Other Services

Coutts – Independent Legal Advice

Garner & Hancock are specialist property lawyers with a vast experience of advising clients on property transactions. We offer a speedy, professional service to get your transaction finalised with a Certificate of Independent Legal Advice. We can arrange a face to face meeting or by Zoom.

No need to come to the office to sign off your Coutts ILA Certificate

Why do I need Independent Legal advice for my Coutts Mortgage?

Coutts will require an Independent Legal advice certificates to be signed by a solicitor in the following circumstances:

  • The legal owner is different to the those taking on the responsibility for the mortgage.
  • The money is lent to a company
  • You are guarantor
  • You are parents lending to you child/children

Such a step is  usually time sensitive and could jeopardise the transaction if not completed in a timely fashion. This is often the final piece of the jigsaw in a long and laborious process.  Your own conveyancing solicitor will be unable to offer this service as the mortgage company requires another independent solicitor to advise on the transaction.  This is where we come in.

We are there for when you might need another solicitor standing by to deal with the final part of the transaction. We have a fixed fee advisory service and we do not require you to come to the office.

Request for a Legal Consultation

Garner & Hancock realise that the prospect of pursuing a legal matter can be challenging, so we offer an initial phone consultation to discuss your options, and to give you information that will help you make the right choices affecting your case.

Call Us Now: 020 8232 9560

What is the process?

  1. The first step is to place our details on the ILA form. given by Coutts . Our details go to Coutts head office in Bristol and then ILA pack will come to us by email using a secured system called egress.
  2. We will review the pack which is about 8 documents and arrange a video conference  by Zoom. You will need to produce ID a passport or driving licence and Utility or Council Tax bill. This can be sent to us scanned.
  3. We can arrange the Zoom meeting very quickly after receiving the pack from Coutts.
  4. Once the advice is given, you will need to send your signed  certificate to us. When we receive this, we shall endorse (sign) the document and send it to the Coutts head office in Bristol by next day delivery.

We provide efficient service with the minimum of fuss.

How long does it take?

Once you fill in our details on the initial form Coutts take about 2 days to provide this. We suggest you chase Coutts if it takes longer. Once we receive the pack we shall notify you immediately and usually arrange a video call on the same day. The Coutts ILA certificate will be sent out usually the same day once we receive your signed page.

What is the cost?

Coutts Independent Legal Advice certification.

This includes a meeting, reviewing the documents seeking any clarification from the conducting solicitors and finally certifying the documents with a letter of comprehensive advice

£750 + VAT

For any additional person, we need to advise (in joint lending/guarantors)

£200 + VAT

No Hidden Fees Guarantee. – There are no sneaky charges, this is a fixed fee service.
We also provide a service where we can come to your home or business. *Within business hours

Expert Advice, Crystal Clear

“Expert advice, crystal clear, incredibly responsive, really helpful – we waited several weeks for another law firm to help us and Garner and Hancock managed to do in 48 hours what they hadn’t been able to do in a month! Thanks so much to Vinay, Nancy and the team.”

Andrew Chapman, May 2021
I would recommend them to anyone

“I found them through a Google search, as I needed some very urgent legal advice on a new type of mortgage. Nancy was incredibly helpful in helping me with what I needed. As soon as the paperwork was released to them, I was booked in for an appointment that evening after work.”

Kady Edwards, May 2021

Our Guarantee

We believe our business begins and ends with you and your needs, as our client. Therefore, we are committed to providing the best client care and advice which will give you confidence that your matter is handled with the utmost care.

How Can We Help You?

We’re here to assist you. Simply send us your query, and we’ll provide an initial consultation to anyone seeking legal assistance. Don’t hesitate to contact us anytime for help with your legal matters.