EXECUTION COPY
GRANITE MORTGAGES 03-1 PLC
And
NORTHERN ROCK PLC
And
GRANITE FINANCE FUNDING LIMITED
And
GRANITE FINANCE TRUSTEES LIMITED
And
XXXXXXX XXXXX XXXXXX INC.
And
XXXXXXX LYNCH, XXXXXX, XXXXXX & XXXXX INCORPORATED
And
XXXXXX BROTHERS INC.
And
X.X. XXXXXX SECURITIES INC.
And
UBS WARBURG
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
relating to GRANITE MORTGAGES 03-1 PLC
$925,000,000 Series 1 Class A1 Floating Rate Notes due January 2004
$1,225,000,000 Series 1 Class A2 Floating Rate Notes due January 2020
$300,000,000 Series 1 Class A3 Floating Rate Notes due January 2020
$42,000,000 Series 1 Class B Floating Rate Notes due January 2043
$56,000,000 Series 1 Class C Floating Rate Notes due January 2043
_______________________________________________________________________________
CONTENTS
CLAUSE PAGE
1. Agreement to Issue and Subscribe.................................................5
2. Stabilisation....................................................................6
3. Agreements by the Underwriters...................................................7
4. Listing.........................................................................10
5. Representations and Warranties of the Current Issuer............................10
6. Representations and Warranties of Funding and the Mortgages Trustee.............16
7. Representations and Warranties of NRPLC.........................................20
8. Covenants of the Current Issuer, Funding, the Mortgages Trustee and NRPLC.......22
9. Conditions Precedent............................................................29
10. Closing.........................................................................33
11. Commissions.....................................................................33
12. Expenses........................................................................34
13. Indemnification.................................................................35
14. Termination.....................................................................39
15. Survival of Representations and Obligations.....................................40
16. Notices.........................................................................40
17. Time............................................................................42
18. Non Petition and Limited Recourse...............................................43
19. Governing Law and Jurisdiction..................................................43
20. Counterparts....................................................................44
_______________________________________________________________________________
ICM:647880.8
_______________________________________________________________________________
THIS AGREEMENT is made as of 23 January, 2003
BETWEEN:
(1) GRANITE MORTGAGES 03-1 PLC, a public limited company incorporated under
the laws of England and Wales, whose registered office is at Fifth Floor,
000 Xxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxx XX0X 0XX (the "CURRENT ISSUER");
(2) NORTHERN ROCK PLC, a public limited company incorporated under the laws
of England and Wales, whose registered office is at Northern Rock House,
Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne NE3 4PL ("NRPLC");
(3) GRANITE FINANCE FUNDING LIMITED, a private limited company incorporated
under the laws of Jersey, Channel Islands, through its branch at 4th
Floor, 00 Xxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxx XX0X 0XX ("FUNDING");
(4) GRANITE FINANCE TRUSTEES LIMITED, a private limited company incorporated
under the laws of Jersey, Channel Islands, whose registered office is at
00 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xx. Xxxxxx, Xxxxxx XX0 0XX, Channel Islands (the
"MORTGAGES TRUSTEE");
(5) XXXXXXX XXXXX XXXXXX INC., a corporation organised under the laws of New
York whose registered office is at 000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx
Xxxx 00000, XXX, and XXXXXXX LYNCH, XXXXXX, XXXXXX & XXXXX INC., a
corporation organised under the laws of Delaware whose registered office
is at c/o The Corporation Trust Co., 0000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxx, XXX (the "LEAD UNDERWRITERS"); and
(6) XXXXXX BROTHERS INC., X.X. XXXXXX SECURITIES INC. and XXX XXXXXXX
(together with the Lead Underwriters, the "UNDERWRITERS" and each an
"UNDERWRITER").
WHEREAS:
(A) The Current Issuer, by resolutions of its Board of Directors passed on 22
January, 2003, has duly authorised and determined to create and issue
$925,000,000 Series 1 Class A1 Floating Rate Notes due January 2004 (the
"SERIES 1 CLASS A1 NOTES"), $1,225,000,000 Series 1 Class A2 Floating
Rate Notes due January 2020 (the "SERIES 1 CLASS A2 Notes"), $300,000,000
Series 1 Class A3 Floating Rate Notes due January 2020 (the "SERIES 1
CLASS A3 NOTES"), $42,000,000 Series 1 Class B Floating Rate Notes due
January 2043 (the "SERIES 1 CLASS B NOTES"), $56,000,000 Series 1 Class C
Floating Rate Notes due January 2043 (the "SERIES 1 CLASS C NOTES"); (the
"DOLLAR NOTES", which expression where the context so requires shall
include the Dollar Global Note Certificates defined below).
(B) The Dollar Notes will be denominated in U.S. dollars and in denominations
of $10,000 and $1,000. The Dollar Notes will be issued on or about 27th
January, 2003 or at such other time and/or date as the Current Issuer and
the Lead Underwriters on behalf of the Underwriters may agree acting
reasonably (the "CLOSING DATE"). The issue of the Dollar Notes is
referred to in this Agreement as the "ISSUE".
(C) Simultaneously with the Issue, the Current Issuer intends to issue
[e]900,000,000 Series 2 Class A Floating Rate Notes due January 2043 (the
"SERIES 2 CLASS A NOTES"), [e]62,000,000 Series 2 Class B Floating Rate
Notes due January 2043 (the "SERIES 2 CLASS B NOTES") and [e]94,500,000
Series 2 Class C Floating Rate Notes due January 2043 (the "SERIES 2 CLASS
C NOTES" and together with the Series 2 Class A Notes and the Series 2
Class B Notes the
_______________________________________________________________________________
2
_______________________________________________________________________________
"EURO NOTES"), {pound-sterling}665,000,000 Series 3 Class A Floating
Rate Notes due January 2043 (the "SERIES 3 CLASS A NOTES"),
{pound-sterling}31,000,000 Series 3 Class B Floating Rate Notes due
January 2043 (the "SERIES 3 CLASS B NOTES") and
{pound-sterling}41,000,000 Series 3 Class C Floating Rate Notes due
January 2043 (the "SERIES 3 CLASS C NOTES" and together with the Series 3
Class A Notes and the Series 3 Class B Notes, the "STERLING NOTES", and
the Euro Notes, together with the Sterling Notes, the "REG S NOTES", and
together with the Dollar Notes, the "NOTES"). By a subscription
agreement dated as of the date hereof (the "SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT")
between the Current Issuer, NRPLC, Funding, the Mortgages Trustee and the
respective managers named therein (the "MANAGERS"), such Managers have
agreed to subscribe and pay for the Reg S Notes upon the terms and
subject to the conditions therein contained.
The Notes will be constituted by, issued subject to and have the benefit
of a trust deed (the "CURRENT ISSUER TRUST DEED") to be entered into on
or before the Closing Date between the Current Issuer and The Bank of New
York, London Branch as trustee for the Noteholders (the "NOTE TRUSTEE").
(D) The Notes (together with the Current Issuer's obligations to its other
creditors will be secured by the benefit of security interests created
under a deed of charge and assignment by way of security (the "CURRENT
ISSUER DEED OF CHARGE") to be entered into on or before the Closing Date
by the Current Issuer, the Note Trustee, Citibank, N.A., (in its separate
capacities as the "PRINCIPAL PAYING AGENT", the "US PAYING AGENT", the
"REGISTRAR", the "TRANSFER AGENT" and the "AGENT BANK"), CDC IXIS Capital
Markets as dollar currency swap provider to the Current Issuer (the
"DOLLAR CURRENCY SWAP PROVIDER"), Citibank, N.A. as euro currency swap
provider to the Current Issuer (the "EURO CURRENCY SWAP PROVIDER"), NRPLC
in its capacity as cash manager to the Current Issuer under the Current
Issuer cash management agreement (the "CURRENT ISSUER CASH MANAGER"),
NRPLC as basis rate swap provider to the Current Issuer (the "BASIS RATE
SWAP PROVIDER"), Citibank, N.A. in its capacity as account bank to the
Current Issuer under the Current Issuer Bank Account Agreement (the
"CURRENT ISSUER ACCOUNT BANK") and Law Debenture Corporate Services
Limited in its capacity as corporate services provider to the Current
Issuer under the corporate services provider agreement (the "CURRENT
ISSUER CORPORATE SERVICES PROVIDER").
(E) Payments of principal and interest on the Dollar Notes will be made by
the Current Issuer to the US Paying Agent and by the US Paying Agent to
Noteholders on behalf of the Current Issuer under a paying agent and
agent bank agreement to be entered into on or before the Closing Date
(the "CURRENT ISSUER PAYING AGENT AND AGENT BANK AGREEMENT") between the
Current Issuer, the Note Trustee, the Agent Bank, the paying agents named
therein, the Transfer Agent and the Registrar.
(F) Each class of the Dollar Notes will be in fully registered permanent
global form. The Registrar will maintain a register (the "REGISTER") in
respect of the Dollar Notes in accordance with the Current Issuer Paying
Agent and Agent Bank Agreement. The global note certificates representing
the Dollar Notes (the "DOLLAR GLOBAL NOTE CERTIFICATES") will be
deposited on behalf of the beneficial owners of the Dollar Notes with
Citibank N.A. in New York, as custodian for, and registered in the name
of Cede & Co. as nominee of, The Depository Trust Company ("DTC").
(G) The Current Issuer will use an amount in Sterling equal to the gross
proceeds of the Issue as well as an amount in Sterling equal to the gross
proceeds of the Reg S Notes issue to make a loan to Funding pursuant to
an intercompany loan agreement to be entered into on or before the
Closing Date between the Current Issuer, Funding, the Agent Bank and The
Bank of New York, London Branch in its capacity as security trustee (the
"SECURITY TRUSTEE") (the "INTERCOMPANY LOAN AGREEMENT" and the loan made
thereunder, the "INTERCOMPANY
_______________________________________________________________________________
3
_______________________________________________________________________________
LOAN"). Reference to the Intercompany Loan Agreement shall include
reference to a loan confirmation in respect of the Intercompany Loan
Agreement to be entered into on or about the Closing Date and made
between Funding, the Current Issuer, the Security Trustee and the Agent
Bank (the "CURRENT ISSUER INTERCOMPANY LOAN CONFIRMATION"), and the
general terms and conditions applicable to the Intercompany Loan
Agreement which has been signed for the purposes of identification by the
Security Trustee, the Agent Bank and Funding on the Initial Closing Date,
as amended and restated, novated, verified or supplemented from time to
time and shall include any additional and /or replacement intercompany
loan terms and conditions entered into from time to time in accordance
with the Legal Agreements (the "INTERCOMPANY LOAN TERMS AND CONDITIONS")
(H) Funding will pay the proceeds of the Intercompany Loan to the Mortgages
Trustee (or to its order) in consideration for the acquisition of part of
the beneficial share of the additional mortgage trust portfolio of first
residential mortgage loans (the "ADDITIONAL MORTGAGE LOANS") and an
interest in the related insurances and their related security (together,
the "RELATED SECURITY").
(I) NRPLC will assign the portfolio of Additional Mortgage Loans and their
Related Security to the Mortgages Trustee on or about 27th January, 2003
and on subsequent distribution dates pursuant to a mortgage sale
agreement dated 26th March, 2001 between NRPLC, the Mortgages Trustee,
Funding and the Security Trustee (the "MORTGAGE SALE AGREEMENT"). Each
of the Mortgages Trustee and Funding has appointed NRPLC as administrator
to service the Mortgage Loans and their Related Security pursuant to a
Administration Agreement dated 26th March, 2001 (the "ADMINISTRATION
AGREEMENT").
(J) The Mortgages Trustee holds the Mortgage Loans and their Related Security
on a bare trust in undivided shares for the benefit of Funding and NRPLC
pursuant to the mortgages trust deed dated 26th March, 2001 entered into
by NRPLC, Funding and the Mortgages Trustee (the "MORTGAGES TRUST DEED").
The Mortgages Trustee also entered into a guaranteed investment contract
dated on or about 26th March, 2001 in respect of its principal bank
account (the "MORTGAGES TRUSTEE GUARANTEED INVESTMENT CONTRACT") between
the Mortgages Trustee and Lloyds TSB Bank plc, Jersey International
Branch (in such capacity, the "MORTGAGES TRUSTEE GIC PROVIDER").
(K) Funding's obligations to the Current Issuer under the Intercompany Loan
Agreement and to Funding's other creditors are secured by the benefit of
security interests created by a deed of charge and assignment dated 26th
March, 2001, which includes any deed of accession entered into in
connection therewith or supplement thereto (the "FUNDING DEED OF CHARGE")
and entered into by Funding, Granite Mortgages 01-1 plc (the "FIRST
ISSUER"), the Mortgages Trustee, the Security Trustee, NRPLC in its
capacity as cash manager to the Mortgages Trustee and Funding (the "CASH
MANAGER") Lloyds TSB Bank plc, Jersey International Branch in its
capacity as account bank to the Mortgages Trustee, Lloyds TSB Bank plc in
its capacity as account bank to Funding (in such capacities, each an
"ACCOUNT BANK") and NRPLC in its capacity as Current Issuer start-up loan
provider to Funding (the "CURRENT ISSUER START-UP LOAN PROVIDER") and
acceded to pursuant to deeds of accession dated 28th September, 2001 by
Granite Mortgages 01-2 plc (the "SECOND ISSUER") and the Current Issuer
Start-up Loan Provider respectively, 14th March, 2002 by Granite
Mortgages 02-1 plc (the "THIRD ISSUER") and the Current Issuer Start-up
Loan Provider, respectively and 23rd September, 2002 by Granite Mortgages
02-2 plc (the "FOURTH ISSUER") and the Current Issuer Start-up Loan
Provider, respectively (together the "DEEDS OF ACCESSION"). On or before
the Closing Date, the Current Issuer and the Current Issuer Start-up Loan
Provider will, pursuant to a deed of accession (the "CURRENT DEED OF
ACCESSION") accede to the terms of the Funding Deed of Charge and thereby
become secured creditors of Funding.
_______________________________________________________________________________
4
_______________________________________________________________________________
(L) In connection with the purchase of an initial mortgage portfolio and the
issue of certain notes by the First Issuer, Funding, in addition to the
documents described above, entered into on 26th March, 2001 (the "INITIAL
CLOSING DATE") (1) a cash management agreement with the Cash Manager, the
Mortgages Trustee and the Security Trustee (the "CASH MANAGEMENT
AGREEMENT"); (2) a bank account agreement with the Account Banks, the
Mortgages Trustee, Funding, the Security Trustee and the Cash Underwriter
(the "BANK ACCOUNT AGREEMENT"); (3) a guaranteed investment contract
with, inter alios, Lloyds TSB Bank plc as GIC provider to Funding (the
"FUNDING GIC PROVIDER") (the "FUNDING GUARANTEED INVESTMENT CONTRACT");
(4) a corporate services provider agreement (the "FUNDING CORPORATE
SERVICES AGREEMENT") with Mourant & Co. Capital (SPV) Limited as
corporate services provider to Funding, each of which will remain in
effect, as applicable, in respect of the Issue and (5) a start-up loan
agreement made between the Current Issuer Start-up Loan Provider and the
Security Trustee (the "START-UP LOAN AGREEMENT").
