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Flip clause meaning

What does Flip clause mean?
A flip clause is a contractual term that changes the priority of payments (the payment waterfall) when a specified event occurs. In practice, it is used in structured finance and securitisation documents (such as trust deeds, swap agreements and intercreditor agreements) so that, on an event of default, enforcement or insolvency of a hedge/swap counterparty, the waterfall “flips” and that counterparty is subordinated behind noteholders or other senior creditors. This is a descriptive market expression, not a statutory term. Under English law, its enforceability has been considered in Belmont Park Investments Pty Ltd v BNY Corporate Trustee Services Ltd [2011] UKSC 38, where such clauses were upheld in the context of bona fide commercial arrangements and did not offend the anti-deprivation rule. Similar principles are relevant in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland, but enforceability will always turn on local insolvency law and drafting. Key features include clear definition of trigger events, precise reordering of the priority of payments, and consistency across all transaction documents. Flip clauses are significant because they allocate credit and insolvency risk between noteholders and hedge providers, and can materially affect recoveries on enforcement. Careful drafting and local law advice are essential.
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View the related Practice Notes about Flip clause

PRACTICE NOTES
A-Z glossary of UK corporate restructuring and insolvency: key terms, procedures, enforcement and cross-border issues

This glossary sets out numerous expressions frequently encountered in the restructuring arena. Words appearing in the definitions in bold are explained in other entries in this glossary. For further banking terminology, see the principal Banking & Finance Glossary. Restructuring glossary—A Acceleration: Acceleration means the agent, acting on directions from the majority lenders after an event of default, takes formal action, for example calling for early repayment of the facility. Ad-hoc committee: A temporary creditors’ group (often contrasted with a formal committee) that lacks any entitlement to official recognition. Administration: A process under the IA 1986 in which a financially distressed company is operated by an administrator as a going concern before longer-term outcomes, such as break-up and sale, are pursued. Administrator: An Insolvency Practitioner named by the court, a Qualifying floating charge holder, the directors or the company, to take control and fulfil one of the purposes in IA 1986, Sch B1. Administrative receivership: Arises when a company breaches the terms of...

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PRACTICE NOTES
Intercreditor Agreements: Waterfalls, Flip Clauses and Anti-Deprivation, Requisite Majorities, CMBS Special Servicer Controls, and Reasonable Consent - UK Case Law and Drafting Guidance

Background The purpose of an intercreditor agreement—also called a deed of priority—is to manage and resolve the conflicts that will inevitably emerge between different classes of secured lender during a restructuring. Waterfall of payments Such an agreement commonly details a distribution waterfall instructing the security trustee on how to deploy any funds it receives (including sale proceeds, litigation recoveries, or amounts originally paid in error by a debtor to a junior creditor and then transferred under turnover provisions). The waterfall may apply either: (i) universally in all situations; or (ii) by distinguishing between ordinary operations (pre-enforcement) and post-enforcement, namely via a ‘flip’ clause. Ordinarily, the waterfall requires the security trustee’s fees to be settled first, after which monies are distributed to creditors in line with their ranking (with secured lenders typically at the top of the order), and any remaining balance is ultimately returned to the debtors...

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PRACTICE NOTES
Comprehensive glossary of UK restructuring and insolvency terms, covering Companies Act schemes, Part 26A plans, IA 1986 processes, and cross‑border concepts including COMI, UNCITRAL and assimilated EU rules.

This glossary sets out numerous expressions regularly encountered in the restructuring & insolvency sphere. Words shown in bold within definitions are themselves explained in other entries in this glossary as well. A Article X The MLIJ contains a single provision named Article X, aimed at jurisdictions that have already implemented the MLCBI, like England, or are weighing its adoption. Article X states: ‘Not withstanding any prior interpretation to the contrary, the relief available under [insert a cross-reference to the legislation of this State enacting Article 21 of the UNCITRAL Model Law on Cross-Border Insolvency] includes recognition and enforcement of a judgment’ (see Practice Note: UNCITRAL model law on recognition and enforcement of insolvency-related judgments (MLIJ): Article X). Asset-backed security (ABS) A form of security anchored by asset pools, for example loans, leases, and credit card receivables. Assimilated law From 1 January 2024, ‘retained law’ has been retitled ‘assimilated law’. The body of domestic law originally arising from EU obligations, created by the European...

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