Press Release

DBRS Morningstar Assigns Ratings to Charles Street Conduit Asset Backed Securitisation 2 Limited

RMBS

March 08, 2022

DBRS Ratings Limited (DBRS Morningstar) assigned ratings to the notes issued by Charles Street Conduit Asset Backed Securitisation 2 Limited (the Issuer) as follows:

-- Class A Notes at AA (sf)
-- Class B Notes at BBB (high) (sf)
-- Class C Notes at BB (high) (sf)

The ratings on the Class A, Class B, and Class C Notes (collectively, the Notes) address the timely payment of interest and the ultimate payment of principal on or before the legal final maturity date in December 2067.

The transaction consists of Notes issued through the Note Issuance Facility Agreement and the Subordinated Notes issued through the Subordinated Note Subscription Agreement. The Notes and the Subordinated Notes are collateralised by UK residential mortgages originated and serviced by various subsidiaries of Together Financial Services Limited (Together), including Blemain Finance Limited, Together Commercial Finance Limited, Harpmanor Limited, and Together Personal Finance Limited. Each originator will be the servicer of the loans it has originated. BCMGlobal Mortgage Services Limited acts as the standby servicer.

The Class A Notes are tranched into pro rata pari passu Class A1 and Class A2 Notes. The Class A1, Class B, and Class C Notes are issued and listed with The International Stock Exchange and held at Euroclear. The Class A2 Notes are in the form of variable-funding notes. Prior to the initial maturity date, the Issuer may issue and list additional Class A1, Class B, and Class C Notes. The Class A1 Notes are fungible with the Class A2 Notes. The commitment amount for the Class A Notes is GBP 1.15 billion. The total subscription amounts for the Class B and C Notes are GBP 67.6 million and GBP 33.8 million, respectively. The transaction includes a 48-month revolving period, during which the Issuer may purchase new loans subject to satisfying the portfolio covenants.

The subordination to the Notes can increase with changes in the advance rate or decrease to a floor determined by the respective advance rate caps. This is based on the changing credit risk profile of the mortgage portfolio linked to the portfolio loan-to-value ratio, among other credit metrics, as the Issuer purchases new mortgage loans into the portfolio. Minimum credit enhancement to the Class A, Class B, and Class C Notes is 15.0%, 10.0%, and 7.5%, respectively.

The transaction benefits from a Co-mingling Reserve Fund with a target balance equal to 1.5% of the outstanding Class A, Class B, and Class C Notes’ balance. Prior to the initial maturity date, the reserve fund is replenished through the principal receipts. The reserve covers any shortfalls in senior fees and interest on the Class A Notes. After the initial maturity date, the excess cash over the target amount following the amortisation of the Notes will be released to the interest waterfalls as available funds and the Issuer may use them to repay principal on the Notes.

Lloyds Bank plc (Lloyds) acts as the account bank for the transaction. Based on the account bank reference rating of AA on Lloyds (one notch below the DBRS Morningstar public Long Term Critical Obligations Rating of AA (high)), the downgrade provisions outlined in the transaction documents, and other mitigating factors inherent in the transaction structure, DBRS Morningstar considers the risk arising from the exposure to the account bank to be consistent with the rating assigned to the Class A Notes, as described in DBRS Morningstar's "Legal Criteria for European Structured Finance Transactions" methodology.

Natixis, S.A. (Natixis) acts as the swap counterparty for the transaction. DBRS Morningstar's private rating on Natixis is above the First Rating Threshold as described in DBRS Morningstar's "Derivative Criteria for European Structured Finance Transactions" methodology.

DBRS Morningstar based its ratings on a review of the following analytical considerations:
-- The transaction’s capital structure and form and sufficiency of available credit enhancement.
-- The credit quality of the mortgage portfolio and the ability of the servicers to perform collection and resolution activities. DBRS Morningstar calculated the probability of default (PD), loss given default (LGD), and expected loss (EL) outputs on the mortgage portfolio, which DBRS Morningstar then used as inputs into the cash flow engine. DBRS Morningstar analysed the mortgage portfolio in accordance with its “European RMBS Insight: UK Addendum”.
-- The ability of the transaction to withstand stressed cash flow assumptions and repay the Class A, Class B, and Class C Notes according to the terms of the transaction documents. DBRS Morningstar analysed the transaction structure using Intex DealMaker, considering the default rates at which the Notes did not return all specified cash flows.
-- The structural mitigants in place to avoid potential payment disruptions caused by operational risk, such as a downgrade, and replacement language in the transaction documents.
-- DBRS Morningstar’s sovereign rating on the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland at AA (high) with a Stable trend as of the date of this press release.
-- The consistency of the transaction’s legal structure with DBRS Morningstar’s “Legal Criteria for European Structured Finance Transactions” methodology and the presence of legal opinions addressing the assignment of the assets to the Issuer.

The Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) and the resulting isolation measures have caused an immediate economic contraction, leading in some cases to increases in unemployment rates and income reductions for many borrowers. DBRS Morningstar anticipates that delinquencies may continue to increase in the coming months for many RMBS transactions. The ratings are based on additional analysis to expected performance as a result of the global efforts to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

The DBRS Morningstar Sovereign group releases baseline macroeconomic scenarios for rated sovereigns. These scenarios were last updated on 9 December 2021. DBRS Morningstar analysis considered impacts consistent with the baseline scenario in the below referenced report. For details, see the following commentaries: https://www.dbrsmorningstar.com/research/389454/baseline-macroeconomic-scenarios-for-rated-sovereigns-december-2021-update and https://www.dbrsmorningstar.com/research/384482/baseline-macroeconomic-scenarios-application-to-credit-ratings.

On 14 June 2021, DBRS Morningstar updated its 5 May 2020 commentary outlining the impact of the coronavirus crisis on performance of DBRS Morningstar-rated RMBS transactions in Europe one year on. For more details, please see: https://www.dbrsmorningstar.com/research/380094/the-impact-of-covid-19-on-european-mortgage-performance-one-year-on and https://www.dbrsmorningstar.com/research/360599/european-rmbs-transactions-risk-exposure-to-coronavirus-covid-19-effect.

ESG CONSIDERATIONS
A description of how DBRS Morningstar considers ESG factors within the DBRS Morningstar analytical framework can be found in the DBRS Morningstar Criteria: Approach to Environmental, Social, and Governance Risk Factors in Credit Ratings at: https://www.dbrsmorningstar.com/research/373262.

Notes:
All figures are in British pound sterling unless otherwise noted.

The principal methodologies applicable to the ratings are the “European RMBS Insight Methodology” (3 June 2021) and the “European RMBS Insight: UK Addendum” (27 October 2021).

Other methodologies referenced in this transaction are listed at the end of this press release. These may be found at: https://www.dbrsmorningstar.com/about/methodologies.

DBRS Morningstar has applied the principal methodologies consistently and conducted a review of the transaction in accordance with the principal methodologies.

An asset and a cash flow analysis were both conducted. Due to the inclusion of a revolving period in the transaction, the analysis considers potential portfolio migration based on replenishment criteria set forth in the transaction legal documents.

For a more detailed discussion of the sovereign risk impact on Structured Finance ratings, please refer to “Appendix C: The Impact of Sovereign Ratings on Other DBRS Morningstar Credit Ratings” of the “Global Methodology for Rating Sovereign Governments” at: https://www.dbrsmorningstar.com/research/381451/global-methodology-for-rating-sovereign-governments.

The DBRS Morningstar Sovereign group releases baseline macroeconomic scenarios for rated sovereigns. DBRS Morningstar analysis considered impacts consistent with the baseline scenarios as set forth in the following report: https://www.dbrsmorningstar.com/research/384482/baseline-macroeconomic-scenarios-application-to-credit-ratings.

The sources of data and information used for these ratings include historical performance (portfolio delinquencies and prepayments up to March 2021) and loan-level data as at 30 September 2021 provided by Together.

DBRS Morningstar did not rely upon third-party due diligence in order to conduct its analysis.

DBRS Morningstar was supplied with third-party assessments. However, this did not impact the rating analysis.

DBRS Morningstar considers the data and information available to it for the purposes of providing these ratings to be of satisfactory quality.

DBRS Morningstar does not audit or independently verify the data or information it receives in connection with the rating process.

These ratings concern newly issued financial instruments. These are the first DBRS Morningstar ratings on these financial instruments.

Information regarding DBRS Morningstar ratings, including definitions, policies, and methodologies, is available at www.dbrsmorningstar.com.

