• I am real estate funding projects specialist with a particular focus on social housing finance, large scale due diligence projects and investment transactions. Underpinning my real estate finance expertise, I have over 15 years’ experience in the affordable housing sector, which gives me depth of knowledge and strong insight into the sector and the wider real estate market.

    I have considerable experience in advising RPs on the security aspects of a broad spectrum of high value finance projects, such as capital markets bond issues, medium term note issues, private placements, direct bank funding, LSVT valuation uplift projects and charging properties to a security trust. I also frequently assist RPs with a wide range of complex funding and valuation issues on an ongoing strategic basis, which involves perfecting security and unlocking challenging property developments in order to maximise fundability and valuation of real estate assets. My work includes project managing and leading on large scale due diligence projects involving significant portfolios of residential property assets for a variety of funding arrangements for RPs. Additionally, I provide property support for RP stock rationalisation projects, internal structuring and mergers and I also act for investors into the social housing market on innovative portfolio investment projects. 

    I have advised on several market leading housing finance projects in recent years, including successfully completing one of the first LSVT valuation uplifts in the sector, managing the security aspects of two complex £1billion medium term note programmes for RPs and acting only the third ever sustainability bond issue by an RP.

    I have been acknowledged by my clients for my responsive, clear and pragmatic advice and my friendly, approachable style. I pride myself on working collaboratively with my clients in order to secure positive outcomes for my clients and the sector.

  • Career Highlights

    • Advising on the security aspects of numerous capital markets bond issues and private placements with values of up to £250 million and involving property portfolios of up to 6000 units.
    • Leading the property teams and project managing the due diligence for two complex £1 billion 5 year medium term note programmes for RPs with security values of £250 million in each case.
    • Managing the property due diligence and security requirements for one of the first sustainability bond issues in the affordable housing sector.
    • Leading and completing one of the first LSVT valuation uplift finance projects in the sector.
    • Working collaboratively with several RP Treasury teams to formulate and implement highly effective ongoing or “rolling” charging strategies to maximise liquidity, valuation and investor confidence on charge.
    • Perfecting problematic real estate assets to unlock difficult schemes and maximize the funding potential, including updating mortgagee exclusion clauses and part charging tower block sites in urban areas.
    • Project managing large scale securitisation projects for RPs and charging 10,000 properties to a numerical pool security trust.
    • Assisting on large scale stock rationalisation projects and stock swaps with values of £50 million.
    • Advising a social impact investment company on the acquisition of a portfolio of care homes and supported housing schemes and subsequently charging the properties to an institutional funder.
    • Acting for investors on the acquisition of significant portfolios of market rented properties from RPs and providing property support for the associated corporate lending transactions.

Louise Leaver and Jessica Church were excellent, being well versed in their areas and responsive & professional.

The Legal 500, 2023

Jessica's areas of expertise

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