Independent Legal Advice Certificates

Need independent legal advice on a personal guarantee?

I’m Steven Mather Solicitor and I have acted for hundreds of business owners, landlords, directors and other individuals who are looking for independent legal advice, usually on bank lending. Each time you get:

• Plain English Advice
• Time – to understand your situation and all that you’re faced with
• Results – getting the best possible result for you
• Value – fixed fees for your certainty where possible
• Convenience – meetings by phone, video call or in-person at a time to suit you.

What is an Independent Legal Advice certificate?

Directors of Limited Companies are often asked by Banks to sign personal guarantees to underwrite the company liability.

I have dealt with ILAs and personal guarantees from:

• Barclays Bank
• Handlesbanken
• Natwest
• RBS
• HSBC
• plus many more

More frequently, I have seen Landlords who have created a Limited Company through which they purchase property. The Bank will provide mortgage funds to the Company, but only if the landlord/director(s) give a personal guarantee.

They are not just for personal guarantees on mortgages though. They can also be used for overdrafts and other business loans.

I am also used to providing independent legal advice certificates on Equity Release Loans.

The Bank requires that the personal guarantee is reviewed and that you are given advice on it, by an independent solicitor.

I already have a solicitor – why can’t I use them?

Your lender will usually require the Independent Legal Advice to be provided by a solicitor in a different firm to the one doing the underlying transactional work i.e. the property purchase.

I am a truly independent solicitor, and therefore am able to provide independent legal advice to you. While I am independent, I do know many of the local Leicester Bank Relationship Managers and they should know me, which sometimes makes getting the paperwork sent a little easier.

I am based in Leicestershire, and so am typically only asked to provide independent legal advice in Leicester.

How much does independent legal advice cost?

I charge £500 plus VAT for providing independent legal advice that is per director per loan. These days, we can usually deal with it by Zoom, but face to face meetings can be arranged at a small additional venue cost.

Next Steps

If you’re unsure on the question of fees, or on any aspect of getting independent legal advice and need to speak to a solicitor, then call me, Steven Mather.

Just fill in the form on the side of this page, or give us a call to discuss further.