(M) In connection with the Issue, the Current Issuer will also execute and
deliver, on or before the Closing Date, (1) the Global Notes relating to
each class of the Notes; (2) the Current Issuer Corporate Services
Agreement with respect to the Current Issuer; (3) a cash management
agreement between the Current Issuer, The Current Issuer Cash Manager and
the Note Trustee (the "CURRENT ISSUER CASH MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT"); (4) a
bank account agreement between the Current Issuer, the Note Trustee, the
Current Issuer Cash Manager and the Current Issuer Account Bank (the
"CURRENT ISSUER BANK ACCOUNT AGREEMENT"); (5) a post-enforcement call
option agreement (the "POST-ENFORCEMENT CALL OPTION AGREEMENT") between
the Current Issuer, the Note Trustee, the Registrar, the Transfer Agent
and GPCH Limited; (6) the Start-Up Loan Agreement; (7) ISDA Master
Agreements including the Schedules thereto and confirmations thereunder
in respect of Dollar/Sterling currency swaps between the Current Issuer,
the Dollar Currency Swap Provider and the Note Trustee (the "DOLLAR
CURRENCY SWAP AGREEMENTS"); (8) ISDA Master Agreements including the
Schedules thereto and confirmations thereunder in respect of
Euro/Sterling currency swaps between the Current Issuer, the Euro
Currency Swap Provider and the Note Trustee (the "EURO CURRENCY SWAP
AGREEMENTS" and the together with the Dollar Currency Swap Agreements,
the "CURRENCY SWAP AGREEMENTS"); and (9) an ISDA Master Agreement
including the Schedule thereto and confirmations thereunder in respect of
a variable rate swap and a fixed rate swap between the Current Issuer,
the Basis Rate Swap Provider and the Note Trustee (the "BASIS RATE SWAP
AGREEMENT", and together with the Currency Swap Agreements, the "SWAP
AGREEMENTS").
(N) As required, the Current Issuer, Funding, the Mortgages Trustee and/or
NRPLC have entered or will enter into any other relevant documents to be
signed and delivered on or before the Closing Date (such documents,
together with the Mortgage Sale Agreement, the Mortgages Trust Deed, the
Mortgages Trustee Corporate Services Agreement, the Administration
Agreement, the Mortgages Trustee Guaranteed Investment Contract, the
Intercompany Loan Agreement (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the
Intercompany Loan Terms and Conditions and the Current Issuer
Intercompany Loan Confirmation), the Post-Enforcement Call Option
Agreement, the Funding Granite (03-1) Guaranteed Investment Contract, the
Funding Guaranteed Investment Contract, the Cash Management Agreement,
the Bank Account Agreement, the Collection Bank Agreement, the Start-up
Loan Agreement with respect to the Current Issuer, the Funding (Granite
03-1) Bank Account Agreement, the Funding Deed of Charge, the Current
Issuer Deed of Charge, the Current Issuer Trust Deed, the Current Issuer
Cash Management Agreement, the Current Issuer Paying Agent and Agent Bank
Agreement, the Current Issuer Bank Account Agreement, the Current Issuer
Corporate Services Agreement, the Swap Agreements, the Funding Corporate
Services Agreement, this Agreement and the Subscription Agreement, each
as they have been or may be amended,
_______________________________________________________________________________
5
_______________________________________________________________________________
restated, varied or supplemented from time to time are collectively
referred to herein as the "LEGAL AGREEMENTS").
IT IS AGREED as follows:
1. AGREEMENT TO ISSUE AND SUBSCRIBE
1.1 DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATION
(a) Capitalised terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein or
pursuant hereto shall have the meanings given to them in the
Prospectus (as defined below) unless the context otherwise
requires.
(b) In this Agreement:
(i) words denoting the singular number only shall include the
plural number also and vice versa;
(ii) words denoting one gender only shall include the other
genders;
(iii) words denoting persons only shall include firms and
corporations and vice versa;
(iv) references to any statutory provision shall be deemed also
to refer to any statutory modification or re-enactment
thereof or any statutory instrument, order or regulation
made thereunder or under any such re-enactment;
(v) references to any agreement or other document (including any
of the Legal Agreements) shall be deemed also to refer to
such agreement or document as amended, varied, supplemented,
restated or novated from time to time;
(vi) clause, paragraph and schedule headings are for ease of
reference only;
(vii) reference to a statute shall be construed as a reference to
such statute as the same may have been, or may from time to
time be, amended or re-enacted to the extent such amendment
or re-enactment is substantially to the same effect as such
statute on the date hereof;
(viii)reference to a time of day, unless otherwise specified,
shall be construed as a reference to London time; and
(ix) references to any person shall include references to his
successors, transferees and assigns and any person deriving
title under or through him.
1.2 AGREEMENT TO ISSUE AND UNDERWRITE
Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the Current Issuer
agrees to issue the Dollar Notes on the Closing Date to the Underwriters
or as they may direct. The Dollar Notes will be issued at a price equal
to the aggregate of 100 per cent. of the aggregate principal amount of
the Series 1 Class A1 Notes, 100 per cent. of the aggregate principal
amount of the Series 1 Class A2 Notes, 100 per cent. of the aggregate
principal amount of the Series 1 Class A3 Notes, 100 per cent. of the
aggregate principal amount of the Series 1 Class B Notes and
_______________________________________________________________________________
6
_______________________________________________________________________________
100 per cent. of the aggregate principal amount of the Series 1 Class C
Notes (the "ISSUE PRICE").
1.3 THE LEGAL AGREEMENTS
To the extent that each of the Current Issuer, Funding, the Mortgages
Trustee and NRPLC is a signatory of the Legal Agreements, each will on or
before the Closing Date, have entered into or enter into each of the
Legal Agreements to which it is a party, substantially in the form of the
draft reviewed by Xxxxx & Xxxxx and Xxxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxx & Xxxx (any draft
of any document so reviewed being called an "AGREED FORM"), with such
amendments as the Lead Underwriters, on behalf of the Underwriters, may
agree with the Current Issuer and, if it is a signatory, Funding, the
Mortgages Trustee and/or NRPLC.
1.4 THE NOTES
The Dollar Notes will be issued on the Closing Date in accordance with
the terms of the Current Issuer Trust Deed and will be in, or
substantially in, the form set out therein.
1.5 PROSPECTUS
The Current Issuer confirms that it has prepared a prospectus dated on or
around today's date (together with the preliminary prospectus of the
Current Issuer dated 7th January, 2003, the "PROSPECTUS") for use in
connection with the issue of the Dollar Notes and hereby authorises the
Underwriters to distribute copies of the Prospectus in connection with
the offering and sale of the Dollar Notes.
1.6 AUTHORITY TO OFFER
The Current Issuer confirms that it has authorised the Lead Underwriters
to offer the Dollar Notes on its behalf to the Underwriters for
subscription at the Issue Price subject to signature of this Agreement.
2. STABILISATION
2.1 STABILISATION
The Underwriters, may, to the extent permitted by applicable laws and
regulations, engage in over-allotment transactions, stabilising
transactions, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids and
otherwise effect transactions in the open market or otherwise in
connection with the distribution of the Notes with a view to stabilising
or maintaining the respective market prices of the Notes at levels other
than those which might otherwise prevail in the open market. Such
stabilising, if commenced, may be discontinued at any time. In doing so
the Underwriters shall act as principal and in no circumstances shall the
Current Issuer be obliged to issue more than (i) $925,000,000 in
aggregate principal amount of the Series 1 Class A1 Notes, (ii)
$1,225,000,000 in aggregate principal amount of the Series 1 Class A2
Notes, (iii) $300,000,000 in aggregate principal amount of the Series 1
Class A3 Notes, (iv) $42,000,000 in aggregate principal amount of the
Series 1 Class B Notes, or (v) $56,000,000 in aggregate principal amount
of the Series 1 Class C Notes.
_______________________________________________________________________________
7
_______________________________________________________________________________
2.2 STABILISATION PROFITS AND LOSSES
As between the Current Issuer and the Underwriters any loss resulting
from stabilisation transactions entered into by the Underwriters,
pursuant to Clause 2.1 shall be borne, and any profit arising therefrom
shall be retained, by the Underwriters.
3. AGREEMENTS BY THE UNDERWRITERS
3.1 PURCHASE
Each Underwriter severally agrees to purchase and pay for such principal
amount of the Dollar Notes set out against its name in the Schedule
hereto on the Closing Date at the Issue Price, all on the terms set out
in this Agreement.
(a) If any Underwriter shall default in its obligation to purchase
Dollar Notes which it has agreed to purchase hereunder, the non-
defaulting Underwriters may in their discretion arrange to
purchase, or for another party or other parties reasonably
satisfactory to NRPLC to purchase, such Dollar Notes on the terms
contained herein. If within thirty-six hours after such default by
any Underwriter, the non-defaulting Underwriters do not arrange
for the purchase of such Dollar Notes, then NRPLC shall be
entitled to a further period of thirty-six hours within which to
procure another party or other parties satisfactory to the non-
defaulting Underwriters to purchase such Dollar Notes on such
terms. In the event that, within the respective prescribed
periods, the Lead Underwriters on behalf of the non-defaulting
Underwriters notify NRPLC that the non-defaulting Underwriters
have so arranged for the purchase of such Dollar Notes, or NRPLC
notifies the non-defaulting Underwriters that it has so arranged
for the purchase of such Dollar Notes, the non-defaulting
Underwriters or NRPLC shall have the right to postpone the Closing
Date for a period of time agreed by the Lead Underwriters and
NRPLC acting reasonably, in order to effect whatever changes may
thereby be made necessary in any documents or arrangements
relating to the offering and sale of the Dollar Notes. Any
substitute purchaser of Notes pursuant to this paragraph shall be
deemed to be an Underwriter, for purposes of this Agreement, in
connection with the offering and sale of the Dollar Notes.
(b) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of
Dollar Notes of a defaulting Underwriter by the non-defaulting
Underwriters, as provided in Clause 3.1(a) above, the aggregate
principal amount of the Dollar Notes which remains unpurchased
does not exceed ten per cent. of the aggregate principal amount of
the Dollar Notes, NRPLC shall have the right to require each non-
defaulting Underwriter to purchase the principal amount of the
Dollar Notes which such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder
and, in addition to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to
purchase its pro rata share (based on the principal amount of the
Dollar Notes which such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder)
of the principal amount of the Dollar Notes of such defaulting
Underwriter for which such arrangements have not been made; but
nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from
liability for its default.
(c) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of
the principal amount of the Dollar Notes of a defaulting
Underwriter by the non-defaulting Underwriters as provided in
Clause 3.1(a) above, the aggregate principal amount of the Dollar
Notes which remains unpurchased exceeds ten per cent. of the
aggregate principal amount of the Dollar Notes, or if NRPLC shall
not exercise the right described in Clause 3.1(b) above to require
non-defaulting Underwriters to purchase the Dollar Notes of a
_______________________________________________________________________________
8
_______________________________________________________________________________
defaulting Underwriter, then this Agreement shall thereupon
terminate, without liability on the part of the non-defaulting
Underwriters; but nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting
Underwriter from liability for its default.
3.2 SELLING
Each Underwriter severally (and not jointly) agrees as follows:
(a) UNITED STATES
It is understood that several Underwriters propose to offer the
Dollar Notes for sale to the public in the United States as set
forth in the Prospectus.
(b) UNITED KINGDOM
Each Underwriter represents and agrees that:
(1) in relation to Dollar Notes which have a maturity of one
year or more and which are to be admitted to the official
list of the UK Listing Authority, it has not offered or
sold, and will not offer or sell, any Dollar Notes to any
persons in the United Kingdom prior to admission of the
Dollar Notes to listing in accordance with Part VI of the
Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, as amended (the
"FSMA") except to persons whose ordinary activities involve
them in acquiring, holding, managing or disposing of
investments (as principal or agent) for the purposes of
their businesses or otherwise in circumstances which have
not resulted and will not result in an offer to the public
in the United Kingdom within the meaning of the Public
Offers of Securities Regulations 1995, as amended, or the
FSMA;
(2) in relation to any Dollar Notes which have a maturity of
less than one year, (a) it is a person whose ordinary
activities involve it in acquiring, holding, managing or
disposing of investments (as principal or agent) for the
purposes of its business and (b) it has not offered or sold
and will not offer or sell any Dollar Notes other than to
persons whose ordinary activities involve them in acquiring,
holding, managing or disposing of investments (as principal
or agent) for the purposes of their businesses or who it is
reasonable to expect will acquire, hold, manage or dispose
of investments (as principal or agent) for the purposes of
their businesses where the issue of Dollar Notes would
otherwise constitute a contravention of section 19 of the
FSMA by the Current Issuer;
(3) it has complied and will comply with all
applicable provisions of the FSMA with respect to anything
done by it in relation to the Dollar Notes in, from or
otherwise involving the United Kingdom; and
(4) it has only communicated or caused to be
communicated and will only communicate or cause to be
communicated an invitation or inducement to engage in
investment activities (within the meaning of Section 21 of
the FSMA) in connection with the issue or sale of any of the
Dollar Notes in circumstances in which Section 21(1) of the
FSMA does not apply to the Current Issuer.
_______________________________________________________________________________
9
_______________________________________________________________________________
(c) NETHERLANDS
Each Underwriter represents and agrees that it has not, directly
or indirectly, offered or sold and will not, directly or
indirectly, offer or sell in the Netherlands any Dollar Notes
other than to persons who trade or invest in securities in the
conduct of a profession or business (which includes banks,
stockbrokers, insurance companies, pension funds, other
institutional investors and finance companies and treasury
departments of large enterprises).
(d) ITALY
Each Underwriter will represent and agree that:
The offering of the Dollar Notes has not been cleared by CONSOB
(the Italian Securities Exchange Commission) pursuant to Italian
Securities legislation and, accordingly, not Dollar Notes may be
offered, sold or delivered, nor may copies of the Prospectus or of
any other document relating to the Dollar Notes be distributed in
the Republic of Italy, except:
(i) to professional investors (operatori qualificati), as
defined in Article 31, second paragraph, of CONSOB
Regulation No. 115522 of 1st July, 1998, as amended; or
(ii) in circumstances which are exempted from the rules on
solicitation of investments pursuant to Article 100 of
Legislative Decree No. 58 of 24th February 1998 (the
"FINANCIAL SERVICES ACT") and Article 33, first paragraph of
CONSOB Regulation No. 11971 of 14th May, 1999, as amended;
or
(iii) to an Italian resident who submits an unsolicited offer to
purchase the Dollar Notes.
In addition, each Underwriter will represent and agree that any
offer, sale or delivery of the Dollar Notes or distribution of
copies of the Prospectus or any other document relating to the
Dollar Notes in the Republic of Italy under (i) or (ii) above must
be:
(A) made by an investment firm, bank or financial intermediary
permitted to conduct such activities in the Republic of
Italy in accordance with the Financial Services Act and
Legislative Decree No. 385 of 1st September, 1993 (the
"BANKING ACT"); and
(B) in compliance with Article 129 of the Banking Act and the
implementing guidelines of the Bank of Italy, as amended
from time to time, pursuant to which the issue or the offer
of securities in the Republic of Italy may need to be
preceded and followed by an appropriate notice to be filed
with the Bank of Italy depending, inter alia, on the
aggregate value of the securities issued or offered in the
Republic of Italy and their circumstances.
