land Registry documents
Putting your home into a trust means signing a few documents, some in front of a witness and some not. This guide shows you which is which, and what to do with each one.
Your documents
What’s in your pack
Most packs have the first three. You’ll only have a form SEV if you currently own your home as joint tenants.
Trust deed
Sets up your trust and says how the trustees must look after it.
Witness needed- Who signs
- You and every trustee
- Where
- The signing boxes on the last page
TR1 transfer
Moves your home from your names into the names of your trustees.
Witness needed- Who signs
- You and every trustee
- Where
- Panel 12, “Execution”
RX1 restriction
Asks the Land Registry to add a note to your title, so your home can’t be sold without the trustees.
No witness needed- Who signs
- You and every trustee
- Where
- Panel 11, next to your name
SEV (if included)
Changes how you own your home together, so each of you owns a share you can leave separately.
No witness needed- Who signs
- Both owners
- Where
- The signature box for the applicants
Witnesses
Choosing your witness
The trust deed and the TR1 are deeds, so each signature needs a witness. The Land Registry checks this carefully.
- Aged 18 or over, and in the room when you sign
- Independent: a neighbour, friend or colleague
- Not a trustee, and not anyone who could benefit from the trust
- Ideally not your partner or a relative
- Happy to write their name, address and occupation
Example · made-up names
Signed as a deed and delivered by John Doe in the presence of:
Witness
Every signing box on the trust deed and the TR1 should look like this once it’s done.
Step by step
Signing your documents
Each signature on the trust deed and the TR1 must be watched by your witness, in person.
Leave the dates blank.
The date boxes on the trust deed and the TR1 are filled in when the transfer completes. Please don’t write anything in them.
- Everyone
Check the details
Check your names, your address and the property details on every document. If anything is wrong, don’t sign and don’t correct it by hand. Call us and we’ll get a corrected copy.
- Everyone
Leave the dates blank
The trust deed and the TR1 have a date box at the top. Leave it empty. It’s filled in when the transfer is completed.
- You + a witness
Sign the trust deed
On the last page, find the box with your name (“Signed as a deed and delivered by…”). Sign while your witness watches. Your witness then signs and writes their name, address and occupation underneath.
If you own your home together, each of you signs your own box. One witness can watch you both.
- You + a witness · Panel 12
Sign the TR1
Do the same in Panel 12 of the TR1: sign in the box with your name while your witness watches, then your witness signs and adds their details.
- You · Panel 11 · no witness
Sign the RX1
In Panel 11, sign next to your name. No witness is needed. Leave Panel 10 alone: that’s signed by the solicitors.
- Both owners · no witness
Sign the SEV, if you have one
If your pack includes a form SEV, both owners sign it in the applicant box. No witness is needed.
- Each trustee + a witness
Your trustees sign
Every trustee signs their own box on the trust deed and in Panel 12 of the TR1, each in front of a witness, and signs next to their name in Panel 11 of the RX1.
If you’re a trustee too, you’ll only have one box with your name on each document: that one signature covers both. Trustees who live elsewhere can sign on a different day, in front of their own witness.
- You
Send everything back to us
Once every box is signed, return all the documents together by Royal Mail Tracked 48 (or another tracked service). Don’t staple, unstaple or remove any pages.
Our legal partner, Acer Prime Law, then completes the transfer and registers it with the Land Registry. They’ll also need ID for you and your trustees, and we’ll let you know exactly what.
Avoid these
Why documents get sent back
A family member as witness
The Land Registry asks for an independent witness. Avoid your partner, children and other relatives, and never use a trustee or beneficiary.
Witness not in the room
Your witness must watch you sign, in person. A witness who signs later, or over a video call, isn’t accepted.
Missing witness details
Every witness must add their name, address and occupation, clearly. Blank boxes get documents sent back.
Filling in the date
Leave the date boxes empty. A date added too early can cause problems with the transfer.
A trustee who hasn’t signed
The transfer can’t go ahead until every trustee has signed every document they appear on.
Handwritten changes
Never use correction fluid or cross anything out. Call us and we’ll get a corrected document.
Why do some documents need a witness and others don’t?
The trust deed and the TR1 are deeds, which the law says must be signed in front of a witness. The RX1 and SEV are application forms to the Land Registry, so they’re just signed.
Can one person witness everything?
Yes. If you and your trustees all sign at the same sitting, one independent witness can watch everyone sign the trust deed and the TR1, and sign each witness box.
Can my children witness?
No, if they’re trustees or beneficiaries. Even if they aren’t, the Land Registry recommends not using family members, so please choose a neighbour, friend or colleague.
Do my trustees have to sign at the same time as me?
No. They can sign afterwards, wherever they live, as long as each one has their own witness present. Just send everything back together once they’ve all signed.
What if I can’t sign my name?
Please don’t sign anything. Call us first, as there are special arrangements and extra witnesses.
What happens after I send them back?
We check every signature, then Acer Prime Law dates the documents, completes the transfer and sends the application to the Land Registry. We’ll let you know when your home is registered in the trustees’ names.
Not sure about anything? Ask us first.
A quick call before you sign saves weeks of back and forth with the Land Registry.