Independent legal advice for Barclays
Barclays is one of the UK's largest banks, lending to homeowners and businesses. If Barclays has asked you to get independent legal advice, for example to guarantee a business loan, join a family member's mortgage or sign an occupier's consent, an SRA-regulated solicitor can advise you and sign your certificate, often the same day.
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- 70+ lenders
- SRA-regulated solicitors
- Video, or in person in London
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Free 10-minute consultation
ILA from £140 + VAT per person · fee confirmed on the call
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Why Barclays customers need independent legal advice
Barclays lends across residential mortgages and business banking, so the documents we see vary. On the mortgage side, it’s usually family members supporting a purchase: an adult living in the property who must sign an occupier’s consent, or a parent helping a first-time buyer. On the business side, it’s usually directors and their families guaranteeing company borrowing.
Barclays was the lender in Barclays Bank v O’Brien (1993), one of the leading cases that led to today’s ILA rules, later clarified in Royal Bank of Scotland v Etridge. Lenders like Barclays ask for a solicitor’s certificate so they know you understood the documents and signed freely.
What your solicitor will do
Your solicitor reviews the Barclays documents before your meeting, explains them in plain English, and makes sure the decision is yours. If you go ahead, they complete the certificate in the wording Barclays asks for and send it where it needs to go.
When you might need independent legal advice
Business loan guarantees
Directors, and sometimes their spouses or partners, guaranteeing a company's borrowing.
Family support for a mortgage
Parents or relatives joining a mortgage or providing support for a buyer, where the lender requires the helper to take advice.
Occupier's consent
Adults living in a mortgaged property who aren't borrowers.
Third-party charges
Using your property to secure borrowing for someone else, such as a family member's business.
Not sure what you're signing? Ask a solicitor free.
Before your appointment
- Ask your broker or conveyancer for Barclays's ILA certificate template and any instructions to the advising solicitor
- Have the final versions of the documents you're being asked to sign
- Photo ID (passport or driving licence) and proof of address dated within the last three months
- Check whether Barclays accepts advice by video, or needs a face-to-face meeting
- Know your completion or drawdown date, so we can book you in time
How it works
- 1
Book a free consultation
Pick a time above. It takes under a minute.
- 2
Speak to your solicitor
An SRA-regulated solicitor explains the risks in plain English, by video or in person in London.
- 3
Certificate sent to your lender
Your signed ILA certificate and documents are dispatched, usually the same day.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need independent legal advice for a Barclays personal guarantee?
Barclays, like most banks, usually asks guarantors to take independent legal advice, especially where the guarantor isn't running the business. Check the documents or ask your relationship manager.
Do I need to use Barclays's own certificate?
If Barclays has given you a certificate or form for the solicitor to sign, use it. Send it to us before your appointment so your solicitor can complete it in the right wording.
Does Barclays accept independent legal advice by video?
Many lenders now accept video advice, but requirements change and can differ between products. Check Barclays's instructions, or ask your broker. If a face-to-face meeting is needed, we can arrange one in London.
Are you connected to Barclays?
No. My Online Lawyer is independent of Barclays. We connect you with an SRA-regulated solicitor who acts only for you.
My Online Lawyer is not affiliated with, endorsed by or acting for Barclays. We use the name only to describe documents our clients have been asked to sign. Always follow your lender’s own instructions, and check its requirements with your broker or the lender if you’re unsure.
Reviewed by Saba Rehman, Solicitor
SRA-regulated · Last reviewed 9 October 2026