(e) OTHER
For each jurisdiction outside the United States and the United
Kingdom (a "RELEVANT JURISDICTION"), each Underwriter acknowledges
that no representation is made by the Current Issuer or any
Underwriter that any action has been or will be taken in any
Relevant Jurisdiction by the Current Issuer or any Underwriter
that would permit a
_______________________________________________________________________________
10
_______________________________________________________________________________
public offering of the Dollar Notes (other than as described
above), or possession or distribution of the Prospectus or any
other offering material, in any country or Relevant Jurisdiction
where action for that purpose is required. Each Underwriter will
comply with all applicable securities laws and regulations in any
Relevant Jurisdiction in which it purchases, offers, sells or
delivers Dollar Notes or has in its possession or distributes the
Prospectus or any other offering material, in all cases at its own
expense. Each Underwriter represents that it will not directly or
indirectly offer, sell or deliver any offered notes or publish any
prospectus, form of application, offering circular, advertisement
or other offering material except under circumstances that will,
to the best of its knowledge and belief, result in compliance with
any applicable laws and regulations, and all offers, sales and
deliveries of offered notes by it will be made on the same terms
and will obtain any consent, approval or permission required by it
for the purchase, offer, sale or delivery by it of Dollar Notes
under the laws and regulations in force in any Relevant
Jurisdictions to which it is subject or in which it makes such
purchases, offers, sales or deliveries and the Current Issuer
shall have no responsibility for them.
4. LISTING
4.1 APPLICATION FOR LISTING
The Current Issuer confirms that it has authorised the Lead Underwriters
to make or cause to be made at the Current Issuer's expense applications
on the Current Issuer's behalf for the Notes to be listed on the Official
List of the UK Listing Authority and for the Notes to be admitted to
trading by the London Stock Exchange plc (the "STOCK EXCHANGE").
4.2 SUPPLY OF INFORMATION
The Current Issuer agrees to supply to the Lead Underwriters for delivery
to the UK Listing Authority and the Stock Exchange copies of the
Prospectus and such other documents, information and undertakings as may
be required for the purpose of obtaining such listing.
4.3 MAINTENANCE OF LISTING
The Current Issuer agrees to use its reasonable endeavours to maintain a
listing of the Dollar Notes on the Official List of the UK Listing
Authority and the admission of the Notes to trading by the Stock Exchange
for as long as any of the Dollar Notes are outstanding and to pay all
fees and supply all further documents, information and undertakings and
publish all advertisements or other material as may be necessary for such
purpose. However, if such listing becomes impossible, the Current Issuer
will obtain, and will thereafter use its best endeavours to maintain, a
quotation for, or listing of, the Dollar Notes on or by such other stock
exchange, competent listing authority and/or quotation system as is
commonly used for the quotation or listing of debt securities as it may,
with the approval of the Lead Underwriters (such approval not to be
unreasonably withheld or delayed), decide.
5. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE CURRENT ISSUER
The Current Issuer represents and warrants to, and agrees with, Funding,
the Mortgages Trustee, the Underwriters and each of them that:
_______________________________________________________________________________
11
_______________________________________________________________________________
(a) THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
The Current Issuer has prepared and filed with the United States
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "COMMISSION") a
registration statement (file number 333-101801) on Form S-11 (the
"REGISTRATION STATEMENT"), including a related preliminary
prospectus dated 7th January, 2003, for registration under the
U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "SECURITIES ACT") of
the offering and sale of the Dollar Notes. The Current Issuer may
have filed one or more amendments thereto, including a related
preliminary prospectus, each of which has previously been
furnished to the Underwriters. The Current Issuer will next file
with the Commission one of the following either (1) prior to the
date and time that such Registration Statement becomes effective
(the "EFFECTIVE DATE"), a further amendment to such Registration
Statement, including the form of final prospectus or (2) after the
Effective Date of such Registration Statement, a final prospectus
in accordance with Rules 430A and 424(b) under the Securities Act.
In the case of clause (2), the Current Issuer has included in such
Registration Statement, as amended at the Effective Date, all
information (other than information with respect to the Notes and
the Issue permitted to be omitted from the Registration Statement
when it becomes effective pursuant to Rule 430A ("RULE 430A
INFORMATION")) required by the Securities Act and the rules
thereunder to be included in such Registration Statement and the
Prospectus. As filed, such amendment and form of final
prospectus, or such final prospectus, shall contain all Rule 430A
Information, together with all other such required information,
and, except to the extent that the Lead Underwriters shall agree
in writing to a modification, shall be in all substantive respects
in the form furnished to the Underwriters prior to the date and
time that this Agreement is executed and delivered by the parties
hereto (the "DATE OF THIS AGREEMENT"), or, to the extent not
completed at the date of this Agreement, shall contain only
specific additional information and other changes (beyond that
contained in the latest preliminary prospectus) as the Current
Issuer has advised the Lead Underwriters, prior to the date of
this Agreement, will be included or made therein.
(b) NO MATERIAL MISSTATEMENTS OR OMISSIONS
On the Effective Date, the Registration Statement, as amended, did
or will, and when the Prospectus is first filed (if required) in
accordance with Rule 424(b) and on the Closing Date, the
Prospectus (and any supplements thereto) will, comply in all
material respects with the applicable requirements of the
Securities Act, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
(the "EXCHANGE ACT") and the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as
amended (the "TRUST INDENTURE ACT") and the respective rules
thereunder; on the Effective Date and at the date of this
Agreement, the Registration Statement did not or will not contain
any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order
to make the statements therein not misleading; on the Effective
Date and on the Closing Date the Current Issuer Trust Deed did or
will comply in all material respects with the applicable
requirements of the Trust Indenture Act and the rules thereunder;
and on the Effective Date, the Prospectus, if not filed pursuant
to Rule 424(b), will not, and on the date of any filing pursuant
to Rule 424(b) and on the Closing Date, the Prospectus (together
with any supplement thereto) will not, include any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of
the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
provided, however, that the Current Issuer makes no
representations or warranties as to the information contained in
or omitted from the Registration Statement, or the Prospectus (or
any statement thereto) in reliance upon and in
_______________________________________________________________________________
12
_______________________________________________________________________________
conformity with information furnished in writing to the
Current Issuer by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Lead
Underwriters specifically for inclusion in the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus (or any supplement thereto), which
information is described in Clause 13.2;
(c) INCORPORATION, CAPACITY AND AUTHORISATION
It is a public limited company duly incorporated and validly
existing under the laws of England and Wales, with full power and
capacity to conduct its business as described in the Prospectus,
has full power and capacity to create and issue the Notes, to
execute this Agreement and the Legal Agreements to which it is a
party and to undertake and perform the obligations expressed to be
assumed by it herein and therein; and has taken all necessary
action to approve and authorise the same; and the Current Issuer
is lawfully qualified to do business in England and Wales. The
Current Issuer has not taken any corporate action nor (to the best
of its knowledge and belief) have any other steps been taken or
legal proceedings been started or threatened against it for its
winding-up, dissolution or reorganisation or for the appointment
of a receiver, administrator, administrative receiver or similar
officer of it or of any or all of its assets or revenues;
(d) VALIDITY OF LEGAL AGREEMENTS
This Agreement has been duly authorised, executed and delivered by
the Current Issuer and constitutes, and the other Legal Agreements
to which the Current Issuer is a party have been duly authorised by
the Current Issuer and on the Closing Date will constitute, valid
and legally binding obligations of the Current Issuer;
(e) VALIDITY OF NOTES
The creation, sale and issue of the Notes have been duly
authorised by the Current Issuer and, when executed and
authenticated in accordance with the Current Issuer Trust Deed and
the Current Issuer Paying Agent and Agent Bank Agreement, the
Notes will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the
Current Issuer and, upon effectiveness of the Registration
Statement, the Current Issuer Trust Deed will have been duly
qualified under the Trust Indenture Act;
(f) CONSENTS
All consents, approvals, authorisations and other orders of all
United States and United Kingdom regulatory authorities required
for the creation, issue and offering of the Notes or in connection
with the execution and performance of the transactions
contemplated by the Legal Agreements or the compliance by the
Current Issuer with the terms of the Notes and the Legal
Agreements as the case may be, except for (i) such consents,
approvals, authorisations, registrations or qualifications as may
be required under applicable United States state securities, Blue
Sky or similar laws in connection with the purchase and
distribution of the Notes by the Underwriters and (ii) those which
will on the Closing Date be, in full force and effect;
(g) COMPLIANCE
The authorisation of the Notes and the granting of security
interests in relation thereto under the Current Issuer Deed of
Charge, the offering and issue of the Notes on the terms and
conditions of this Agreement, the Trust Deed and the Prospectus,
the
_______________________________________________________________________________
13
_______________________________________________________________________________
execution and delivery of the Legal Agreements to which it is
a party and the implementation of the transactions contemplated by
such Legal Agreements and compliance with the terms of the Legal
Agreements to which it is a party do not, and will not,
(i) conflict with, or result in a breach of, any of the terms or
provisions of, or constitute a default under, the Memorandum and
Articles of Association of the Current Issuer or any agreement or
instrument to which the Current Issuer is a party or by which its
properties is bound; (ii) infringe any applicable law, rule,
regulation, judgment, order or decree of any government,
governmental body or court, having jurisdiction over the Current
Issuer or any of its properties; or (iii) result in the creation
or imposition of any mortgage, charge, pledge, lien or other
security interest on any of its properties, other than those
created in, or imposed by, the Legal Agreements themselves;
(h) FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(i) The auditor's report by PricewaterhouseCoopers, as
independent auditor to the Current Issuer, set out in the
Prospectus presents fairly the financial position of the
Current Issuer as at the date at which it has been prepared;
(ii) Since the date of each such report there has been no change
(nor any development or event involving a prospective change
of which the Current Issuer is, or might reasonably be
expected to be, aware) since the date of incorporation of
the Current Issuer which is materially adverse to the
condition (financial or other), prospects, results of
operations or general affairs of the Current Issuer; and
(iii) PricewaterhouseCoopers are independent public accountants
with respect to the Current Issuer within the meaning of the
standards established by the American Institute of Certified
Public Accountants;
(i) TAXATION
Save as described in the legal opinions referred to in Clause 9(d)
of this Agreement, no stamp or other similar duty is assessable or
payable in the United Kingdom, and no withholding or deduction for
any taxes, duties, assessments or governmental charges of whatever
nature is imposed or made for or on account of any income,
registration, transfer or turnover taxes, customs or other duties
or taxes of any kind in connection with the authorisation,
execution or delivery of the Legal Agreements or with the
authorisation, issue, sale or delivery of the Notes and (except as
disclosed in the Prospectus) the performance of the Current
Issuer's, Funding's and/or, as the case may be, the Mortgages
Trustee's obligations under the Legal Agreements and the Notes.
This warranty does not apply to any United Kingdom corporation tax
which may be levied, collected, withheld or assessed in connection
with the authorisation, execution or delivery of the Legal
Agreements or with the authorisation, issue, sale or delivery of
the Notes;
(j) BREACH OF OTHER AGREEMENTS
The Current Issuer is not in breach of or in default under any
agreement to which it is a party or which is binding on it or any
of its assets or revenues;
_______________________________________________________________________________
14
_______________________________________________________________________________
(k) EVENTS OF DEFAULT
No event has occurred or circumstance arisen which, had the Notes
already been issued, would (whether or not with the giving of
notice and/or the passage of time and/or the fulfillment of any
other requirement) constitute an Event of Default as set out in
the Conditions of the Notes;
(l) NO SUBSIDIARIES
The Current Issuer has no subsidiaries or subsidiary undertakings
within the meanings of Sections 258 and 736 of the Companies Act
1985;
(m) GRANITE FINANCE HOLDINGS LIMITED
The Previous Issuers, the Current Issuer, Funding, the Mortgages
Trustee and GPCH Limited are the only subsidiaries or subsidiary
undertakings of Granite Finance Holdings Limited within the
meanings of Sections 258 and 736 of the Companies Act 1985;
(n) NO ACTIVITIES
The Current Issuer has not engaged in any activities since its
incorporation other than (i) those incidental to any registration
or re-registration as a public limited company under the Companies
Acts 1985 and 1989 and various changes to its directors,
secretary, registered office, Memorandum and Articles of
Association; (ii) the authorisation and execution of the Legal
Agreements to which it is a party; (iii) the activities referred
to or contemplated in the Legal Agreements to which it is a party
or in the Prospectus and (v) the authorisation and issue by it of
the Notes. The Current Issuer has not (other than as set out in
the Prospectus) prepared any accounts and has neither paid any
dividends nor made any distributions since the date of its
incorporation;
(o) LISTING RULES
Prior to the delivery of the Prospectus to the Registrar of
Companies in England and Wales, the Prospectus has been approved
by or on behalf of the competent authority as listing particulars
as required by the listing rules made pursuant to Part VI of the
FSMA and the Prospectus complies with the listing rules made under
Section 72 of the FSMA;
(p) LITIGATION
There are no pending actions, suits or proceedings against or
affecting the Current Issuer which could individually or in the
aggregate have an adverse effect on the condition (financial or
other), prospects, results of operations or general affairs of the
Current Issuer or could adversely affect the ability of the
Current Issuer to perform its obligations under the Legal
Agreements or the Notes or which are otherwise material in the
context of the issue or offering of the Notes and, to the best of
the Current Issuer's knowledge, no such actions, suits or
proceedings are threatened or contemplated;
_______________________________________________________________________________
15
_______________________________________________________________________________
(q) NO PRIOR SECURITY
Save as set out in any of the Legal Agreements, there exists no
mortgage, lien, pledge or other charge on or over the assets of
the Current Issuer and, other than the Legal Agreements, the
Current Issuer has not entered into any indenture or trust deed;
(r) SECURITY FOR THE NOTES
The Notes and the obligations of the Current Issuer under the
Current Issuer Trust Deed will be secured in the manner provided
in the Current Issuer Deed of Charge and with the benefit of the
charges, covenants and other security interests provided for
therein including, without limitation, (i) an assignment by way of
first fixed security of the Current Issuer's right, title,
interest and benefit in the Intercompany Loan Agreement, the Swap
Agreements, the Funding Deed of Charge (as amended by the Deeds of
Accession and the Current Deed of Accession), the Current Issuer
Trust Deed, the Notes, the Current Issuer Paying Agent and Agent
Bank Agreement, the Current Issuer Cash Management Agreement, the
Current Issuer Corporate Services Agreement, the Current Issuer
Bank Account Agreement, the Post-Enforcement Call Option
Agreement, this Agreement, the Subscription Agreement and any
other of the Legal Agreements to which the Current Issuer is a
party; (ii) an assignment by way of first fixed charge over the
Current Issuer Transaction Accounts; (iii) a first fixed charge
(which may take effect as a floating charge) over the Current
Issuer's right, title, interest and benefit to any Authorised
Investments made with moneys standing to the credit of any of the
Current Issuer Bank Accounts; and (iv) a first ranking floating
charge over the whole of the assets and undertaking of the Current
Issuer which are not otherwise effectively subject to any fixed
charge or assignment by way of security;
(s) CAPITALISATION
The authorised capital of the Current Issuer is as set out in the
Prospectus;
(t) INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT
The Current Issuer is not an "investment company" as defined in
the United States Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the
"INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT"), and the offer and sale of the Notes in
the United States will not subject the Current Issuer to
registration under, or result in a violation of, the Investment
Company Act;
(u) UNITED STATES INCOME TAX
The Issuer will not engage in any activities in the United States
(directly or through agents), derive any income from United States
sources as determined under the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986,
as amended (the "CODE"), or hold any property if doing so would
cause it to be engaged or deemed to be engaged in a trade or
business within the United States as determined under the Code; and
(v) LEGAL AGREEMENTS
The representations given by the Current Issuer in the Legal
Agreements are true and accurate, and the description of the Legal
Agreements as set out in the Prospectus is materially complete and
accurate.
_______________________________________________________________________________
16
_______________________________________________________________________________
Unless otherwise indicated, the representations and warranties set out in
this Clause 5 shall be made on the date of the Prospectus and, if
different, the date of this Agreement.
6. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF FUNDING AND THE MORTGAGES TRUSTEE
Each of Funding and the Mortgages Trustee severally represents and
warrants (in respect of itself only) to, and agrees with each other, the
Underwriters, the Current Issuer, NRPLC and each of them that:
(a) THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
Together with the Current Issuer they have prepared and filed with
the Commission the Registration Statement, including a related
preliminary prospectus dated 7th January, 2003, for registration
under the Securities Act of the offering and sale of the Dollar
Notes. They may have filed one or more amendments thereto,
including a related preliminary prospectus, each of which has
previously been furnished to the Underwriters. They will next
file with the Commission one of the following either (1) prior to
the Effective Date of such Registration Statement, a further
amendment to such Registration Statement, including the form of
final prospectus or (2) after the Effective Date of such
Registration Statement, a final prospectus in accordance with
Rules 430A and 424(b). In the case of clause (2), they have
included in such Registration Statement, as amended at the
Effective Date, all information (other than Rule 430A Information)
required by the Securities Act and the rules thereunder to be
included in such Registration Statement and the Prospectus. As
filed, such amendment and form of final prospectus, or such final
prospectus, shall contain all Rule 430A Information, together with
all other such required information, and, except to the extent
that the Lead Underwriters shall agree in writing to a
modification, shall be in all substantive respects in the form
furnished to the Underwriters prior to the date of this Agreement,
or, to the extent not completed at the date of this Agreement,
shall contain only specific additional information and other
changes (beyond that contained in the latest preliminary
prospectus) as they have advised the Lead Underwriters, prior to
the date of this Agreement, will be included or made therein.
(b) NO MATERIAL MISSTATEMENTS OR OMISSIONS
On the Effective Date, the Registration Statement did or will, and
when the Prospectus is first filed (if required) in accordance
with Rule 424(b) and on the Closing Date, the Prospectus (and any
supplements thereto) will, comply in all material respects with
the applicable requirements of the Securities Act, the Exchange
Act and the Trust Indenture Act and the respective rules
thereunder; on the Effective Date and at the date of this
Agreement, the Registration Statement did not or will not contain
any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order
to make the statements therein not misleading; on the Effective
Date and on the Closing Date the Current Issuer Trust Deed did or
will comply in all material respects with the applicable
requirements of the Trust Indenture Act and the rules thereunder;
and on the Effective Date, the Prospectus, if not filed pursuant
to Rule 424(b), will not, and on the date of any filing pursuant
to Rule 424(b) and on the Closing Date, the Prospectus (together
with any supplement thereto) will not, include any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of
the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
provided, however, that neither Funding nor the Mortgages Trustee
makes any representations
_______________________________________________________________________________
17
_______________________________________________________________________________
or warranties as to the information contained in or omitted
from the Registration Statement, or the Prospectus (or any
statement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with
information furnished in writing to them by or on behalf of any
Underwriter through the Lead Underwriters specifically for
inclusion in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (or any
supplement thereto), which information is described in Clause
13.2;
(c) INCORPORATION, CAPACITY AND AUTHORISATION
Each is duly incorporated and validly existing under the laws of
Jersey, Channel Islands and Funding has lawfully constituted a
branch office in Great Britain in accordance with Ch. I of Part
XXIII of the Companies Act of 1985, as amended, with full power
and authority to conduct its business as described in the
Prospectus, is lawfully qualified to do business in Jersey and has
full power and capacity to execute this Agreement and the Legal
Agreements to which each is respectively a party, and to undertake
and perform the obligations expressed to be assumed by each herein
and therein; and each has taken all necessary action to approve
and authorise the same. Neither Funding nor the Mortgages Trustee
has taken any corporate action nor (to the best of its knowledge
and belief) have any other steps been taken or legal proceedings
been started or threatened against it for its winding-up,
dissolution or reorganisation or for the appointment of a
receiver, administrator, administrative receiver or similar
officer of it or of any or all of its assets or revenues;
(d) VALIDITY OF LEGAL AGREEMENTS
This Agreement has been duly authorised, executed and delivered by
each of Funding and the Mortgages Trustee and constitutes, and the
other Legal Agreements to which each of Funding and/or the
Mortgages Trustee is a party have been duly authorised by, as
applicable, Funding and the Mortgages Trustee and on the Closing
Date will constitute, valid and legally binding obligations of
each of Funding and the Mortgages Trustee;
(e) CONSENTS
All consents, approvals, authorisations and other orders of all
United States, Jersey, Channel Islands and United Kingdom
regulatory authorities required in connection with the execution
of and performance by, Funding and/or the Mortgages Trustee, of
the transactions contemplated by the Legal Agreements to which
Funding and/or the Mortgages Trustee, as the case may be, is a
party or the compliance by each of them with the terms of the
Legal Agreements are, or will on the Closing Date be, in full
force and effect;
(f) COMPLIANCE
The authorisation of the terms and conditions of this Agreement,
the execution and delivery of the Legal Agreements to which
Funding and/or, as the case may be, the Mortgages Trustee is party
and the implementation of the transactions contemplated by such
Legal Agreements and compliance with the terms of the Legal
Agreements do not, and will not, (i) conflict with, or result in a
breach of, any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a
default under, the Memorandum and Articles of Association of
Funding or the Mortgages Trustee or any agreement or instrument to
which Funding or the Mortgages Trustee is a party or by which its
properties is bound; (ii) infringe any applicable law, rule,
regulation, judgment, order or decree of
_______________________________________________________________________________
18
_______________________________________________________________________________
any government, governmental body or court, having
jurisdiction over either Funding or the Mortgages Trustee or any
of its properties; or (iii) result in the creation or imposition
of any mortgage, charge, pledge, lien or other security interest
on any of its or their properties, other than those created in, or
imposed by, the Legal Agreements themselves;
(g) BREACH OF OTHER AGREEMENTS
Neither Funding nor the Mortgages Trustee is in breach of or in
default under any agreement to which it is a party or which is
binding on it or any of its assets or revenues;
(h) EVENTS OF DEFAULT
No event has occurred or circumstance arisen which, had the
Intercompany Loan Agreement been entered into, would (whether or
not with the giving of notice and/or the passage of time and/or
the fulfillment of any other requirement) constitute an Event of
Default as set out in the Intercompany Loan Agreement;
(i) NO SUBSIDIARIES
The Mortgages Trustee does not have any subsidiaries or subsidiary
undertakings within the meanings of Sections 258 and 736 of the
Companies Act 1985. Funding does not have any subsidiaries or
subsidiary undertakings within the meanings of Sections 258 and
736 of the Companies Act 1985 save for the Previous Issuers and
the Current Issuer;
(j) NO ACTIVITIES
Neither Funding or the Mortgages Trustee has engaged in any
activities since its incorporation other than (i) those incidental
to any registration as private limited companies under the laws of
Jersey and (if any) various changes to its directors, secretary,
registered office, Memorandum and Articles of Association;
(ii) the authorisation, execution and in certain cases, amendment,
of the Legal Agreements to which each is a party; (iii) the
activities referred to or contemplated in the Legal Agreements or
in the Prospectus; (iv) the activities undertaken in connection
with the establishment of the Mortgages Trust pursuant to the
Mortgages Trust Deed and the establishment of a branch in the
United Kingdom; (v) the filing of a notification by the Mortgages
Trustee and Funding under the Data Protection Act 1998 (the "DPA")
and the application for a standard licence under the Consumer
Credit Act 1974; and (vi) any activities in connection with or
incidental to the issue of Previous Notes by the Previous Issuers
and the issue of the Notes by the Current Issuer. The first
statutory accounts of Funding were prepared and drawn up from the
date of incorporation to 31 December, 2001. The Mortgages Trustee
has not (other than as set out in the Prospectus) prepared any
accounts. Neither Funding nor the Mortgages Trustee has paid any
dividends nor made any distributions since their respective dates
of incorporation;
(k) BENEFICIAL OWNER
As of 27th January, 2003, following (i) the completion of the
assignment of the Additional Assigned Mortgage Portfolio to the
Mortgages Trustee pursuant to or in accordance with the Mortgage
Sale Agreement and (ii) the declaration of trust over
_______________________________________________________________________________
19
_______________________________________________________________________________
the Additional Assigned Mortgage Portfolio by the Mortgages
Trustee pursuant to and in accordance with the terms of the
Mortgages Trust Deed, the Mortgages Trustee will hold the
Additional Assigned Mortgage Portfolio, and held and will continue
to hold, the Existing Mortgage Portfolio on a bare trust for the
benefit of Funding and NRPLC in undivided shares absolutely;
(l) LITIGATION
There are no pending actions, suits or proceedings against or
affecting Funding or the Mortgages Trustee which could
individually or in the aggregate have an adverse effect on the
condition (financial or otherwise), prospects, results of
operations or general affairs of the Mortgages Trustee or Funding
(as the case may be) or could adversely affect the ability of the
Mortgages Trustee or Funding (as the case may be) to perform their
respective obligations under the Legal Agreements, or which are
otherwise material in the context of the transaction contemplated
by the Prospectus and, to the best of the knowledge of Funding and
the Mortgages Trustee, no such actions, suits or proceedings are
threatened or contemplated;
(m) NO PRIOR SECURITY
Save as set out in any of the Legal Agreements there exists no
mortgage, lien, pledge or other charge on or over the assets of
Funding and, other than the Legal Agreements, it has not entered
into any indenture or trust deed;
(n) SECURITY FOR THE INTERCOMPANY LOAN
Funding's obligations under, inter alios, the Intercompany Loan
Agreement will be secured in the manner provided in the Funding
Deed of Charge and with the benefit of the charges, covenants and
other security provided for therein including, without limitation,
(i) a first fixed charge (which may take effect as a floating
charge) over Funding's share of the Trust Property (as defined in
the Mortgages Trust Deed); (ii) an assignment by way of first
fixed security of all of Funding's right, title, interest and
benefit in the Mortgage Sale Agreement, the Mortgages Trust Deed,
the Administration Agreement, the Intercompany Loan Agreement,
each Previous Intercompany Loan Agreement, each Start-Up Loan
Agreement, the Funding Guaranteed Investment Contract, the Funding
Corporate Services Agreement, the Funding Cash Management
Agreement, the Bank Account Agreement and any other of the Legal
Agreements to which Funding is a party, save to the extent that
the same are situated in Jersey; (iii) an assignment by way of
first fixed security over Funding's right, title, interest and
benefit in the Funding Bank Accounts; (iv) a first fixed charge
(which may take effect as a floating charge) of Funding's right,
title, interest and benefit in all Authorised Investments
purchased with moneys standing to the credit of the Funding Bank
Accounts; and (v) a first floating charge over all the assets and
the undertaking of Funding which are not effectively subject to a
fixed charge or assignment by way of security;
(o) CAPITALISATION
The authorised capital of each of Funding and the Mortgages
Trustee is as set out in the Prospectus;
_______________________________________________________________________________
20
_______________________________________________________________________________
(p) INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT
Neither Funding nor the Mortgages Trustee is an "investment
company" as defined in the Investment Company Act, and the offer
and sale of the Notes in the United States will not subject
Funding or the Mortgages Trustee to registration under, or result
in a violation of, the Investment Company Act;
(q) UNITED STATES INCOME TAX
Neither Funding nor the Mortgages Trustee will engage in any
activities in the United States (directly or through agents),
derive any income from United States sources as determined under
the Code, or hold any property if doing so would cause it to be
engaged or deemed to be engaged in a trade or business within the
United States as determined under the Code;
(r) FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(i) The auditor's report by PricewaterhouseCoopers, as
independent auditor to Funding, set out in the Prospectus
presents fairly the financial position of Funding as at the
date at which it has been prepared;
(ii) since the date of each such report there has been no change
(nor any development or event involving a prospective change
of which Funding, is or might reasonably be expected to be,
aware) which is materially adverse to the condition
(financial or other), prospects, results of operations or
general affairs of Funding; and
(iii) PricewaterhouseCoopers are independent public accountants
with respect to Funding within the meaning of the standards
established by the American Institute of Certified Public
Accountants; and
(s) LEGAL AGREEMENTS
The representations given by Funding and the Mortgages Trustee in
the Legal Agreements are true and accurate, and the description of
the Legal Agreements as set out in the Prospectus is materially
complete and accurate.
Unless otherwise indicated, the representations and warranties set out in
this Clause 6 shall be made on the date of the Prospectus and, if
different, the date of this Agreement.
7. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF NRPLC
NRPLC represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Current Issuer,
Funding, the Mortgages Trustee, the Underwriters and each of them that:
(a) INCORPORATION
It is a public limited company duly incorporated and validly
existing under the laws of England and Wales, with full power and
authority to conduct its business as described in the Prospectus,
to execute this Agreement and the Legal Agreements to which it is
a party and to undertake and perform the obligations expressed to
be assumed by it herein and therein and has taken all necessary
action to approve and authorise the same and is lawfully qualified
to do business in England and Wales; and NRPLC has not taken any
corporate action nor (to the best of its knowledge and belief)
have any other steps been taken or legal proceedings been started
or threatened
_______________________________________________________________________________
21
_______________________________________________________________________________
against it for its winding-up, dissolution or reorganisation
or for the appointment of a receiver, administrator,
administrative receiver or similar officer of it or of any or all
of its assets or revenues; and it is not in liquidation;
(b) VALIDITY OF LEGAL AGREEMENTS
This Agreement has been duly authorised, executed and delivered by
NRPLC and constitutes, and the other Legal Agreements to which
NRPLC is a party will be duly authorised by NRPLC prior to the
Closing Date and on the Closing Date will constitute, valid and
legally binding obligations of NRPLC;
(c) RELATED SECURITY
NRPLC has not received notice of, and no solicitor employed in the
NRPLC Solicitors' Department is actually aware of, any material
litigation or claim, of any pending material litigation or claim,
calling into question NRPLC's title to any Related Security or the
value of any security therefor or its right to assign any such
Related Security to the Mortgages Trustee;
(d) CONSENTS
All consents, approvals and authorisations of all United Kingdom
regulatory authorities required on the part of NRPLC for or in
connection with the execution and performance of the transactions
contemplated by the Legal Agreements to which NRPLC is a party
have been, or will be prior to the Closing Date be, obtained and
are, or will prior to the Closing Date be, in full force and
effect including, without limiting the generality of the
foregoing, NRPLC having received a standard licence under the
Consumer Credit Act 1974 and NRPLC being registered under the DPA;
(e) COMPLIANCE
The sale of the Additional Assigned Mortgage Portfolio and the
related property and rights, the execution and delivery of the
Legal Agreements to which NRPLC is a party, the implementation of
the transactions contemplated by such Legal Agreements and
compliance with the terms of such Legal Agreements do not, and
will not, (i) conflict with, or result in a breach of, any of the
terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, the
Memorandum and Articles of Association of NRPLC, or any agreement
or instrument to which NRPLC is a party or by which it or any of
its properties is bound, where such breach or default might have a
material adverse effect in the context of the issue of the Notes;
or (ii) infringe any existing applicable law, rule, regulation,
judgment, order or decree of any government, governmental body or
court having jurisdiction over NRPLC or any of its properties; or
(iii) result in the creation or imposition of any mortgage,
charge, pledge, lien or other security interest on any of its
properties, other than those created in, or imposed by, the Legal
Agreements themselves;
(f) NO MATERIAL MISSTATEMENTS OR OMISSIONS
On the Effective Date, the Registration Statement did or will, and
when the Prospectus is first filed (if required) in accordance
with Rule 424(b) and on the Closing Date, the Prospectus (and any
supplements thereto) will, comply in all material respects with
the applicable requirements of the Securities Act, the Exchange
Act and the Trust Indenture Act and the respective rules
thereunder; on the Effective
_______________________________________________________________________________
22
_______________________________________________________________________________
Date and at the date of this Agreement, the Registration
Statement did not or will not contain any untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements
therein not misleading; on the Effective Date and the Closing Date
the Current Issuer Trust Deed did or will comply in all material
respects with the applicable requirements of the Trust Indenture
Act and the rules thereunder; and on the Effective Date, the
Prospectus, if not filed pursuant to Rule 424(b), will not, and on
the date of any filing pursuant to Rule 424(b) and on the Closing
Date, the Prospectus (together with any supplement thereto) will
not, include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading; provided, however, that NRPLC makes no
representations or warranties as to the information contained in
or omitted from the Registration Statement, or the Prospectus (or
any statement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with
information furnished in writing to NRPLC by or on behalf of any
Underwriter through the Lead Underwriters specifically for
inclusion in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (or any
supplement thereto), which information is described in Clause
13.2;
(g) BENEFICIAL OWNER
As of 27th January, 2003, following (i) the completion of the
assignment of the Additional Assigned Mortgage Portfolio (as
defined in the Prospectus) to the Mortgages Trustee pursuant to
and in accordance with the Mortgage Sale Agreement and (ii) the
declaration of trust over the Additional Assigned Mortgage
Portfolio by the Mortgages Trustee pursuant to and in accordance
with the terms of the Mortgages Trust Deed, the Mortgages Trustee
will hold, and will continue to hold, the Additional Assigned
Mortgage Portfolio and held and will continue to hold the Existing
Mortgage Portfolio (as defined in the Prospectus) on a bare trust
for the benefit of Funding and NRPLC in undivided shares
absolutely;
(h) LITIGATION
It is not a party to, and no solicitor in NRPLC's Solicitors'
Department is actually aware of, any actions, suits or proceedings
in relation to claims or amounts which could, if determined
adversely to NRPLC, materially adversely affect NRPLC's ability to
perform its obligations under the Legal Agreements; and
(i) MORTGAGE SALE AGREEMENT AND MORTGAGES TRUST DEED
The representations and warranties given by NRPLC in the Mortgage
Sale Agreement are true and accurate in all material respects as
when stated to be made and the representations and warranties
given by NRPLC in the Mortgages Trust Deed are true and accurate
in all material respects as when stated to be made.
