What is independent legal advice and why is it required?

Independent legal advice is advice from a solicitor acting only for you, not for the lender, employer or other party in your transaction. Institutions require it, with a solicitor's certificate as proof, so there can be no later argument that you signed without understanding the commitment or under pressure. We provide the advice and issue the certificate at any of our offices or remotely.

How much does independent legal advice cost?

Our fees are fixed by situation: an occupier's consent from £240 including VAT, a director's or personal guarantee from £360 including VAT with £180 including VAT for each additional certificate, and settlement agreement advice from £600 including VAT, towards which your employer usually contributes. You know the fee before the appointment is booked.

Can I get independent legal advice remotely by video call?

Yes, where the lender or institution receiving the certificate permits it, and most now do. The process is the same: we review the documents in advance, meet you by secure video, advise you as our client alone, and deal with the signing and certificate so your transaction is not delayed.

How quickly can I get an ILA certificate?

Usually very quickly. Same day and next day appointments are often available across our four offices, and once the advice is given and the documents are properly signed, the certificate is issued promptly so your completion, loan or agreement can proceed on time.

What should I send or bring before the appointment?

Send the documents you are being asked to sign, such as the guarantee, occupier consent form or settlement agreement, together with any certificate template or requirements the lender or employer has provided, and bring photographic identification to the appointment. Where documents must be signed before a solicitor, sign nothing in advance.

Independent Legal Advice

At Trent Law Solicitors, our team provides clear and efficient Independent Legal Advice (ILA) in a wide range of situations.

Independent Legal Advice (ILA) Solicitors

Whether required by a lender, employer, or another third party, we will ensure you receive the correct advice and a valid solicitor’s certificate

With offices in Nottingham, Derby, Sheffield, and Leicester, and the option to act remotely via video conference, we make the process simple and accessible wherever you are.

Independent Legal Advice solicitors in Nottingham, Derby, Sheffield, Leicester

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What Is Independent Legal Advice?

Independent Legal Advice is advice given by a solicitor who is acting only for you — not for the lender, employer, or other party involved. It ensures you fully understand the legal and financial risks of the agreement you are signing. Many lenders, employers, and financial institutions require an ILA certificate to confirm this.

When Do You Need Independent Legal Advice?

Our solicitors regularly provide ILA in the following situations:

Settlement Agreements

When an employer ends an employment relationship, the employee is usually asked to sign a settlement agreement. You must obtain independent legal advice for the agreement to be binding.

Fees: From £600 (inc. VAT), depending on complexity. In most cases, your employer contributes towards this cost.

Occupier’s Consent (Occupier Waiver)

If you live in a property but are not a legal owner, a lender may require you to sign an Occupier’s Consent Form confirming you will not block possession if the property is repossessed.

Fees: From £240 (inc. VAT).

Director’s Guarantee/Personal Guarantee

When purchasing property or taking out a loan through a company, directors may be asked to provide a personal guarantee. Independent Legal Advice ensures you understand the risks of guaranteeing company debts.

Fees: From £360 (inc. VAT) per director, plus £180 (inc. VAT) for each additional ILA.

Mortgage and property purchases legal agreements

Other Situations

We also provide ILA for:

Mortgage and loan agreements.
Transfers of equity.
Property purchases involving company structures.
Other contracts where third-party risks apply.

How Your ILA Appointment Works

The process is built for speed without cutting the advice short. Once you book, send us the documents and any certificate requirements the lender or employer has supplied, so the solicitor has read everything before you sit down. The appointment itself, at any of our four offices or by video where the receiving institution permits, is a plain English explanation of what you are signing, what it obliges you to do, and what happens if things go wrong, given by a solicitor acting for you alone. Where a signature must be witnessed, you sign before the solicitor there and then, and the certificate is issued promptly afterwards so your transaction keeps to its timetable.

Why Lenders and Employers Insist on Independent Advice

The requirement exists to protect both sides of the transaction. A lender taking a guarantee or an occupier's consent needs certainty that you understood the commitment and gave it freely, because the leading court decisions on undue influence mean security signed without independent advice can be challenged later. An employer offering a settlement agreement is in the same position: the law requires an employee to receive independent advice before such an agreement binds. The certificate we issue is the proof each institution relies on, and because we act only for you, the advice behind it is real, not a formality.

Remote Independent
Legal Advice

Where permitted, we can provide Independent Legal Advice remotely via secure video conference. This allows you to receive advice quickly and conveniently, without the need to visit our offices in person.