- THIS NOTICE IS IMPORTANT AND REQUIRES THE IMMEDIATE
ATTENTION OF THE REGISTERED AND BENEFICIAL OWNERS OF THE NOTES. ALL
DEPOSITARIES, CUSTODIANS AND OTHER INTERMEDIARIES RECEIVING THIS
NOTICE ARE REQUESTED TO PASS THIS NOTICE TO THE BENEFICIAL OWNERS
IN A TIMELY MANNER. IF NOTEHOLDERS ARE IN ANY DOUBT AS TO THE
ACTION THEY SHOULD TAKE, THEY SHOULD CONSULT THEIR OWN INDEPENDENT
PROFESSIONAL ADVISERS AUTHORISED UNDER THE FINANCIAL SERVICES AND
MARKETS ACT 2000 (IF THEY ARE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM) OR ANOTHER APPROPRIATELY
AUTHORISED INDEPENDENT FINANCIAL ADVISER AND TAKE SUCH OTHER ADVICE
FROM THEIR OWN PROFESSIONAL ADVISERS AS THEY DEEM NECESSARY,
IMMEDIATELY.
IMPORTANT NOTICE
TO THE HOLDERS OF THE
£31,500,000 Class
M Mortgage Backed Floating Rate Notes due 2042
(ISIN:
XS0186714506, US84359TAB35)
(the "Class M
Notes")
£6,000,000 Class B
Mortgage Backed Floating Rate Notes due 2042
(ISIN:
XS0186715222)
issued by
Southern Pacific
Securities 04-1 PLC
(the “Issuer”)
on or about
26 February 2004
The "Class B Notes", and together with the Class M Notes, the
"Notes".
Capitalised terms in this Notice shall, except where the context
otherwise requires or save where otherwise defined herein, bear the
meanings ascribed to them in the master definitions schedule dated
26 February 2004 between, amongst
others, the Issuer and Capita Trust Company Limited (the
“Trustee”) (as amended and restated from time to time) (the
"Master Definitions Schedule").
On 9 June 2015 the short term
unsecured debt rating of Barclays Bank PLC ("Barclays") was
downgraded by S&P from "A-1" to "A-2" (the "S&P
Downgrade"). Barclays is the GIC Provider, the Account Bank and
the Collection Account Bank for the Transaction.
As a result of the S&P Downgrade, Barclays no longer has the
relevant requisite ratings set out in the relevant transaction
documents, including the Bank Agreement, the Cash/Bond
Administration Agreement or the GIC (the "Relevant
Documents"). The Issuer, the Cash/Bond Administrator
and/or Barclays, as applicable, are required to take certain
remedial action following the S&P Downgrade, as set out in the
Relevant Documents.
In light of the recent downgrading of the ratings of certain of
the Notes by S&P, the Issuer would like to provide an update on
the status of the remedial actions which have been, and which are
being, taken by the Issuer and/or the Cash/Bond Administrator
(acting on behalf of the Issuer) in connection with the S&P
Downgrade. The Issuer, having been informed of the facts
herein by the Cash/Bond Administrator (and not having independently
verified the information contained in this notice), hereby notifies
Noteholders of the following:
- Background to the remedial action
- Following the S&P Downgrade, the Cash/Bond Administrator,
on behalf of the Issuer and in its capacity as the Cash/Bond
Administrator, undertook a market review and entered into
discussions with five financial institutions that met the Rating
Agencies’ minimum counterparty criteria to perform the relevant
roles to ascertain whether one of them would be suitable to be
appointed as replacement Account Bank, GIC Provider or the
Collection Account Bank (as applicable).