Unless otherwise indicated, the representations and warranties set out in
this Clause 7 shall be made on the date of the Prospectus and, if
different, the date of this Agreement.
8. COVENANTS OF THE CURRENT ISSUER, FUNDING, THE MORTGAGES TRUSTEE AND NRPLC
8.1 The Current Issuer and, where expressly provided, Funding, the Mortgages
Trustee and NRPLC severally covenants to, and agrees each for itself
with, the Underwriters and each of them that:
_______________________________________________________________________________
23
_______________________________________________________________________________
(a) THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
The Current Issuer, Funding, the Mortgages Trustee and NRPLC will
use their best efforts to cause the Registration Statement, if not
effective at the date of this Agreement, and any amendment thereof,
to become effective. Prior to the termination of the offering of
the Notes, none of the Current Issuer, Funding, the Mortgages
Trustee or NRPLC will file any amendment of the Registration
Statement or supplement to the Prospectus or any Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement unless the Current Issuer, Funding, the
Mortgages Trustee and NRPLC have furnished the Lead Underwriters
with copies for their review prior to filing and none of them will
file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which the Lead
Underwriters reasonably object. Subject to the foregoing sentence,
if the Registration Statement has become or becomes effective
pursuant to Rule 430A, or filing of the Prospectus is otherwise
required under Rule 424(b), the Current Issuer, Funding, the
Mortgages Trustee and NRPLC will cause the Prospectus, properly
completed, and any supplement thereto to be filed with the
Commission pursuant to the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b)
within the time period prescribed and will provide evidence
satisfactory to the Lead Underwriters of such timely filing. The
Current Issuer, Funding, the Mortgages Trustee and NRPLC will
promptly advise the Lead Underwriters:
(i) when the Registration Statement, if not effective at the date
of this Agreement, shall have become effective;
(ii) when the Prospectus, and any supplement thereto, shall have
been filed (if required) with the Commission pursuant to Rule
424(b) or when any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement shall
have been filed with the Commission; and
(iii)when, prior to termination of the offering of the Notes, any
amendment to the Registration Statement shall have been filed
or become effective;
(b) SIGNED PROSPECTUS
The Current Issuer will deliver to the Underwriters, without
charge, on the date of this Agreement, such number of copies of
the Prospectus as the Underwriters may reasonably request, and the
Current Issuer will furnish to the Lead Underwriters on the date
of this Agreement four copies of the Prospectus signed by a duly
authorised director of the Current Issuer. The Current Issuer
will also promptly furnish each Underwriter (to the extent not
already furnished) and its counsel one conformed copy of the
Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment or
supplement thereto including all consents and exhibits filed
therewith;
(c) NOTIFY MATERIAL OMISSION
If at any time prior to the earlier of (i) completion (in the
reasonable view of the Lead Underwriters) of the distribution of
the Notes and (ii) three months after the Closing Date, any event
shall have occurred as a result of which the Registration
Statement or Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, would
include a statement of fact which is not true and accurate in all
material respects or omit any fact the omission of which would
make misleading in any material respect any statement therein
whether of fact or opinion, or if for any other reason it shall be
necessary to amend or supplement the Registration Statement or
Prospectus, then: (i) the Current Issuer will promptly notify the
Underwriters; (ii) the Current Issuer shall promptly prepare and
timely file with the Commission any amendment or supplement to the
Registration
_______________________________________________________________________________
24
_______________________________________________________________________________
Statement or any Prospectus that may, in the reasonable
judgement of the Current Issuer or the Underwriters, be required
by the Securities Act or requested by the Commission; (iii) the
Current Issuer will, without charge, supply to the Underwriters as
many copies as the Lead Underwriters may reasonably request of an
amended Prospectus or a supplement to the Prospectus which will
correct such statement or omission; and (iv) the provisions of
Clauses 5(a), 5(b), 5(c), 5(h), 5(o), 5(s), 6(a), 6(b), 6(c),
6(o), 6(r), 7(a) and 7(f) shall be deemed to be repeated by, as
applicable, the Current Issuer, Funding, the Mortgages Trustee and
NRPLC as of the date of each such amended Prospectus or supplement
to the Prospectus on the basis that each reference to "PROSPECTUS"
in such provisions of Clauses 5, 6 and 7 shall be deemed to be a
reference to the Prospectus as amended or supplemented as at such
date;
(d) NOTIFY CHANGE
Without prejudice to its obligations under Clause 8.1(c), the
Current Issuer will notify the Underwriters promptly of any change
affecting any of its representations, warranties, covenants,
agreements or indemnities in this Agreement at any time prior to
payment of the net underwriting proceeds for the Notes being made
to the Current Issuer on the Closing Date and will take such steps
as may be reasonably requested by the Lead Underwriters to remedy
and/or publicise the same;
(e) OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
Between the date of this Agreement and the Closing Date (both
dates inclusive) none of NRPLC, the Current Issuer, Funding or the
Mortgages Trustee will, without the prior approval of the Lead
Underwriters on behalf of the Underwriters (such approval not to
be unreasonably withheld or delayed), make any official
announcement which would have an adverse effect on the
marketability of the Notes;
(f) STAMP DUTY
(i) The Current Issuer will pay any stamp duty, issue,
registration, documentary or other taxes of a similar nature
and duties that it is required to pay under the Legal
Agreements to which it is a party payable in the United
Kingdom, Belgium, Luxembourg or the United States, including
interest and penalties in connection with the creation,
issue, distribution and offering of the Notes or in
connection with the execution, delivery or enforcement of
any of the Legal Agreements to which it is a party together
with any value added, turnover or similar tax payable in
respect of that amount (and references in this Agreement to
such amount shall be deemed to include any such taxes so
payable in addition to it);
(ii) Funding will pay any stamp duty, issue, registration,
documentary or other taxes of a similar nature and duties
that it is required to pay under the Legal Agreements to
which it is a party payable in the United Kingdom, Jersey,
Channel Islands or the United States, including interest and
penalties in connection with the execution, delivery or
enforcement of any of the Legal Agreements to which it is a
party (other than in respect of the execution, delivery or
enforcement of the Mortgages Trust Deed and any Legal
Agreement to which the Current Issuer is a party) together
with any value added, turnover or similar tax payable in
respect of that amount (and references in this Agreement to
such amount shall be deemed to include any such taxes so
payable in addition to it); and
_______________________________________________________________________________
25
_______________________________________________________________________________
(iii) The Mortgages Trustee will pay any stamp duty, issue,
registration, documentary or other taxes of a similar nature
and duties that it is required to pay under the Legal
Agreements to which it is a party payable in the United
Kingdom, Jersey, Channel Islands or the United States,
including interest and penalties in connection with the
execution, delivery or enforcement of the Mortgages Trust
Deed (including any amendment thereto) and the Mortgage Sale
Agreement (including any amendment thereto) (together with
any value added, turnover or similar tax payable in respect
of that amount (and references in this Agreement to such
amount shall be deemed to include any such taxes so payable
in addition to it)) but will be promptly reimbursed an
amount equal to any such payments by the Beneficiaries in
accordance with the terms of the Mortgages Trust Deed;
(g) UNITED STATES INCOME TAX
The Current Issuer will not engage in any activities in the United
States (directly or through agents), will not derive any income
from United States sources as determined under the Code and will
not hold any property if doing so would cause it to be engaged or
deemed to be engaged in a trade or business within the United
States as determined under the Code;
(h) PAYMENT OF FEES, CHARGES, COSTS AND DUTIES
(i) Without prejudice to the generality of Clause 12.1, the
Current Issuer will pay all and any fees, charges, costs and
duties and any stamp and other similar taxes or duties that
it is required to pay under the Legal Agreements to which it
is a party, including interest and penalties, arising from
or in connection with the creation of the security for the
Notes and the obligations of the Current Issuer under the
Current Issuer Trust Deed and for the other amounts to be
secured as contemplated by the Current Issuer Deed of
Charge, and the perfection of such security at any time;
(ii) Without prejudice to the generality of Clause 12.1, Funding
will pay all and any fees, charges, costs and duties and any
stamp and other similar taxes or duties that it is required
to pay under the Legal Agreements to which it is a party,
including interest and penalties, arising from or in
connection with the creation of the security for the
Intercompany Loan and for the other amounts to be secured as
contemplated by the Funding Deed of Charge the Deeds of
Accession and the Current Deed of Accession and the
perfection of such security at any time; and
(iii) Without prejudice to the generality of Clause 12.1, the
Mortgages Trustee will pay all and any fees, charges, costs
and duties and any stamp and other similar taxes or duties
that it is required to pay under the Legal Agreements to
which it is a party, including interest and penalties,
arising from or in connection with the purchase of the
Related Security (and related property and rights) excluding
H.M. Land Registry fees (it being agreed that registration
or recording at H.M. Land Registry of the transfer of the
Related Security to the Mortgages Trustee will not be
applied for except in the circumstances specified in the
Administration Agreement); but on the basis that the
Mortgages Trustee will be reimbursed such fees, charges,
costs and duties and any stamp and other similar taxes or
duties (including interest and
_______________________________________________________________________________
26
_______________________________________________________________________________
penalties) by the Beneficiaries pursuant to the terms of the
Mortgages Trust Deed;
(i) PERFORM ALL REQUIRED ACTIONS
On or prior to the Closing Date each of NRPLC, the Current Issuer,
Funding and the Mortgages Trustee will do all things reasonably
within each of their respective powers and required of each of
them on such date under the terms of the Legal Agreements to which
each is a party;
(j) REVIEW OF RELATED SECURITY
NRPLC will deliver to the Lead Underwriters on or around the date
of this Agreement a letter addressed to the Underwriters or their
affiliates (relating to the review by PricewaterhouseCoopers of
the Related Security and referred to in the Signing and Closing
Memorandum as the Auditors' pool audit report letter) dated on or
around the date of this Agreement in the agreed form addressed to
NRPLC and the Underwriters from PricewaterhouseCoopers;
(k) CONDITIONS PRECEDENT
The Current Issuer will use all reasonable endeavours to procure
satisfaction on or before the Closing Date of the conditions
referred to in Clause 9 of this Agreement;
(l) ADMINISTRATION AGREEMENT
Funding and the Mortgages Trustee will use all reasonable
endeavours to procure that NRPLC complies with its obligations
under the Administration Agreement;
(m) CHARGES AND SECURITY INTERESTS
(i) The Current Issuer will procure that each of the charges and
other security interests created by or contained in the
Current Issuer Deed of Charge is registered within all
applicable time limits in all appropriate registers; and
(ii) Funding will procure that each of the charges and other
security interests created by or contained in the Funding Deed
of Charge, the Deeds of Accession and the Current Deed of
Accession is registered within all applicable time limits in
all appropriate registers;
(n) RATINGS
None of NRPLC, the Current Issuer, Funding or the Mortgages
Trustee will take, or cause to be taken, any action and none of
them will permit any action to be taken which it knows or has
reason to believe would result in the Notes not being assigned a
F1+ rating for the Series 1 Class A1 Notes, the Series 1 Class A2
Notes and the Series 1 Class A3 Notes, an AA rating for the Series
1 Class B Notes and a BBB rating for the Series 1 Class C Notes by
Fitch Ratings Ltd. ("FITCH RATINGS"), a P-1 rating for the Series
1 Class A1 Notes, the Series 1 Class A2 Notes and the Series 1
Class A3 Notes, an Aa3 rating for the Series 1 Class B Notes and a
Baa2 rating for the Series 1 Class C Notes by Xxxxx'x Investors
Service ("MOODY'S") and an A-1+rating for the Series 1 Class A1
Notes, the Series 1 Class A2 Notes and the Series 1 Class A3
Notes, an AA rating for the Series 1 Class B Notes and a BBB
rating for the
_______________________________________________________________________________
27
_______________________________________________________________________________
Series 1 Class C Notes by Standard & Poor's Rating Services, a
division of The XxXxxx-Xxxx Companies, Inc. ("STANDARD & POOR'S");
(o) LEGAL AGREEMENTS
Prior to closing on the Closing Date none of NRPLC, the Current
Issuer, Funding or the Mortgages Trustee will amend the terms of
the executed Legal Agreements, nor execute any of the other Legal
Agreements other than in the agreed form, without the consent of
the Lead Underwriters (such consent not to be unreasonably
withheld or delayed);
(p) COMMISSION FILINGS
The Current Issuer, Funding and the Mortgages Trustee will file,
in a timely manner, with the Commission during any period during
which a prospectus relating to the Notes is required to be
delivered under the Securities Act until three months after the
Closing Date (the "MARKETING PERIOD"), all documents (and any
amendments to previously filed documents) required to be filed by
them pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c) or 15(d) of the Exchange
Act, provided that none of the Current Issuer, Funding or the
Mortgages Trustee will file any such document or amendment unless
the Current Issuer, Funding and the Mortgages Trustee have
furnished the Lead Underwriters with copies for their review prior
to filing and none of them will file any such proposed document or
amendment until the Underwriters have been consulted and given a
reasonable opportunity to comment on such document or amendment;
(q) COPIES OF FILINGS AND COMMISSION
Prior to filing with the Commission during the Marketing Period,
if there is (i) any amendment or supplement to the Registration
Statement, (ii) any amendment or supplement to any Prospectus, or
(iii) any material document filed by the Current Issuer, Funding
or the Mortgages Trustee with the Commission pursuant to Sections
13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act including but not
limited to (A) any interim or any report submitted to the
Commission on Form 6-K ("FORM 6-K") or Form 20-F ("FORM 20-F")
under the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder or
(B) any amendment of or supplement to any such document, the
Current Issuer, Funding and the Mortgages Trustee, as the case may
be, will furnish a copy thereof to each Underwriter, and counsel
to the Underwriters;
(r) NOTICE TO UNDERWRITERS OF CERTAIN EVENTS
During the Marketing Period, the Current Issuer will advise the
Underwriters immediately (i) when any post-effective amendment to
the Registration Statement becomes effective, (ii) of any request
or proposed request by the Commission, whether written or oral,
for an amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement, to
any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, to any Prospectus or to
any material document filed by the Current Issuer, Funding or the
Mortgages Trustee with or submitted to the Commission pursuant to
Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act and the
rules and regulations thereunder or for any additional information
and the Current Issuer, Funding and the Mortgages Trustee will
afford the Underwriters a reasonable opportunity to comment on any
such proposed amendment or supplement, (iii) of the issuance by
the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of
the Registration Statement or any part thereof or any
_______________________________________________________________________________
28
_______________________________________________________________________________
order directed to the Prospectus or any document incorporated
therein by reference or the initiation or threat of any stop order
proceeding or of any challenge to the accuracy or adequacy of any
document incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, (iv) of
receipt by NRPLC or the Current Issuer of any notification with
respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Notes for
sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threat of any
proceeding for that purpose and (v) of any downgrading in the
rating of the Notes or any debt securities of NRPLC or the Current
Issuer by any "nationally recognized statistical rating
organization" (as defined for purposes of Rule 436(g) under the
Securities Act), or if any such organisation shall have informed
NRPLC or the Current Issuer or made any public announcement that
any such organisation has under surveillance or review its rating
of any debt securities of NRPLC or the Current Issuer (other than
an announcement with positive implications of a possible
upgrading, and no implication of a possible downgrading of such
rating) as soon as such announcement is made or NRPLC or the
Current Issuer is so informed;
(s) STOP ORDERS
The Current Issuer will use its best efforts to prevent the
issuance of any stop order or the suspension of any qualification
referred to in Clause 8.1(q) above and if, during the Marketing
Period, the Commission shall issue a stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement or such qualification
of the Notes for sale in any jurisdiction is suspended, the
Current Issuer will make every reasonable effort to obtain the
lifting of that order or suspension at the earliest possible time;
and
(t) BLUE SKY QUALIFICATIONS
The Current Issuer will co-operate with the Underwriters to
qualify the Dollar Notes for offering and sale under the
securities laws of such jurisdictions of the United States as the
Underwriters may designate, and to maintain such qualifications in
effect for as long as may be required for the distribution of the
Dollar Notes, and to file such statements and reports as may be
required by the laws of each jurisdiction in which the Dollar
Notes have been qualified as above provided that in connection
therewith the Current Issuer shall not be required to qualify as a
foreign corporation or to file a general consent to service of
process in any jurisdiction or to take any other action that would
subject it to service of process in suits in any jurisdiction
other than those arising out of the offering or sale of the Dollar
Notes in such jurisdiction or to register as a dealer in
securities or to become subject to taxation in any jurisdiction.
