1 / 43

Property Finance Jargon and Legal Documentation

Property Finance Jargon and Legal Documentation. Thursday 11 September 2008 Jonathan Lawrence, Partner, K&L Gates LLP jonathan.lawrence@klgates.com 020 7360 8242. Overview. Pack documentation introduction Property finance glossary Investment loan term sheet Development loan term sheet

sarai
Télécharger la présentation

Property Finance Jargon and Legal Documentation

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. Property Finance Jargon and Legal Documentation Thursday 11 September 2008 Jonathan Lawrence, Partner, K&L Gates LLP jonathan.lawrence@klgates.com 020 7360 8242

  2. Overview • Pack documentation introduction • Property finance glossary • Investment loan term sheet • Development loan term sheet • Loan and security documentation • Parties • Provisions

  3. Borrower(s) • Borrower • Trading entity; or • Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) company? • Single/Multiple • Multiple borrowers for multiple properties • Cross-collateralisation

  4. Obligors or Borrower Group • Obligors • Guarantees may be required from shareholders in B / other entities in B’s group • Especially relevant where B is an SPV • Sponsor • Individual or entity “behind” the real estate acquisition, B and management of real estate • Not usually a party to loan documentation

  5. The Finance Parties • Lender • Lends / Advances the funds • Identity of original lender may change during the term of the loan • Lender may reduce exposure to loan through syndication, securitisation or sub-participation

  6. The Finance Parties • Facility Agent • Day to day administration of loan • Security Trustee • Holds security on trust for all Secured Parties • Controls enforcement process • Hedge Counterparty • B enters into a hedge with respect to all or part of its interest rate exposure under the loan with the hedging counterparty • e.g. fixed-to-floating interest rate hedge

  7. Documentation • Term sheet • Loan agreement • Security documentation • Hedging documentation • Fee letters

  8. The Loan Agreement • No standard format • Long form / short form

  9. Purpose of the loan • Should always be set out in loan agreement • L not obliged to monitor the loan to make sure it is used for the purpose advanced • Quistclose Trust established

  10. Tranching • Facility may be made up of a variety of loans / tranches • Together they are the facility • Each may be used for a different purpose • Greater flexibility – different terms

  11. Interest • Usually based on aggregate of: • 1. Floating rate of aggregate of LIBOR/EURIBOR; • 2. Margin agreed between L and B (fixed or variable); and • 3. Any Mandatory Cost • Paid on each interest payment date (end of interest period) • Interest period generally 1, 3, 6 or 12 months • Interest may be capitalised

  12. Representations and warranties • Statements of fact made by B or Obligors about certain matters of fact relating to themselves, their status and the underlying real estate • If untrue, L may call an Event of Default • Standard reps e.g. that it is solvent, that security has not been granted in favour of another party • Specific reps e.g. property specific concerns re environmental issues

  13. Covenants • General • General obligations imposed on Obligors • Additional covenants for SPV • Negative pledge

  14. Covenants • Property • Ensure that property will not fundamentally change during the term • Restrict development, granting of leases etc. • Insurance covenant • Application of insurance proceeds • Damage • Loss of rent

  15. Covenants • Information • Delivery of information • Financial statements, annual accounts • Proceedings • Property reporting requirements (rental income, tenant details etc.)

  16. Covenants • Financial: Loan to Value (LTV) • Day 1: L obtains credit sanction to lend up to a maximum percentage of the value of a property • Ongoing: Measures the ratio of current market value of a property against the then principal amount of the loan outstanding • If max % is exceeded due to fall in property prices, B will have to bring the loan into compliance by prepaying proportion of loan/disposing of property

  17. Covenants • Financial: Interest Cover • Ratio of net rental income (gross rental income less certain deductions e.g. insurance premiums, tax) to B’s interest payment obligations • Test measures the ability of B to comply with its interest payment obligations • B’s interest payment obligations usually serviced from rental income • Can be “look back” or “look forward”

  18. Covenants • Financial: Debt Service Cover (DSC) • Used when loan is amortising • Ratio of net rental income received versus B’s interest and principal payment obligations • Can be “look back” or “look forward” • Must be more than 1 to ensure B meets interest and principal obligations under the loan

  19. Covenants • Financial • Remedy a breach of financial covenants by B paying additional funds into blocked reserve accounts • Funds will be deemed to reduce outstanding balance of the loans (LTV) or to supplement net rental income (Interest Cover and DSC) • May be released if B complies with financial covenants or applied to prepay loan if financial covenants not complied with • Restriction on number of times can remedy a breach in this way

  20. Events of Default • Trigger events which may mean L cancels commitments and declares all amounts owing and immediately payable - Acceleration • L under no obligation to accelerate loan following event of default – may waive/renegotiate • B often allowed grace period • e.g. insolvency of obligor, non-payment of sums, misrepresentation, breach of covenant, material adverse change

  21. Term and Prepayment • Term = length of lifespan of loan • L cannot prevent B repaying the loan prior to end of term • Prepayment not favourable for L as misses out on interest, therefore L imposes prepayment fees • L may require mandatory prepayment e.g. proceeds of sale

