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Swift completion of £5.9 Million loan secured over prime residential blocks

Posted on: January 20th, 2025 by Hugh Dineen-Lees

In a recent financial transaction, a £5.9 million loan was secured over three multi-unit residential blocks located in London and Hemel Hempstead. This deal involved multiple linked refinancing transactions of the commercial elements, showcasing the complexity and efficiency of the process.

Anna Christou represented YBS Commercial Mortgages, while Paul Marsh acted for the Borrower. The transaction was completed within an impressive nine working days from the issuance of the Offer, highlighting the dedication and expertise of the teams involved.

A special mention goes to Katie Peck and Amy Bristow, at YBS Commercial Mortgages, whose pivotal role ensured the smooth and timely completion of this significant transaction.

This achievement underscores the importance of collaboration and precision in high-stakes financial dealings, setting a benchmark for future transactions.

Lawrence Stephens advises Blue Shield Capital on their largest deal to date

Posted on: December 24th, 2024 by Hugh Dineen-Lees

Lawrence Stephens has advised Blue Shield Capital on an £18 million loan for a UK-based landlord and build-to-rent operator focused on city-centre rental properties. The loan was for their flagship property, a 119-unit BTR scheme in Liverpool City Centre, completed in 2023.

The 12-month facility, set at 69% LTV, is designed to assist the borrower in refinancing their existing debt and optimising their portfolio structure. This deal is the largest they have completed to date and is the latest in a number of fast-moving deals they have undertaken supported by our team.

Blue Shield Capital is a fast-growing property lending firm who provides flexible financing solutions for property owners and investors.

The team was led by Director and Head of Banking Ajoy Bose-Mallick, with support from Directors Ann Ebberson and Alex Edwards.

Ajoy commented: “We are delighted to have supported Blue Shield on their largest deals to date. We are pleased to have played our part in enabling Blue Shield to exceed its targets for 2024”.

Lawrence Stephens advises LHV Bank on £7.4m refinancing of prominent retail parade

Posted on: December 4th, 2024 by Natasha Cox

The Lawrence Stephens Real Estate Finance team is pleased to have advised regular client LHV Bank on the £7.4m refinancing of a parade of shops located in a prominent Essex town, secured across multiple titles with more than 20 tenants and leases. The facility also refinanced a bridging loan, ensuring the client’s financial goals were met within a tight timeframe.

The team worked closely with LHV Bank to review multiple cash flow scenarios across more than 20 leases while ensuring clarity on security positions across multiple titles. Collaboration across internal departments including credit, operations, and finance was vital to work to the tight deadline. Our team ensured that the entire process was completed ahead of schedule. Originally targeted for completion on 29 November, the deal was finalised two days early thanks to seamless collaboration between our team and the bank.

Conor McDermott, Director of SME Lending at LHV, commented: “The team worked tirelessly with Fine Mortgages to complete this on challenging timescales, with the transaction completed within eight working days of approval. Special thanks to the legal team at Lawrence Stephens led by Anna Christou, who worked on this over the weekend to ensure a successful refinance.”

Greg Palos, Head of Real Estate Finance at Lawrence Stephens responded: “Despite the complexity and speed of this transaction, our sector expertise and the strength and depth of our team contributed to an excellent outcome for our client.”

Lawrence Stephens Real Estate Finance Borrower team finalizes three new deals

Posted on: October 22nd, 2024 by Hugh Dineen-Lees

The Lawrence Stephens Real Estate Finance Borrower team, led by Nisha Saigal and supported by Claire Boyd and Aida Gashi, continues to excel in the world of real estate finance. Their recent accomplishments showcase their expertise in handling a diverse array of properties and financing solutions. Here’s a look at their latest three deals:

1. Refinance of a mixed-use property

In a recent transaction, the team successfully completed a refinance for a mixed-use property with a loan amount of £1.2 million. Acting solely for the borrower, the team collaborated with Allica Bank Limited to ensure a smooth and efficient process. 