8.2 NRPLC covenants to and agrees with the Underwriters and each of them
that:
(a) NOTIFY CHANGE
NRPLC will notify the Underwriters promptly of any change
affecting any of its representations, warranties, covenants,
agreements or indemnities in this Agreement at any time prior to
payment of the net underwriting proceeds of the Notes being made
to the Current Issuer on the Closing Date and will take such steps
as may be reasonably requested by the Lead Underwriters to remedy
and/or publicise the same. In the event that the Prospectus is
amended or supplemented pursuant to Clause 8.1(c) above, then the
representations and warranties contained in Clause 7(f) shall be
deemed to be repeated by NRPLC as of the date of such amended
Prospectus or supplement to the Prospectus, on the basis that each
reference to "Prospectus" in
_______________________________________________________________________________
29
_______________________________________________________________________________
Clause 7(f) shall be deemed to be a reference to the
Prospectus as amended or supplemented as at such date;
(b) PERFORM ALL REQUIRED ACTIONS
On or prior to the Closing Date, NRPLC will do all things
reasonably within its power and required of it on such date under
the terms of the Legal Agreements to which it is a party;
(c) RATINGS
NRPLC will not take, or cause to be taken, any action and will not
permit any action to be taken which it knows or has reason to
believe would result in the Current Issuer not being assigned a
F1+ rating for the Series 1 Class A1 Notes, the Series 1 Class A2
Notes and the Series 1 Class A3 Notes, an AA rating for the Series
1 Class B Notes and a BBB rating for the Series 1 Class C Notes by
Fitch Ratings, a P-1 rating for the Series 1 Class A1 Notes, the
Series 1 Class A2 Notes and the Series 1 Class A3 Notes, an Aa3
rating for the Series 1 Class B Notes and a Baa2 rating for the
Series 1 Class C Notes by Xxxxx'x and an A-1+ rating for the
Series 1 Class A1 Notes, the Series 1 Class A2 Notes and the
Series 1 Class A3 Notes, an AA rating for the Series 1 Class B
Notes and a BBB rating for the Series 1 Class C Notes by Standard
& Poor's; and
(d) LEGAL AGREEMENTS
Prior to closing on the Closing Date NRPLC will not amend the
terms of any of the already executed Legal Agreements, nor execute
any of the other Legal Agreements other than in the agreed form,
without the consent of the Lead Underwriters (such consent not to
be unreasonably withheld or delayed).
9. CONDITIONS PRECEDENT
9.1 The obligation of the Underwriters under this Agreement to subscribe for
the Dollar Notes is subject to the following conditions precedent:
(a) THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
(i) If the Registration Statement has not become effective prior
to the date of this Agreement, unless the Lead Underwriters
agree in writing to a later time, the Registration Statement
will become effective not later than (i) 6:00 pm New York
City time on the date of determination of the public
offering price, if such determination occurred at or prior
to 3:00 pm New York City time on such date or (ii) 9:30 am
New York City time on the next business day in New York
following the day on which the public offering price was
determined, if such determination occurred after 3:00 pm New
York City time on such date;
(ii) If filing of the Prospectus, or any supplement thereto, is
required pursuant to Rule 424(b), the Prospectus, and any
such supplement, will be filed in the manner and within the
time period required by Rule 424(b); and
_______________________________________________________________________________
30
_______________________________________________________________________________
(iii) No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement shall have been issued and no
proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or
threatened;
(b) EXECUTION OF LEGAL AGREEMENTS AND THE GLOBAL NOTES
The execution and delivery by all parties thereto of the Legal
Agreements and the Global Notes representing each class of the
Dollar Notes on or prior to the Closing Date;
(c) ADMISSION TO TRADING
The Dollar Notes having been admitted to the Official List
maintained by UK Listing Authority and the Stock Exchange having
agreed to admission of the Dollar Notes to trading on or about the
Closing Date;
(d) LEGAL OPINIONS
On or prior to the Closing Date, there having been delivered to
the Current Issuer, the Underwriters, the Note Trustee and the
Security Trustee copies of opinions and disclosure letters, in
form and substance satisfactory to the Lead Underwriters, the Note
Trustee, the Security Trustee and the Rating Agencies, dated the
Closing Date, of:
(i) Xxxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxx & Xxxx, legal and tax advisers as to
English law and as to US law to NRPLC, the Mortgages
Trustee, Funding and the Current Issuer, addressed to NRPLC,
the Mortgages Trustee, Funding, the Current Issuer, the
Underwriters, the Managers, the Note Trustee and the
Security Trustee;
(ii) Mourant du Feu & Jeune, legal advisers as to Jersey law to
Funding and the Mortgages Trustee, addressed to Funding, the
Mortgages Trustee, the Underwriters, the Managers, the Note
Trustee and the Security Trustee;
(iii) Xxxxx & Xxxxx, legal advisers as to US law to the
Underwriters and the Managers, addressed to the
Underwriters; and
(iv) Counsel for the Currency Rate Swap Provider;
(e) AUDITORS' LETTERS
(A) On or around the date of this Agreement, there having been
addressed and delivered to the Underwriters letters, in form
and substance satisfactory to the Lead Underwriters, dated on
or around the date of this Agreement, from
PricewaterhouseCoopers, the independent auditors of the
Current Issuer and Funding; and
(B) On the Closing Date, there having been addressed and delivered
to the Current Issuer, in form and substance satisfactory to
the Lead Underwriters, a pool report in respect of agreed upon
procedures in connection with the Northern Rock plc mortgage
files (with no material exceptions to the results stated
therein) from PricewaterhouseCoopers;
_______________________________________________________________________________
31
_______________________________________________________________________________
(f) CERTIFIED CONSTITUTIONAL DOCUMENTS
On or prior to the Closing Date, there having been delivered to
the Lead Underwriters on behalf of the Underwriters a copy,
certified by a duly authorised director or the company secretary
of, as applicable, the Current Issuer, Funding and the Mortgages
Trustee of: (i) the Memorandum and Articles of Association of each
of the Current Issuer, Funding and the Mortgages Trustee; (ii) the
resolution of the Board of Directors of each of the Current
Issuer, Funding and the Mortgages Trustee authorising the
execution of this Agreement and the other Legal Agreements and the
entry into and performance of the transactions contemplated
thereby; and (iii) in respect of the Current Issuer, the issue of
the Notes and the entry into and performance of the transactions
contemplated thereby;
(g) ACCURACY OF REPRESENTATIONS
At the Closing Date: (i) the representations and warranties of the
Current Issuer, Funding, the Mortgages Trustee and NRPLC in this
Agreement being true, accurate and correct at, and as if made on,
the Closing Date and the Current Issuer, Funding, the Mortgages
Trustee and NRPLC having performed all of their obligations in the
Legal Agreements to be performed on or before the Closing Date;
and (ii) there having been delivered to the Underwriters a
certificate to that effect signed by a duly authorised officer of,
as applicable, the Current Issuer, Funding, the Mortgages Trustee
and NRPLC, dated the Closing Date and confirming that, since the
date of this Agreement, there has been no adverse change, nor any
development involving a prospective adverse change, in or
affecting the operations, properties, financial condition or
prospects of the Current Issuer, Funding, the Mortgages Trustee or
NRPLC which is material in the context of the issue of the Notes;
(h) CIRCUMSTANCES FOR TERMINATION
On or prior to the Closing Date, in the opinion of the Lead
Underwriters (after consultation with NRPLC, if practicable), none
of the circumstances described in Clause 14.1(c) or 14.1(d) having
arisen;
(i) RATINGS
Receipt of notification from Fitch Ratings, Xxxxx'x and Standard &
Poor's that the ratings for the Notes described in the Prospectus
have been assigned either without conditions or subject only to
the execution and delivery on or before the Closing Date of the
Legal Agreements and legal opinions in all material respects in
the form in which they shall then have been executed and delivered
on or prior to the Closing Date, there not having been a public
announcement from any of the above rating agencies that such
agency has revised downwards or withdrawn or placed on review or
"creditwatch" with negative implications or with implications of a
possible change that does not indicate the direction of such
possible change (or other similar publication of formal review by
the relevant rating agency) any existing credit rating assigned to
the Notes or the long term debt of NRPLC;
(j) OTHER ISSUES
The Reg S Notes having been or being issued and subscribed and
paid for pursuant to the Subscription Agreement prior to or
contemporaneously with the issue, subscription and payment for the
Dollar Notes hereunder;
_______________________________________________________________________________
32
_______________________________________________________________________________
(k) MATERIAL ADVERSE EVENT
There not having been between the date of this Agreement and the
Closing Date any change or any development or event reasonably
likely to involve a prospective change which would, in the
judgment of the Lead Underwriters, be materially adverse to the
financial or trading condition of the Current Issuer, Funding, the
Mortgages Trustee or NRPLC from that set forth in the Prospectus,
or rendering untrue and incorrect any of the representations and
warranties contained in Clauses 5, 6 and 7 as though the said
representations and warranties had been given on the Closing Date
with reference to the facts and circumstances prevailing at that
date nor the failure of the Current Issuer, Funding, the Mortgages
Trustee or NRPLC to perform each and every covenant to be
performed by it pursuant to the Legal Agreements, the Mortgage
Loans and the Related Security on or prior to the Closing Date;
(l) SOLVENCY CERTIFICATES
(i) The Current Issuer having furnished or caused to be
furnished to the Underwriters and the Note Trustee at the
Closing Date a solvency certificate, dated the Closing Date,
of a duly authorised director of the Current Issuer in the
agreed form;
(ii) Funding having furnished or caused to be furnished to the
Current Issuer, NRPLC and the Security Trustee a solvency
certificate, dated the Closing Date, of a duly authorised
director of Funding in the agreed form;
(iii) The Mortgages Trustee having furnished or caused to be
furnished to the Underwriters, the Current Issuer, the
Security Trustee and NRPLC a solvency certificate, dated the
Closing Date, of a duly authorised director of the Mortgages
Trustee in the agreed form; and
(iv) NRPLC having furnished or caused to be furnished to the
Underwriters, the Current Issuer, the Security Trustee,
Funding and the Mortgages Trustee a solvency certificate,
dated the Closing Date, of a duly authorised officer or
director of NRPLC in the agreed form;
(m) POLICY STATEMENT 104 APPLICATION
On or prior to the Closing Date, all reasonable efforts having been
taken by the Current Issuer to procure that the Policy Statement
104 Application of the Current Issuer has been approved by the
relevant New York state authority; and
(n) MORTGAGE SALE AGREEMENT
All of the steps required by Clause 4 of the Mortgage Sale
Agreement for the purposes of the purchase of a New Mortgage
Portfolio by the Mortgages Trustee from NRPLC on the Closing Date
and related rights to be acquired from NRPLC pursuant thereto
having been taken.
9.2 Prior to the Closing Date, there shall be furnished to the Lead
Underwriters such further information, certificates, opinions and
documents as the Lead Underwriters may reasonably request.
_______________________________________________________________________________
33
_______________________________________________________________________________
9.3 If any of the conditions specified in this Clause 9 have not been
fulfilled in all material respects when and as provided in this
Agreement, or if any of the opinions and certificates mentioned above or
elsewhere in this Agreement shall not be reasonably satisfactory in all
material respects in form and substance to the Lead Underwriters, this
Agreement and all obligations of the Underwriters hereunder may be
cancelled at, or at any time prior to, the Closing Date by the Lead
Underwriters. Notice of such cancellation shall be given to the Current
Issuer in writing or by telephone or facsimile confirmed in writing.
9.4 The Lead Underwriters, on behalf of the Underwriters, may, in their
discretion, waive compliance with the whole or any part of this Clause 9.
10. CLOSING
10.1 ISSUE OF DOLLAR NOTES
(a) Not later than 4:00 p.m. (London time) on the Closing Date, the Current
Issuer will cause the Global Note Certificate for each of the Series 1
Class A1 Notes, Series 1 Class A2 Notes, Series 1 Class A3 Notes, Series 1
Class B Notes and the Series 1 Class C Notes to be registered in the name
of Cede & Co. as nominee for DTC for credit on the Closing Date to the
account of the Lead Underwriters with DTC or to such other account with
DTC as the Lead Underwriters may direct; and
(b) Deliver the Global Note Certificate for each of the Series 1 Class A1
Notes, Series 1 Class A2 Notes, Series 1 Class A3 Notes, Series 1 Class B
Notes and the Series 1 Class C Notes, duly executed on behalf of the
Current Issuer and authenticated in accordance with the Paying Agent and
Agent Bank Agreement, to Citibank N.A., as custodian for DTC.