  22. Principal • Loans are interest only or amortising • Interest only – B pays interest on each payment date and principal paid as bullet repayment on maturity date • Amortising – B repays specific amounts of principal on regular basis during term of loan

  23. Payment mechanics • Property Managing Agent • Rental income paid into segregated trust account/held on trust by Managing Agent • Managing Agent responsible for paying net rental income into Rent Account • Duty of care agreement – Managing Agent owes L direct contractual duty of care • On interest payment date funds are applied in order – “waterfall”

  24. Default interest • Additional interest which accrues on overdue amount in event that B or Obligor fails to make a payment under the loan • Usually around 2%-3% above the interest rate usually payable on the loan • Rate must not be set too high as it may be considered a penalty and non-recoverable

  25. Security • Legal mortgage • Fixed charge • Assignment of rental income • Floating charge • Guarantees • Negative pledge

  26. Legal mortgage • Over specified real estate • Transfer of legal ownership from mortgagor to mortgagee • Mortgagor has right to return of property and payment of any balance after satisfaction of mortgage (right of redemption)

  27. Fixed charge • All other freehold and leasehold property • All buildings, fixture, plant and machinery on the property • All future interests in land • Benefit of all agreements relating to land • Right and interest in proceeds of sale of charged property • Amount standing to credit of all bank accounts • Book debts and other receivables • Goodwill and uncalled capital • Right to recover VAT on any supplies relating to charged property

  28. Assignment by way of security • Rental income • Right to payment under all present and future insurance policies over any charged property • Rights against any tenants of property • Benefit of any hedging documentation • Rights under any development and acquisition documentation • Benefit of all contracts relating to property

  29. Other security • Floating charge • Over all other assets of B not covered by the other security • Crystallisation • Share charge over shares in B • L has opportunity to take control of B • Choice to sell B rather than the property • Negative pledge

  30. Practicalities • Security documentation must be correctly registered (“perfected”) • English company: Companies House • Non-English company: Slavenburg register • Land Registry • Deed of priority required? • Governing law – location of assets?

  31. Guarantees • Especially relevant when dealing with SPV B with no trading history where real estate is sole asset • L should ensure the guarantor enters guarantee as a primary obligor and therefore has to immediately comply with any demand made on the guarantee without L having to first make demand of B • Guarantor likely to seek grace period

  32. Why is the security package so important? • Security Trustee has certain control over all assets of B • Ideally only security over property itself is needed to recover the principal amount of the loan • Remaining security satisfies L’s underwriting in case the LTV covenant is breached

  33. Conditions Precedent (CPs) • Prior to advancing funds, L will insist on receiving certain documents and/or B satisfying other requirements • Corporate documentation and authorisations • Financial information • Property documentation and due diligence • Legal opinions • Miscellaneous

  34. Corporate documentation and authorisations • B and any Obligors must have taken necessary corporate action and obtained necessary approvals inc shareholder approval where necessary • Includes board minutes and directors’ certificates attaching constitutional documents

  35. Financial Information • L likely to insist on seeing full details of any equity, shareholder loans and other finance are received before any loan is made • L will require copy of pro forma balance sheet of B (in the case of an SPV) together with a sources and uses statement detailing how the loan advance, any shareholder loans, other finance and any equity is to be utilised • Evidence that bank accounts have been opened

  36. Property documentation and diligence • Report on title/certificate of title • Details of any leases and tenants • Copies of title documents • Insurance details • Physical inspection of property • Valuation/structural survey/environmental report (addressed to the Finance Parties)

  37. Legal opinions • Provided by law firms from all relevant jurisdictions • Jurisdiction of incorporation of each Obligor and governing law of any Finance Document • Addressed to Finance Parties • Confirm e.g. that Obligor exists and has legal capacity to enter into Finance Documents • Opinion provider will often attempt to limit reliance

  38. Miscellaneous • Evidence that L’s fees, costs and expenses in connection with transaction are paid upfront - usually deducted from gross advance • Deal specific CPs may be required e.g. documentation re any development or capital expenditure works • Sweeper CP – “any other documentation or evidence required by L” • If multiple drawdown is permitted certain CPs may be required for each drawdown

  39. Utilisation / Drawdown • Specific procedure for drawdown • Notice to lender required • Likely that initial drawdown must be made during an agreed availability period • Overall number of drawdowns likely to be limited • CPs must be satisfied prior to drawdown

  40. Assignment, transfer and Qualifying Lenders • L usually reserves right to freely transfer its interest in the loan provided that B does not incur any tax liability on its interest/other payments due to change in status of transferee – “Qualifying Lender” concept • Crucial that L can assign interest freely if it intends to syndicate/securitise the loan • Often prohibited for B and Obligors to assign rights and obligations without written consent of Ls

  41. Tax • “Gross-up” obligation on B • Where L is a Qualifying Lender, if any amounts paid by B are reduced because withholding tax is imposed, B will have to gross-up so L receives amount it would have done notwithstanding the deduction of tax

  42. Amendments and waivers • Amendment usually allowed with written consent of Majority Lenders and Obligors • Some amendments e.g. a decrease in margin will require consent of all Ls as they fundamentally affect the loan terms

More Related