- Update on the remedial action in relation to the GIC and the
Transaction Account
Following the completion by the
Cash/Bond Administrator of its market review to find a suitable
replacement, the Cash/Bond Administrator notified the Issuer and
the Trustee that it has identified a global banking institution as
a potential suitable replacement to replace Barclays as the GIC
Provider and the Account Bank for the GIC Account and the
Transaction Account (the "Transaction Account Bank"). The
specific terms for the appointment are currently still being
discussed between the Cash/Bond Administrator, the Issuer and the
prospective replacement bank; however in the expectation that
commercial agreement will be reached, it is intended that the
appointment will be finalised as soon as practicable. The Cash/Bond
Administrator and the Issuer are seeking to keep the commercial and
legal terms as consistent as possible to those terms currently in
place with Barclays, but it should be noted that there may be
differences required to reflect commercial and legal changes that
have taken place in the market since the original bank agreement
was entered into with Barclays, in particular it being noted that
some differences are required to be implemented (resulting in
potentially lower interest rates to take into account increased
regulatory costs) as a result of the implementation of such
changes, the finalisation of these necessary changes has
unfortunately led to a delay to execution of the relevant legal
documentation whilst the impact of such changes are being confirmed
and finalised.
- Update on the remedial action in relation to the Collection
Accounts
- Despite having conducted its market review and having had
discussions with financial institutions, the Cash/Bond
Administrator has not been able to find a suitably rated financial
institution who is willing to be the replacement account bank for
the Collection Accounts (the "Collection Account
Bank"). In relation to the suitably rated financial
institutions that were able to offer collection account services,
most were deterred by the significant efforts involved in setting
up collection account banking operations, together with the
economics of operating such accounts. The financial institutions
were also concerned with the potential risks, such as direct debit
indemnity liability, involved in operating collection accounts in
transactions of this type and at this stage of maturity.
- As a result, the Cash/Bond Administrator has advised the Issuer
that there is currently no viable alternative but to retain
Barclays in the role of Collection Account Bank and to lower the
rating requirements of the Collection Account Bank in the Relevant
Documents to match Barclays' current rating. The Cash/Bond
Administrator understands that this approach may be possible on the
basis that Barclays currently meets each Rating Agency’s published
minimum counterparty rating criteria for the Collection Account
Bank role and is therefore able to continue to support a
transaction with a "AAA" rated note.
- Barclays have communicated to the Cash/Bond Administrator that
they are prepared to remain in their Collection Account Bank role
provided that they are able to amend their fee structure.
They have asked that the current tariffs, which are based largely
on numbers of items processed, are replaced with a fixed fee
structure (including an annual charge), and if such changes are
agreed and implemented, this will result in higher Collection
Account Bank charges.
- Barclays considers that these increased fees are necessary to
offset the risks of operating the Collection Accounts, against the
economics of performing the Transaction Account Bank and GIC
Provider roles. The Trustee is not required to consent to the
increase in fees charged by Barclays as the Transaction Documents
already allow for the increase to be implemented.
- Barclays have communicated to the Cash/Bond Administrator that
they will require that it remains as a Secured Creditor under the
Deed of Charge in its capacity as the Collection Account Bank and
therefore rank in the relevant Priority of Payments at the same
level as it does as the existing Account Bank. The New
Transaction Account Bank (when selected) will accede to the Deed of
Charge to become a Secured Creditor and to also rank at the same
level as Barclays currently does in its capacity as Account
Bank.
- Except to the extent the Trustee’s consent is required under
the Transaction Documents to implement the replacement of Barclays
as Account Bank and GIC Provider and to retain Barclays as
Collection Account as a result of the S&P Downgrade, in
accordance with normal practice, the Trustee expresses no opinion
as to the merits of the steps taken by the Cash/Bond Administrator
or the Issuer (as applicable) as described in this Notice. It has,
however, authorised it to be stated that, on the basis of the
information set out in this Notice, it has no objection to the
Notice being sent to the Noteholders. The Trustee has, however, not
been involved in preparing this Notice and makes no representation
that all relevant information has been disclosed to Noteholders in
this Notice.
The Issuer will keep the Noteholders updated on developments in
respect to the proposed remedial actions.
Queries may be addressed to the Issuer as follows:
Southern Pacific Securities 04-1
PLC
4th Floor
40 Dukes Place
London EC3A 7NH
Attention: The
Directors
Telephone: +44 203 367 8200
Fax:
+44 203 170 0246
e-mail:
spvservices@capitafiduciary.co.uk
Ref:
Southern Pacific Securities 04-1 PLC
This notice is given by the Issuer.
Dated 4 February 2016