To assess the impact of changing the transaction parameters on the rating, DBRS Morningstar considered the following stress scenarios as compared with the parameters used to determine the rating (the Base Case):

-- In respect of the Class A Notes, a PD of 31.2% and LGD of 58.7%, corresponding to the AA (sf) rating scenario, was stressed assuming a 25% and 50% increase in the PD and LGD.
-- In respect of the Class B Notes, a PD of 21.8% and LGD of 42.4%, corresponding to the BBB (high) (sf) rating scenario, was stressed assuming a 25% and 50% increase in the PD and LGD.
-- In respect of the Class C Notes, a PD of 15.6% and LGD of 30.8%, corresponding to the BB (high) (sf) rating scenario, was stressed assuming a 25% and 50% increase in the PD and LGD.

Class A Notes Risk Sensitivity:
-- 25% increase in LGD, expected rating of A (high) (sf)
-- 50% increase in LGD, expected rating of A (low) (sf)
-- 25% increase in PD, expected rating of A (high) (sf)
-- 50% increase in PD, expected rating of A (low) (sf)
-- 25% increase in PD and 25% increase in LGD, expected rating of A (low) (sf)
-- 25% increase in PD and 50% increase in LGD, expected rating of BBB (high) (sf)
-- 50% increase in PD and 25% increase in LGD, expected rating of BBB (high) (sf)
-- 50% increase in PD and 50% increase in LGD, expected rating of BBB (sf)

Class B Notes Risk Sensitivity:
-- 25% increase in LGD, expected rating of BBB (sf)
-- 50% increase in LGD, expected rating of BBB (low) (sf)
-- 25% increase in PD, expected rating of BBB (low) (sf)
-- 50% increase in PD, expected rating of BB (high) (sf)
-- 25% increase in PD and 25% increase in LGD, expected rating of BB (high) (sf)
-- 25% increase in PD and 50% increase in LGD, expected rating of BB (high) (sf)
-- 50% increase in PD and 25% increase in LGD, expected rating of BB (high) (sf)
-- 50% increase in PD and 50% increase in LGD, expected rating of BB (high) (sf)

Class C Notes Risk Sensitivity:
-- 25% increase in LGD, expected rating of BB (high) (sf)
-- 50% increase in LGD, expected rating of BB (high) (sf)
-- 25% increase in PD, expected rating of BB (high) (sf)
-- 50% increase in PD, expected rating of BB (low) (sf)
-- 25% increase in PD and 25% increase in LGD, expected rating of BB (sf)
-- 25% increase in PD and 50% increase in LGD, expected rating of BB (low) (sf)
-- 50% increase in PD and 25% increase in LGD, expected rating of BB (low) (sf)
-- 50% increase in PD and 50% increase in LGD, expected rating of B (high) (sf)

For further information on DBRS Morningstar historical default rates published by the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) in a central repository, see: http://cerep.esma.europa.eu/cerep-web/statistics/defaults.xhtml. DBRS Morningstar understands further information on DBRS Morningstar historical default rates may be published by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) on its webpage: https://www.fca.org.uk/firms/credit-rating-agencies.

These ratings are endorsed by DBRS Ratings GmbH for use in the European Union.

Lead Analyst: Natalia Coman, Assistant Vice President
Rating Committee Chair: Christian Aufsatz, Managing Director
Initial Rating Date: 8 March 2022

DBRS Ratings Limited
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Tel. +44 (0) 20 7855 6600
Registered and incorporated under the laws of England and Wales: Company No. 7139960

The rating methodologies used in the analysis of this transaction can be found at: https://www.dbrsmorningstar.com/about/methodologies.

A description of how DBRS Morningstar analyses structured finance transactions and how the methodologies are collectively applied can be found at https://www.dbrsmorningstar.com/research/278375.

For more information on this credit or on this industry, visit www.dbrsmorningstar.com or contact us at info@dbrsmorningstar.com.

ALL MORNINGSTAR DBRS RATINGS ARE SUBJECT TO DISCLAIMERS AND CERTAIN LIMITATIONS. PLEASE READ THESE DISCLAIMERS AND LIMITATIONS AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING MORNINGSTAR DBRS RATINGS, INCLUDING DEFINITIONS, POLICIES, RATING SCALES AND METHODOLOGIES.

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