Should you buy as joint tenants or tenants in common? If you are buying a property with a partner, friend, or family member, you will usually need to decide whether to own it as joint tenants or tenants in common. If one joint owner dies, their interest automatically passes to the surviving owner, regardless of what their will says. It is possible to change from joint tenants to tenants in common, or from tenants in common to joint ownership, if your circumstances change. At AFG Law, our Residential Property team regularly advises clients on the most appropriate type of joint ownership.