2. Purchase of a freehold residential property

The team also facilitated the purchase of a freehold residential property, securing a loan amount of £523,000. This transaction involved dual representation, with MT Finance as the lender. The team’s commitment to thorough communication and strategic planning was key to achieving a successful outcome for their client.

3. Refinance of a commercial industrial unit

Lastly, the team completed a refinance for a commercial industrial unit, with a loan amount of £1.25 million. This deal, which also involved dual representation, was supported by a Commercial Bank. The team’s extensive experience in commercial finance played a crucial role in navigating the complexities of this transaction.

Lawrence Stephens strengthens Real Estate Finance and Banking teams with new Directors from Rosling King

Posted on: July 1st, 2024 by Yvonne Uzoka

Leading corporate and commercial law firm, Lawrence Stephens, is pleased to announce the appointment of Ann Ebberson as Director in the Real Estate Finance department, and Alex Edwards as Director in the Banking department – both joining from Rosling King.

Ann and Alex are well-known industry practitioners and their expertise complements the firm’s established Real Estate Finance and Banking practices. They are both recognised in The Legal 500 directory and bring with them a wealth of knowledge and experience across these sectors. 

Ann has acted for and advised lenders, loan servicers, developers and LPA/fixed charge receivers on real estate and real estate portfolio refinancing, sales, purchases, development acquisitions and sales, landlord and tenant matters including service charge disputes and forfeiture proceedings. She also has notable experience in title rectification issues and advising litigation colleagues in complex real estate disputes.  

Alex advises lenders, sponsors, developers and corporate borrowers on all forms of finance transactions. With a particular focus on real estate and development finance, Alex also regularly advises on senior and mezzanine loans and bridging finance, as well as restructuring and resolving existing loan facilities. In addition, Alex’s construction law expertise allows him to provide a comprehensive service to his clients on development finance transactions, dealing with both the finance and construction elements.

They join Directors Greg Palos and Ajoy Bose-Mallick who lead Lawrence Stephens’ Real Estate Finance and Banking practices respectively.

Ajoy Bose-Mallick commented: “Alex is a fantastic addition to our banking team and brings with him great experience of working with sponsors, developers, corporate borrowers and other alternative lenders especially development finance lenders, at a very exciting time for the firm.”

Greg Palos said: “Ann’s arrival provides us with greater strength in depth and bolsters our ability to advise clients in a wide range of transactions. Her arrival is in line with the expansion of our Real Estate Finance capability, which continues to go from strength to strength.”

News of Ann and Alex joining Lawrence Stephens was covered by Law360, New Law Journal and LegalMoves.

Lawrence Stephens completes £20m refinance on behalf of its client

Posted on: April 11th, 2023 by AlexT

Our Real Estate Finance, Banking and Corporate teams acted for their client in connection with a £20 million refinance of over 30 properties, in a deal which was completed on 31 March 2023.

The deal included an offshore company purchase and transfer of 2 property portfolios to the client, with Blackfinch Group acting as the lender. The complex nature of this deal led the Real Estate Finance department to work alongside members of the Banking and Corporate teams to ensure the refinancing was completed swiftly and efficiently.

The team was led by Director Paul Marsh and Senior Director Gregory Palos, with assistance from Associate Anna Christou and Trainee Solicitor Isabella Tamyln in the Real Estate Finance team, as well as Senior Associate Ashley Wright and Solicitor Rhiannon Hughes in the Banking team, with Aashay Knights handling the corporate side of the deal.

Paul Marsh commented: “With a deal of this size, cross-department co-operation was key, and it was a pleasure to work alongside members of the Banking and Corporate teams. We worked hard to ensure we achieved the best result for our client, and it was great to work with the team at Blackfinch to secure this loan.”

The client commented: “Paul, Greg and the rest of the team at Lawrence Stephens did a fantastic job on this deal, and their hard work translated to an ideal result. They coordinated well with other parties to the deal and provided world-class legal advice throughout the process.”