10.2 PAYMENT
Against delivery of the Dollar Notes (i) the Underwriters will pay to the
Lead Underwriters the gross underwriting proceeds for the Dollar Notes
and (ii) the Lead Underwriters will pay proceeds to the Current Issuer or
to a third party, as directed by the Current Issuer, the gross
underwriting proceeds for the Dollar Notes. Such payment shall be made
by the Lead Underwriters in Dollars in immediately available funds to the
account of the Current Issuer, account number 0000000, sort code 18-50-80
or such other account as the Current Issuer may direct, and shall be
evidenced by a confirmation from the Lead Underwriters that they have so
made that payment to the Current Issuer.
10.3 GROSS UNDERWRITING PROCEEDS
The Current Issuer undertakes that on the Closing Date it will apply the
gross underwriting proceeds for the Notes forthwith in making a loan to
Funding pursuant to the terms of the Intercompany Loan Agreement.
Funding undertakes that it will apply the proceeds of the Intercompany
Loan to make payment to the Mortgages Trustee or at the Mortgages
Trustee's direction of the purchase price of a portion of Funding's
beneficial share of the Additional Assigned Mortgage Portfolio and
related rights pursuant to the Mortgage Sale Agreement.
11. COMMISSIONS
11.1 In consideration of the obligations undertaken herein by the
Underwriters, the Current Issuer agrees to pay to the Underwriters a
selling commission (the "SELLING COMMISSION") of .050 per cent. of the
aggregate principal amount of the Series 1 Class A1 Notes, .090 per cent.
of the aggregate principal amount of the Series 1 Class A2 Notes, .090
per cent. of the aggregate
_______________________________________________________________________________
34
_______________________________________________________________________________
principal amount of the Series 1 Class A3 Notes, .135 per cent. of
the aggregate principal amount of the Series 1 Class B Notes, and .240
per cent. of the aggregate principal amount of the Series 1 Class C
Notes, respectively, and a combined management and underwriting
commission (the "MANAGEMENT AND UNDERWRITING COMMISSION") of .030 per
cent. of the aggregate principal amount of the Series 1 Class A1 Notes,
.060 per cent. of the aggregate principal amount of the Series 1 Class A2
Notes, .060 per cent. of the aggregate principal amount of the Series 1
Class A3 Notes, .090 per cent. of the aggregate principal amount of the
Series 1 Class B Notes and .160 per cent. of the aggregate principal
amount of the Series 1 Class C Notes respectively.
11.2 The Current Issuer undertakes and covenants that on the Closing Date it
will pay to the Lead Underwriters the aggregate Selling Commission and
aggregate Management and Underwriting Commission calculated in accordance
with Clause 11.1.
12. EXPENSES
12.1 GENERAL EXPENSES
The Current Issuer covenants to pay or cause to be paid the following
(together with (i) in respect of taxable supplies made to the Current
Issuer, any amount in respect of value added tax or similar tax payable
in respect thereof against production of a valid tax invoice and (ii) in
respect of taxable supplies made to a person other than the Current
Issuer, any amount in respect of Irrecoverable VAT (for the purposes of
this Agreement "IRREVOCABLE VAT" means any amount in respect of VAT
incurred by a party to the Transaction Documents (for the purposes of
this definition, a "RELEVANT PARTY") as part of a payment in respect of
which it is entitled to be indemnified under the relevant Transaction
Documents to the extent that the Relevant Party does not or will not
receive and retain a credit or repayment of such VAT as input tax (as
that expression is defined in section 24(1) of the Value Added Tax Act
1994) for the prescribed accounting period (as that expression is used in
section 25(1) of the Value Added Tax Act 1994) to which such input tax
relates) or similar tax payable in respect thereof against production of
a valid tax invoice): (a) the fees, disbursements and expenses of the
Current Issuer's legal advisers and accountants and all other expenses of
the Current Issuer in connection with the issue (including without
limitation any filing fees payable to the Commission in connection with
the registration of the Dollar Notes under the Securities Act and any
fees payable in connection with the qualification of the Dollar Notes for
offering and sale pursuant to any NASD regulatory provisions or under any
applicable United States state securities, Blue Sky or similar laws) and
listing of the Dollar Notes (including without limitation, any
advertisements required in connection therewith); the preparation and
delivery of each class of the Notes in global form and (if required)
definitive form; the costs of the initial delivery and distribution of
the Notes (including, without limitation, transportation, packaging and
insurance) and the initial fees and expenses of The Depository Trust
Company in relation to the Notes (excluding any such fees and expenses
arising as a result of any transfer of the Notes); the preparation and
printing of the Prospectus (in proof, preliminary and final form) and any
amendments and supplements thereto and the mailing and delivery of copies
of this Agreement to the Underwriters; (b) the cost of printing or
reproducing the Legal Agreements and any other documents prepared in
connection with the offering, issue and initial delivery of the Notes;
(c) the fees and expenses of the Note Trustee and the Security Trustee
(including fees and expenses of legal advisers to the Note Trustee and
the Security Trustee), the US Paying Agent and the Agent Bank in each
case reasonably incurred in connection with the preparation and execution
of the Legal Agreements and any other relevant documents and the issue of
the Notes and compliance with the Conditions of the Notes; (d) the fees
and expenses incurred or payable in connection with obtaining a rating
for the Notes from Fitch Ratings, Xxxxx'x and Standard & Poor's and
annual fees in connection
_______________________________________________________________________________
35
_______________________________________________________________________________
with such rating or any other rating from such institution for the
Notes; (e) the fees and expenses payable in connection with obtaining and
maintaining the admission to trading of the Notes on the Stock Exchange;
(f) reasonable out-of-pocket expenses (excluding legal expenses) incurred
by the Lead Underwriters on behalf of the Underwriters in connection with
the transactions contemplated hereby; (g) any reasonable roadshow
expenses incurred by the Lead Underwriters on behalf of the Underwriters;
and (h) any reasonable amount in respect of the fees and disbursements of
the Underwriters' legal advisers in relation thereto.
12.2 REIMBURSEMENT
The Current Issuer will reimburse the Underwriters for all amounts in
connection with the issue of the Notes which it has agreed to pay
pursuant to Clause 12.1.
12.3 For the avoidance of doubt, references to costs and expenses in this
Agreement shall be deemed to include, in addition, references to any
irrecoverable UK value added tax payable in respect of such costs and
expenses.
13. INDEMNIFICATION
13.1 CURRENT ISSUER, FUNDING, MORTGAGES TRUSTEE AND NRPLC INDEMNITY
Each of the Current Issuer, Funding, the Mortgages Trustee and NRPLC
jointly and severally agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each
Underwriter, the directors, officers, employees and agents of each
Underwriter and each person who controls any Underwriter (each an
"INDEMNIFIED PERSON") within the meaning of either the Securities Act or
the Exchange Act against any and all losses, claims, damages or
liabilities, joint or several, to which they or any of them may become
subject, including without limitation any such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities arising under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or other
Federal or state statutory law or regulation, at common law or otherwise,
insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in
respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration
Statement for the registration of the Dollar Notes as originally filed or
in any amendment thereof, or in any Registration Statement, any
preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, or in any amendment thereof or
supplement thereto, or in any data, table, computer record, electronic
record, e-mail or printed information provided by or on behalf of NRPLC
to the Underwriters for inclusion (and to the extent included) in the
Registration Statement, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or
alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and
agrees to reimburse each such indemnified party, as incurred, for any
legal or other reasonable expenses incurred by them in connection with
investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or
action; provided, however, that the Current Issuer, Funding, the
Mortgages Trustee and NRPLC will not be liable in any such case to the
extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is
based upon any such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or
omission or alleged omission or any representation, warranty or covenant
made by NRPLC, the Current Issuer, Funding or the Mortgages Trustee in
this Agreement, or made in the Registration Statement, any preliminary
prospectus or the Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with
written information furnished to the Current Issuer, Funding, the
Mortgages Trustee and NRPLC by or on behalf of any Underwriter through
the Lead Underwriters specifically for inclusion therein and provided
further, that as to any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, this
indemnity agreement shall not inure to the benefit of any Underwriter (or
any person controlling such Underwriter) on account of any loss, claim,
damage, liability or action arising from the sale of Notes to any person
by that Underwriter if that Underwriter failed to send or give a copy of
the Prospectus,
_______________________________________________________________________________
36
_______________________________________________________________________________
as the same may be amended or supplemented (for the purposes of this
Clause 13, the "FINAL PROSPECTUS"), to that person within the time
required by the Securities Act where required by law to do so, and the
untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or
omission or alleged omission to state a material fact in such preliminary
prospectus or Prospectus was corrected in the Final Prospectus, unless
such failure resulted from non-compliance by the Current Issuer, Funding,
the Mortgages Trustee or NRPLC with Clause 8.1(b) hereof. For purposes
of the final proviso to the immediately preceding sentence, the term
Final Prospectus shall not be deemed to include the documents
incorporated therein by reference, and no Underwriter shall be obligated
to send or give any supplement or amendment to any document incorporated
by reference in the Prospectus or in any Final Prospectus to any person
other than a person to whom such Underwriter has delivered such
incorporated documents in response to a written or oral request therefor.
The Current Issuer, Funding, the Mortgages Trustee and NRPLC further
agree to reimburse each Underwriter and each such controlling person for
any legal and other expenses reasonably incurred by such Underwriter or
controlling person in investigating or defending or preparing to defend
against any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action, as such
expenses are incurred. The foregoing indemnity agreement is in addition
to any liability which the Current Issuer, Funding, the Mortgages Trustee
and NRPLC may otherwise have to any Underwriter or any controlling person
of any Underwriter.
No Underwriter or controlling person of any Underwriter shall have any
duty or obligation, whether as fiduciary for any Indemnified Person or
otherwise, to recover any such payment or to account to any other person
for any amounts paid to it under this Clause 13.1.
The foregoing shall be subject to the following:
(a) Any right which at any time either Funding or the Mortgages
Trustee has under the existing or future laws of Jersey whether by
virtue of the droit de discussion or otherwise to require that
recourse be had to the assets of any other person before any claim
is enforced against such person in respect of the obligations
hereby assumed by such person is hereby abandoned and waived.
(b) Each of Funding and the Mortgages Trustee undertakes that if at
any time any person indemnified sues such either of Funding or the
Mortgages Trustee in respect of any such obligations and the
person in respect of whose obligations the indemnity is given is
not sued also, Funding or the Mortgages Trustee as the case may be
shall not claim that such person be made a party to the
proceedings and each agrees to be bound by this indemnity whether
or not it is made a party to legal proceedings for the recovery of
the amount due or owing to the person indemnified, as aforesaid,
by the person in respect of whose obligations the indemnity is
given and whether the formalities required by any law of Jersey
whether existing or future in regard to the rights or obligations
of sureties shall or shall not have been observed.
(c) Any right which either Funding or the Mortgages Trustee may have
under the existing or future laws of Jersey whether by virtue of
the droit de division or otherwise to require that any liability
under this indemnity be divided or apportioned with any other
person or reduced in any manner whatsoever is hereby abandoned and
waived.
13.2 UNDERWRITERS' INDEMNITY
Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to indemnify and hold
harmless the Current Issuer, Funding, the Mortgages Trustee and NRPLC,
each of their directors and each
_______________________________________________________________________________
37
_______________________________________________________________________________
of their officers who signs the Registration Statement, their
employees and each person who controls the Current Issuer or NRPLC within
the meaning of either the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, to the same
extent as the foregoing indemnity from the Current Issuer to each
Underwriter, but only with reference to written information relating to
such Underwriter furnished to the Current Issuer, Funding, the Mortgages
Trustee or NRPLC by or on behalf of such Underwriter through the Lead
Underwriters specifically for inclusion in the documents referred to in
the foregoing indemnity. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to
any liability which any Underwriter may otherwise have. For purposes of
this Clause 13, the Current Issuer, Funding, the Mortgages Trustee and
NRPLC acknowledge that the statements set forth under the heading
"Underwriting" that specify, (i) the list of Underwriters and their
respective participation in the sale of the Dollar Notes, (ii) the
sentences related to concessions and reallowances and (iii) the paragraph
related to short sales, stabilisation, short covering transactions and
penalty bids in any preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus constitute
the only information furnished in writing by or on behalf of the several
Underwriters for inclusion in any preliminary prospectus or the
Prospectus.
13.3 PROCEEDINGS
Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Clause 13 of
notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if
a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party
under this Clause 13, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the
commencement thereof; but the failure so to notify the indemnifying party
(i) will not relieve it from liability under Clause 13.1 or 13.2 above
unless and to the extent it did not otherwise learn of such action and
such failure results in the forfeiture by the indemnifying party of
substantial rights and defences and (ii) will not, in any event relieve
the indemnifying party from any obligation to any indemnified party other
than the indemnification obligation provided in Clause 13.1 or 13.2
above. If any such claim or action shall be brought against an
indemnified party, and it shall notify the indemnifying party thereof,
the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate therein, and, to
the extent that it wishes, jointly with any other similarly notified
indemnifying party, to assume the defence thereof with counsel
satisfactory to the indemnified party. After notice from the
indemnifying party to the indemnified party of its election to assume the
defence of such claim or action, the indemnifying party shall not be
liable to the indemnified party under this Clause 13 for any legal or
other expenses subsequently incurred by the indemnified party in
connection with the defence thereof other than reasonable costs of
investigation; provided that each Underwriter, the Underwriters as a
group, or the Current Issuer, Funding, the Mortgages Trustee and NRPLC,
as the case may be, shall have the right to employ separate counsel to
represent such Underwriter and its controlling persons, the Underwriters
and their respective controlling persons or the Current Issuer, Funding,
the Mortgages Trustee and NRPLC and their respective controlling persons,
as the case may be, who may be subject to liability arising out of any
claim in respect of which indemnity may be sought by such indemnified
parties under this Xxxxxx 13 if in the reasonable judgement of any
Underwriter, the Underwriters acting together, or any of the Current
Issuer, Funding, the Mortgages Trustee and NRPLC, as the case may be, it
is advisable for such indemnified parties to be represented by separate
counsel, and in that event the fees and expenses of such separate counsel
(and local counsel) shall be paid by the indemnifying party. Upon
receipt of notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party
of its election so to assume the defence of such action and approval by
the indemnified party of counsel selected by the indemnifying party, the
indemnifying party will not be liable to such indemnified party under
this Clause 13 for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by
such indemnified party in connection with the defence thereof unless (i)
the indemnified party shall have employed separate counsel in connection
with the assertion of legal defences in accordance with the proviso to
the preceding sentence (it being understood, however that the
indemnifying party shall not be
_______________________________________________________________________________
38
_______________________________________________________________________________
liable for the expenses of more than one such separate counsel (and
local counsel) representing the indemnified parties under Clause 13.1 or
13.2 hereof), (ii) the indemnifying party has authorised (acting
reasonably) the employment of more than one such separate counsel (and
local counsel) representing the employed counsel satisfactory to the
indemnified party to represent the indemnified party, or (iii) the
indemnifying party has authorised the employment of counsel for the
indemnified party at the expense of the indemnifying party; and except
that, if clause (i) or (iii) is applicable, such liability shall be only
in respect of the counsel referred to in such clause (i) or (iii). The
indemnifying party shall not be liable for any settlement of any
proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such
consent or if there be a final judgement for the plaintiff, the
indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party from and
against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgement.
Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified
party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the
indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by
this Clause 13, the indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for
any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if
(i) such settlement is entered into more than 60 days after receipt by
such indemnifying party of such request and (ii) such indemnifying party
shall not have either reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with
such request or objected to such request in writing prior to the date of
such settlement. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written
consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending or
threatened proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or
could have been a party and in respect of which indemnity could have been
sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement
includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all
liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding.
