Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is an ILA and why do I need one?

ILA stands for Independent Legal Advice. It’s a focused conversation with a solicitor who has nothing to do with your lender or the other side of your deal. I explain the document you’re being asked to sign, usually a personal guarantee, a deed, or a mortgage-related document, confirm you understand what you’re agreeing to, and confirm you’re signing freely. Your lender requires it because without that certificate, the document they want you to sign may not be enforceable later. It protects them, and just as importantly, it protects you, because you genuinely understand what you’ve signed before you sign it.

2. How is this different from my own solicitor giving me advice?

Your usual solicitor, for example, your conveyancer or your business’s regular lawyer, almost always can’t give you ILA on the same transaction. The whole point is independence. They’re acting for you, or your company, or alongside the lender’s solicitor, which means they’re not independent in the eyes of the lender. ILA has to come from someone with no other involvement in the deal. That’s why your solicitor will often tell you to find a separate firm to do the ILA call. Booking a slot here is usually quicker than chasing another firm to fit you in.

3. How quickly will my signed ILA reach my lender?

I send the signed ILA to you by email within 24 hours of our call — usually the same day if your call is before 5pm. You forward it to your lender (or your broker, if they're handling the paperwork). Most lenders accept emailed signed copies; if yours requires the original or a courier copy, mention it on the call and I'll let you know what's possible.

4. Does my lender accept digital signatures on the ILA certificate?

The honest answer: almost always yes, but not 100% of the time. Most lenders now accept an e-signed ILA certificate from a regulated solicitor — it’s become the standard. A small number of older or more conservative lenders still want wet ink. If you’re not sure, ask your lender or their solicitor before booking and I’ll match the format they want. If they need a physical signature, I’ll print, sign, scan, and email the signed certificate the same day, and post the original behind it if needed. Either way, the signature format won’t hold up your transaction.

5. What documents do I need to upload before the call?

Four things. First, the document you’re being asked to sign — guarantee, deed, mortgage offer, charge, whatever it is. Second, any cover letter or instructions from your lender or their solicitor. Third, photographic ID — passport or UK driving licence. Fourth, proof of address dated within the last three months — a bank statement, utility bill, or council tax letter is fine. You upload them through the booking link when you reserve your slot. If you can’t find one of them, book anyway — I’ll tell you what’s missing and we’ll sort it before the call.

6. How long does the call take?

The call itself is a video meeting of around 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the complexity of the document. A standard personal guarantee or JBSP deed is usually closer to 15. A multi-party bridging document with a personal guarantee and a charge can run to 20. I review the document before we meet, so we spend the call talking through what actually matters and answering your questions — not reading it together cold. Add a few minutes around the call for ID checks and signing. That’s the whole appointment, start to finish.

7. What happens if I miss my booked slot?

If something comes up, tell me as soon as you can. With at least 2 hours’ notice, you can reschedule once for free — there’s a link in your confirmation email. If you miss the call without giving notice — a no-show — the fee isn’t refundable as a matter of course, because the slot is gone. That said, if something genuinely outside your control kept you away, email me at daniel@dmcafeesolicitor.com and I’ll usually try to rebook you. I’d rather get you sorted than lose your booking on a technicality.

8. Can someone else attend the call with me?

No — and this is important. The whole point of Independent Legal Advice is that you receive the advice on your own, freely, without anyone in the room who could influence your decision. That includes co-directors, spouses, business partners, or the person who introduced you to the deal, even with the best of intentions. If someone else needs ILA on the same transaction, they book their own separate slot. I’ll check on camera that you’re alone before we get into the document. It’s not about distrust — it’s about your protection, and it’s what makes the certificate enforceable.

9. Will my transaction be delayed?

Almost never, if you book promptly. The whole My service is built around tight completion deadlines. Same-day slots are available almost every working day. The call is short, and your certificate is in your lender’s inbox within 20 minutes of the call ending. Most clients book in the morning and have everything sent off by the afternoon. The real risk to your timeline isn’t the ILA itself — it’s leaving it until the last possible moment to book. If your completion is this week, book your slot now.

10. How quickly will I receive my signed certificate?

Within 30 minutes of the call ending, in most cases. Once we’ve been through the document, you’ve confirmed you’re happy to proceed, and you’ve signed your bit, I produce the signed ILA certificate and the Etridge advisory letter and send them directly to your lender, your solicitor, or whoever has been asking — with you copied in. You don’t have to chase anyone. Book a morning slot and you’ll have everything in place by the afternoon. Book the last appointment of the day and you’ll have it before close of business that day.

11. Is this service regulated?

Yes — the advice is, because I am. I’m Daniel McAfee, a solicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales, authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA No: 8015561). You can verify me on the SRA’s public register at sra.org.uk. ILA Hub is my trading name, and I practise as a freelance solicitor providing non-reserved legal services. The SRA Standards and Regulations apply to every piece of advice I give. There’s a fuller explanation — including the specific points required by the SRA Transparency Rules — in our Regulatory Notice on the Terms and Conditions page.

12. ILA Hub isn’t a regulated law firm — does that affect my protection?

The short version: the advice itself is fully regulated, because I am. ILA Hub is my trading name and the link to my website (URL), not a separately authorised firm. Independent Legal Advice is a non-reserved legal activity under the Legal Services Act 2007, so no firm-level authorisation is required to deliver it — the SRA has confirmed that position. What does change: claims against the SRA Compensation Fund are not available, and the professional indemnity insurance I hold is adequate and appropriate for the work but is not the SRA Minimum Terms cover required of authorised firms. You can still complain to the Legal Ombudsman about my service. Full detail is in the Regulatory Notice.

13. What if I have questions after I receive my documents?

Email me. The ILA fee covers the call and the certificate and doesn’t include an ongoing retainer, but if you’ve got a quick follow-up question about something we discussed on the call, ask away — I won’t put a meter on a short email. If your follow-up is substantial enough that it really needs a fresh appointment — for example, your lender has issued a revised document, or you want full advice on something we didn’t cover — I’ll tell you straight, and we can book a new slot. No surprise bills, ever.

14. I have more than one director who needs ILA — how does that work?

Each director books a separate slot and attends their own call, on their own. This isn’t a bureaucratic quirk — it’s the whole point of independent advice. Each director needs to ask questions and reach their own decision without their co-director in the room. I can usually run the calls back-to-back on the same day, often within an hour or two of each other, so the certificates land with your lender together rather than dribbling in. Book the first slot, then the second, and drop me a line to say they’re connected so I can coordinate.