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Maintenance covenant meaning

What does Maintenance covenant mean?
A maintenance covenant is a financial covenant in a loan or revolving credit facility that the borrower (often on a group basis) must meet on set, regular test dates during the life of the facility, irrespective of whether it is undertaking a new transaction. It is market terminology used in UK and Irish banking documentation, not a statutory or case-law definition. Typical maintenance tests include leverage, interest cover or debt service cover ratios, measured by reference to periodic financial statements and accompanied by a compliance certificate. Breach commonly constitutes an event of default (subject to any cure rights, waivers or grace periods, including equity cure provisions), entitling lenders to accelerate or renegotiate. The covenant’s purpose is to provide ongoing lender protection and early warning of deteriorating credit performance. It contrasts with an incurrence covenant, where compliance is tested only when the borrower proposes specified actions, such as incurring additional debt, making acquisitions or paying dividends. Usage is broadly consistent across England & Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland (often following LMA conventions). In leveraged finance, covenant-lite structures may limit maintenance testing to a springing covenant tied to revolving credit drawings.
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View the related Checklists about Maintenance covenant

CHECKLISTS
Freehold positive covenants: enforceability and protection mechanisms—indemnity chains, direct covenants with restrictions, estate rentcharges, rights of re-entry, benefit-and-burden, and drafting points—checklist (England and Wales)

What is a positive covenant? A covenant operates as a contractual promise. Common examples of positive covenants found in land transfers impose duties to: carry out repairs or upkeep (for example, access ways), or contribute towards repair and maintenance expenses incurred by another put up buildings or boundary fencing (for example, on a transfer of part) pay additional sums (i.e. overage) where, for instance, planning permission is obtained, or on a sale following development of the land What is the issue with positive covenants? At common law, it is firmly settled that the burden of a positive covenant affecting freehold land does not pass with the estate. Accordingly, if one party to a freehold transfer (Party B) gives a positive covenant in favour of the other (Party A), that obligation will not bind Party B's successors in title, despite section 79 of the Law of Property Act 1925...

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View the related Practice Notes about Maintenance covenant

PRACTICE NOTES
Commercial property acquisitions (England and Wales): buyer’s solicitor checklist for reviewing the seller’s first draft contract and related due diligence

This checklist supports a buyer’s solicitor in conducting an early read-through of the first draft of a contract for the purchase of commercial property issued by the seller, spotlighting the headline matters to verify. At times, the seller’s solicitor may prepare the agreement without fully grasping every point that must be addressed; accordingly, the buyer should stay alert to any omissions from the outset and raise probable issues or contractual needs at the earliest opportunity (even if only noted as a placeholder in the document while awaiting instructions or further detail). Identification of seller and buyer Heads of terms may not capture the parties precisely: Companies House: where the seller is a company, the buyer’s solicitor must confirm via Companies House that the named party and company number in the heads of terms are correct and match the details shown in the title documents. If the seller is an overseas company, a partnership or another entity, the buyer should immediately seek an opinion letter...

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PRACTICE NOTES
Acquisition and Leveraged Finance: Practitioner’s A–Z of Terms, Covenants, Structures and Jargon

This glossary sets out many of the expressions commonly used in the leveraged finance market. Words appearing in the definitions in bold are defined elsewhere in this glossary. For further banking terminology, please refer to the main Banking & Finance Glossary... Acquisition finance glossary—A Acceleration Acceleration is the formal action taken by the agent, on the instructions of the majority lenders, following an event of default, such as making a demand for early repayment of the loan. See Practice Note: Accelerating a loan for more information... Accordion feature/accordion facility An accordion, also called an incremental debt feature, is a mechanism in the facilities agreement that, provided specified conditions are satisfied (for example, pro forma compliance with a leverage test), permits those lenders under the facilities agreement who wish to do so to advance additional debt. The terms for that extra debt are typically captured in an increase notice. This accordion or incremental debt flexibility is different from structural adjustment, which usually requires the majority consent...

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PRACTICE NOTES
Real estate investment finance: drafting and negotiating borrower covenants (negative pledge, disposals, leases, maintenance, insurance) with LTV/ICR tests, LMA REF positions and EC(TE)A 2022 compliance

Many of the standard covenants found in a conventional syndicated loan facility will likewise apply to a real estate finance investment transaction. For guidance on those provisions, including an explanation of what covenants are and the reasons they are employed, see Practice Note: Covenants; that resource explains their purpose and operation. This Practice Note focuses on the particular covenants that are commonly seen in a real estate finance investment transaction, and it concentrates on investment deals in the property finance sphere. Additional covenants must be observed in real estate finance development facilities, and compliance with these additional undertakings is required. These arise because the property financed will be developed during the term of the facility agreement, over the whole duration agreed between the parties. For further detail, see Practice Note: Real estate finance—covenants in development facilities for a fuller discussion. Purpose of covenants Covenants (or undertakings) impose positive and negative obligations on the borrower to be complied with throughout the loan; unlike representations, undertakings remain continuously in force...

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View the related Precedents about Maintenance covenant

PRECEDENTS
Deed of mutual covenants for flying freehold projection: reciprocal support, shelter, services and access rights; maintenance, insurance and indemnities; mortgagee consent and HM Land Registry restrictions (England and Wales)

DATE [ date ] Parties [ name of First Owner ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] ( First Owner ) [ name of Second Owner ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] ( Second Owner ) [ [ name of First Owner’s Mortgagee ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] ( First Owner’s Mortgagee ) ] [ [ name of Second Owner’s Mortgagee ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] ( Second Owner’s Mortgagee ) ] 1 Definitions For this Deed, the terms below shall have these meanings: ...

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PRECEDENTS
Farm Business Tenancy Precedent (England and Wales): Agreement/Deed with HM Land Registry Prescribed Clauses, Rent Review, Support Schemes and Payment Entitlements, Repairs/Insurance Options, Guarantor, Forfeiture and Early Termination

HM Land Registry Prescribed Clauses LR1. Lease date [ date ] LR2. Title number(s) LR2.1 Landlord’s title number(s) [ number ] and [ number ] LR2.2 Other title numbers [ existing title number(s) for entries of matters mentioned in LR9, LR10, LR11 and LR13 ] LR3. Parties to this lease Landlord [ OPTION 1—name of Landlord (not an overseas entity) ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with registered office at [ address ] [ OPTION 2—name of Landlord (overseas entity) ] [ incorporated OR formed in [ territory of incorporation/formation ] (registration number [ number ]) [ and recorded at Companies House (company registration number BR[ number ]) ] (overseas entity ID [ [ number ] OR not required OR ) with registered office at [ address ]...

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PRECEDENTS
Precedent Deed of Easement (Right of Way) with Maintenance, Cost-Sharing, Reserved Rights, Mortgagee Consent and HM Land Registry Provisions (England and Wales)

date [ date ] Parties [ name of Grantor ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Grantor) [ name of Grantee ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Grantee) [ [ name of Mortgagee ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] ( [ address ] (Mortgagee) ] 1 Definitions Within this Deed, the terms below shall have the meanings set out: Dominant Land • the [ freehold OR leasehold OR land known as [ description ] [ registered at HM Land Registry under title number [ number ] ] [ and shown [ edged OR coloured OR hatched ] [ colour ] on the Plan ]; Legislation •...

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