13.4 CONTRIBUTION
In the event that the indemnity provided in Clause 13.1 or 13.2 is
unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party for
any reason, the Current Issuer, NRPLC, Funding, the Mortgages Trustee and
the Underwriters severally agree to contribute to the aggregate losses,
claims, damages and liabilities (including legal or other expenses
reasonably incurred in connection with investigating or defending same)
(collectively "LOSSES") to which the Current Issuer, NRPLC, Funding, the
Mortgages Trustee and one or more of the Underwriters may be subject in
such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits
received by the Current Issuer, NRPLC, Funding, the Mortgages Trustee and
the Underwriters from the offering of the Dollar Notes. If the
allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is unavailable
for any reason, the Current Issuer, NRPLC, Funding, the Mortgages Trustee
and the Underwriters severally shall contribute in such proportion as is
appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the
relative fault of the Current Issuer, NRPLC, Funding, the Mortgages
Trustee and the Underwriters in connection with the statements or
omissions which resulted in such Losses as well as any other relevant
equitable considerations. Benefits received by the Current Issuer,
Funding, the Mortgages Trustee and NRPLC shall be deemed to be equal to
the Issue Price (before deducting expenses), and benefits received by the
Underwriters shall be deemed to be equal to the total Selling Commissions
and the Management and Underwriting Commission, in each case as set forth
in Clause 11.1. Relative fault shall be determined by reference to among
other things, whether any untrue or any alleged untrue statement of a
material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material
fact relates to information provided by the Current Issuer, Funding, the
Mortgages Trustee or NRPLC on the one hand or the Underwriters on the
other, the intent of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to
information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement
or omission. The Current Issuer, NRPLC, Funding, the Mortgages Trustee
and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if
contribution were determined by pro rata allocation or any
_______________________________________________________________________________
39
_______________________________________________________________________________
other method of allocation which does not take account of the
equitable consideration referred to above. Notwithstanding the
provisions of this Clause 13.4, no person guilty of fraudulent
misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities
Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty
of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this Clause 13,
each person who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of either the
Securities Act or the Exchange Act and each director, officer, employee
and agent of an Underwriter shall have the same rights to contribution as
such Underwriter, and each person who controls the Current Issuer,
Funding, the Mortgages Trustee or NRPLC within the meaning of either the
Securities Act or the Exchange Act, each officer of the Current Issuer
who shall have signed the Registration Statement, each employee and each
director of the Current Issuer, Funding, the Mortgages Trustee or NRPLC
shall have the same rights to contribution as the Current Issuer,
Funding, the Mortgages Trustee or NRPLC, as the case may be, subject in
each case to the applicable terms and conditions of this Clause 13.4.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no case shall the Underwriter (except
as may be provided in any agreement among Underwriters relating to the
offering of the Notes) be responsible for any amount in excess of the
Selling Commission or Management and Underwriting Commission applicable
to the Notes purchased by such Underwriter hereunder.
14. TERMINATION
14.1 LEAD UNDERWRITERS' ABILITY TO TERMINATE
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Lead
Underwriters on behalf of the Underwriters may, by notice to the Current
Issuer given at any time prior to payment of the net underwriting
proceeds for the Dollar Notes to the Current Issuer, terminate this
Agreement in any of the following circumstances:
(a) if there shall have come to the notice of the Underwriters any
breach of, or any event rendering untrue or incorrect in any
material respect, any of the warranties and representations
contained in Clause 5 or 6 or 7 (or any deemed repetition thereof)
or failure to perform any of the Current Issuer's or NRPLC's
covenants or agreements in this Agreement in any material respect;
or
(b) if any condition specified in Clause 9 has not been satisfied or
waived by the Lead Underwriters on behalf of the Underwriters; or
(c) if in the opinion of the Lead Underwriters, circumstances shall be
such as: (i) to prevent or to a material extent restrict payment
for the Dollar Notes in the manner contemplated in this Agreement
or (ii) to a material extent prevent or restrict settlement of
transactions in the Dollar Notes in the market or otherwise; or
(d) if in the opinion of the Lead Underwriters, there shall have been
(i) any change in national or international political, legal, tax
or regulatory conditions or (ii) any calamity or emergency, which
has in its view caused a substantial deterioration in the price
and/or value of the Dollar Notes; or
(e) upon termination of the Subscription Agreement; or
(f) if (i) trading in securities generally on the New York Stock
Exchange, the American Stock Exchange, the London Stock Exchange
or the over-the-counter market shall have been suspended or
minimum prices shall have been established on such exchanges or
such market; (ii) a banking moratorium shall have been declared by
US federal or New York State or UK regulatory authorities; (iii)
there shall have occurred
_______________________________________________________________________________
40
_______________________________________________________________________________
any change or any development involving a prospective change,
in or affecting particularly the business or properties of the
Current Issuer, Funding, the Mortgages Trustee or NRPLC, which, in
the judgement of the Lead Underwriters materially impairs the
investment quality of the Dollar Notes or makes it impracticable
or inadvisable to market the Dollar Notes or (iv) if in the
judgement of the Lead Underwriters, it otherwise becomes
impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering of the
Dollar Notes.
14.2 CONSEQUENCES OF TERMINATION
Upon such notice being given this Agreement shall terminate and be of no
further effect and no party hereto shall be under any liability to any
other in respect of this Agreement except that (i) the Current Issuer
shall remain liable under Clause 12 for the payment of the costs and
expenses already incurred or incurred in consequence of such termination,
(ii) the indemnity agreement and contribution provisions set forth in
Clause 13, (iii) the obligations of the Current Issuer and NRPLC, and
(iv) the representations and warranties of the Underwriters made in
Clause 3.2(b) of this Agreement, which would have continued in accordance
with Clause 15 had the arrangements for the underwriting and issue of the
Dollar Notes been completed, shall so continue.
15. SURVIVAL OF REPRESENTATIONS AND OBLIGATIONS
15.1 The representations, warranties, agreements, undertakings and indemnities
in this Agreement will continue in full force and effect notwithstanding
completion of the arrangements for the subscription and issue of the
Dollar Notes or any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter
or any controlling person or any of its representatives, directors,
officers, agents or employees or any of them.
15.2 Save for their respective responsibilities to comply with the relevant
representations set forth herein, neither the Current Issuer, Funding,
the Mortgages Trustee nor NRPLC shall have any responsibility in respect
of the legality of the Underwriters or other persons offering and selling
the Dollar Notes in any jurisdiction or in respect of the Dollar Notes
qualifying for sale in any jurisdiction.
16. NOTICES
16.1 All communications pursuant to this Agreement will be in writing and will
be delivered at or sent by facsimile transmission to the following
addresses:
(i) if to the Current Issuer,
Fifth Floor
000 Xxxx Xxxxxx
London EC2V 7EX
Attention: The Company Secretary
Facsimile: x00 (0) 000 000 0000
_______________________________________________________________________________
41
_______________________________________________________________________________
With a copy to:
Northern Rock House
Gosforth
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE3 4PL
Attention: Securitisation, Risk Operations
Facsimile: x00 (0) 000 000 0000
(ii) if to NRPLC,
Northern Rock House
Gosforth
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE3 4PL
Attention: Securitisation, Risk Operations
Facsimile: x00 (0) 000 000 0000
(iii) if to the Underwriters,
c/o Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx Inc.
000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
New York, New York 10013
Attention: General Counsel
Facsimile: x0 000 000 0000
and
c/x Xxxxxxx Lynch, Xxxxxx, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx Inc.
4 World Financial Center
New York, New York 10080
Attention: Structured Finance
Facsimile: x0 000 000 0000
_______________________________________________________________________________
42
_______________________________________________________________________________
(iv) if to Funding,
00 Xxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, 4th Floor
Blackfriars, London EC4V 6BW
Attention: The Company Secretary
Facsimile: x00 (0) 000 000 0000
(v) if to the Mortgages Trustee,
00 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
St. Helier, Jersey JE4 8PX
Attention: The Company Secretary
Facsimile: x00 (0) 0000 000 000
16.2 Any communication so sent by letter shall take effect at the time of
actual delivery to the addressee, and any communication so sent by
facsimile transmission shall take effect upon acknowledgement of receipt
by the recipient. Any communication to be delivered to any party under
this Agreement which is to be sent by facsimile transmission will be
written legal evidence.
16.3 The Mortgages Trustee agrees that the process by which any proceedings in
England are begun may be secured on it by being delivered to Granite
Finance Trustees Limited c/o Mourant & Co. Capital (SPV) Limited, 4th
Floor, 00 Xxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxx XX0X 0XX, or otherwise at the
registered office of Mourant & Co. Capital (SPV) Limited,, attn: The
Company Secretary. If such person is not or ceases to be effectively
appointed to accept service of process on the Mortgages Trustee's behalf
the Mortgages Trustee shall, on the written demand of the Lead
Underwriters, appoint a further person in England to accept service of
process on its behalf and, failing such appointment within 15 days, the
Lead Underwriters shall be entitled to appoint such a person by written
notice to the Mortgages Trustee. Nothing in this sub-clause shall affect
the right of the Lead Underwriters to serve process in any other manner
permitted by law.
16.4 Funding agrees that the process by which any proceedings in England are
begun may be secured on it by being delivered to Granite Finance Funding
Limited c/o Mourant & Co. Capital (SPV) Limited, 00 Xxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxx,
0xx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxx XX0X 0XX, or otherwise at the registered
office of Mourant & Co. Capital (SPV) Limited, attn: The Company
Secretary. If such person is not or ceases to be effectively appointed
to accept service of process on Funding's behalf Funding shall, on the
written demand of the Lead Underwriters, appoint a further person in
England to accept service of process on its behalf and, failing such
appointment within 15 days, the Lead Underwriters shall be entitled to
appoint such a person by written notice to Funding. Nothing in this sub-
clause shall affect the right of the Lead Underwriters to serve process
in any other manner permitted by law.
17. TIME
Time shall be of the essence of this Agreement.
_______________________________________________________________________________
43
_______________________________________________________________________________
18. NON PETITION AND LIMITED RECOURSE
Each of the Underwriters agrees with the Current Issuer, Funding and the
Mortgages Trustee, that it shall not, until the expiry of one year and
one day after the payment of all sums outstanding and owing under the
Notes (in respect of the Current Issuer) and until the expiry of one year
and one day after the payment of all sums outstanding and owing under any
intercompany loan made to Funding by the Current Issuer or any other
company (in respect of the Mortgages Trustee and Funding) take any
corporate action or other steps or legal proceedings for the winding-up,
dissolution, arrangement, reconstruction or re-organisation or for the
appointment of a liquidator, receiver, manager, administrator,
administrative receiver or similar officer of the Current Issuer, the
Mortgages Trustee or Funding or any, or all of, their respective assets
or revenues.
To the extent permitted by law, no recourse under any obligation,
covenant or agreement of any person contained in this Agreement shall be
had against any shareholder, officer or director of the Current Issuer,
Funding or the Mortgages Trustee, by the enforcement of any assessment or
by any legal proceedings, by virtue of any statute or otherwise; it being
expressly agreed and understood that this Agreement is a corporate
obligation of each of the Current Issuer, Funding and the Mortgages
Trustee expressed to be a party hereto and no personal liability shall
attach to or be incurred by the shareholders, officers, agents or
directors of such person as such, or any of them, under or by reason of
any of the obligations, covenants or agreements of the Current Issuer,
Funding or the Mortgages Trustee contained in this Agreement, or implied
therefrom, and that any and all personal liability for breaches by such
person of any such obligations, covenants or agreements, either under any
applicable law or by statute or constitution, of every such shareholder,
officer, agent or director is hereby expressly waived by each person
expressed to be a party hereto as a condition of and consideration for
the execution of this Agreement.
19. GOVERNING LAW AND JURISDICTION
19.1 GOVERNING LAW
This Agreement shall be governed by, and shall be construed in accordance
with, the laws of New York.
19.2 JURISDICTION
Each of the parties hereto irrevocably agrees that, except as otherwise
set forth in this paragraph, any state or federal court sitting in the
City of New York shall have exclusive jurisdiction to hear and determine
any suit, action or proceeding and to settle any dispute arising out of
or relating to this Agreement and, for such purposes, irrevocably submits
to the jurisdiction of such courts. Each of the Mortgages Trustee,
Funding, the Current Issuer and NRPLC hereby appoints the CT Corporation
System at 000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000, or, if otherwise, its
principal place of business in the City of New York from time to time, as
its agent for service of process and agrees that service of any process,
summons, notice or document by hand delivery or registered mail upon such
agent shall be effective service of process for any suit, action or
proceeding brought in any such court. Each of the Mortgages Trustee,
Funding, the Current Issuer and NRPLC irrevocably and unconditionally
waives any objection to the laying of venue of any such suit, action or
proceeding brought in any such court and any claim that any such suit,
action or proceeding has been brought in an inconvenient forum. Each of
the Mortgages Trustee, Funding, the Current Issuer and NRPLC agrees that
a final judgment in any such suit, action or proceeding brought in any
such court shall be conclusive and binding upon each of the Mortgages
Trustee, Funding, the Current
_______________________________________________________________________________
44
_______________________________________________________________________________
Issuer and NRPLC and may be enforced in any other court to whose
jurisdiction each of the Mortgages Trustee, Funding, the Current Issuer
and NRPLC is or may in the future be subject, by suit upon judgment.
Each of the Mortgages Trustee, Funding, the Current Issuer and NRPLC
further agrees that nothing herein shall affect the Underwriters' right
to effect service of process in any other manner permitted by law or to
bring a suit, action or proceeding (including a proceeding for
enforcement of a judgement) in any other court or jurisdiction in
accordance with applicable law.
20. COUNTERPARTS
This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts (manually or
by facsimile) all of which, taken together, shall constitute one and the
same agreement and any party may enter into this Agreement by executing a
counterpart.
_______________________________________________________________________________
45
_______________________________________________________________________________
IN WITNESS WHEREOF this Agreement has been entered on the date stated at the
beginning.
GRANITE MORTGAGES 03-1 PLC
By:
NORTHERN ROCK PLC
By:
GRANITE FINANCE FUNDING LIMITED
By:
GRANITE FINANCE TRUSTEES LIMITED
By:
XXXXXXX XXXXX XXXXXX INC. ON OUR OWN BEHALF AND AS REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
SEVERAL UNDERWRITERS
By:
XXXXXXX XXXXX, XXXXXX, XXXXXX & XXXXX INC. ON OUR OWN BEHALF AND AS
REPRESENTATIVES OF THE SEVERAL UNDERWRITERS
By:
_______________________________________________________________________________
46
_______________________________________________________________________________
SCHEDULE
PRINCIPAL AMOUNT
UNDERWRITERS OF SERIES 1 OF SERIES 1 OF SERIES 1 OF SERIES 1 OF SERIES 1
CLASS A1 NOTES CLASS A2 NOTES CLASS A3 NOTES CLASS B NOTES CLASS C NOTES
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx Inc. 429,500,000 569,000,000 139,500,000 21,000,000 28,000,000
Xxxxxxx Lynch, Xxxxxx, Xxxxxx & 429,5000,000 569,000,000 139,500,000 21,000,000 28,000,000
Xxxxx Incorporated
Xxxxxx Brothers Inc. 22,000,000 29,000,000 7,000,000 - -
X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc. 22,000,000 29,000,000 7,000,000 - -
UBS Warburg 22,000,000 29,000,000 7,000,000 - -
TOTAL 925,000,000 1,225,000,000 300,000,000 42,000,000 56,000,000
_______________________________________________________________________________
