Case studies · 18-unit scheme, Leicestershire

18-unit scheme, Leicestershire

Sales covenant required 50% of units sold by month 6. Achieved 40%. Rate stepped up to 0.90% pm for subsequent months. Extended 3 months. Final hold cost ~20% above base-case.

Facility
£4.5m
GDV
£6.8m
LTV
66%
Monthly rate
0.75%
Term (agreed)
12m
Actual hold
14m
Est. all-in cost
£540,000
Cost vs facility
12.0%

Outcome

Sales covenant breached, rate stepped up.

Sales covenant required 50% of units sold by month 6. Achieved 40%. Rate stepped up to 0.90% pm for subsequent months. Extended 3 months. Final hold cost ~20% above base-case.

Lesson
The sales-trigger covenant is the one that bites in a slow market. Negotiate it harder. Base-case pricing on 35–40% month-6, not 50%.

What the numbers show

Over an actual hold of 14 months at 0.75% per month, monthly interest on a £4.5m facility runs to about £33,750 each month. Add a 1.5% arrangement fee of £67,500, and the estimated all-in cost is roughly £540,000 — about 12.0% of facility. That excludes valuation, legals, and any extension or step-up costs where applicable.

Related case studies

  • 12-unit residential new-build, Camden — Conventional mid-market scheme. Strong area, conservative pricing, fast sales velocity. Exit finance beat the extended senior tail by £78k over the 9-month actual hold.
  • 9-unit heavy refurb conversion, Brighton — Slower sales market than modelled. Extended facility twice. Pricing stepped up from 0.82% pm to 0.92% pm for the final 3 months.
  • 24-unit BTR scheme, Leeds — Sold the entire block to a single institutional buyer after 5 months. Repaid early with no ERC. Would have been cheaper to stay on senior + block sale direct, but certainty of execution was worth the premium.