ROYAL EXCHANGE TRUST COMPANY LIMITED

💤Zombieactive
00978338 · ltd · incorporated 1970-04-29
Investment thesis
Zombie company — trading but stalled; unlikely mover.
Why interesting: Quiet, steady; could be a succession or carve-out candidate with the right conversation.
Why risky: No growth signal; thin margin for error on price.
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
year to Dec 2023
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
79/100
Strong
🔔
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What this business does
Primary activity: Other activities auxiliary to financial services, except insurance and pension funding
Sector: Financial & insurance
ALSO REGISTERED FOR
  • 82990Other business support service activities n.e.c.
Investor take
Pursue
Strong opportunity: active trading company with strong profile and bankable structure.

Opportunity 79/100 (strong), bankability 75/100. High owner-dependency — earn-out structure likely required for clean transition. Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Discharge stale live charges. 1 live charge(s) created 15+ years ago — likely paid but undischarged. Clean register. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (73/100).

🏦

Refinance opportunity

2 live charges · 2 lenders · oldest 44.8y

30/100
under pressure

Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.

  • · Oldest live charge is 44.8 years old — likely at or near maturity.
  • · Two lenders — manageable, but coordination required.
  • · Distress signals active — lender appetite narrows.

Data confidence

Overall: medium (75/100)

Adequate coverage. AI outputs are reliable for the sections scored high; verify the rest in diligence.

Company profile
address, 2 SIC codes, incorporation date
100
Financials
1 year of iXBRL accounts extracted (no YoY comparison) + narrative notes parsed
50
Lenders & charges
2 charges (2/2 with lender, 2/2 with type)
90
Directors & officers
34 officers (1 active, 34 linked, 26 with DOB)
85
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 1 total, 1 with control declared
90
Director network
10 connected companies via shared directors
75
Filing history
226 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
79/100Strong
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional 

Solid opportunity signal. Worth a dedicated memo and management meeting.

Business quality
70
Active, clean filings, stable charge profile.
Acquirability
70
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
85
Few red flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.

Key financials

1 year extracted from filed iXBRL accounts
Cash
—
Net Worth
—
Current Assets
—
Current Liabilities
—

Financials

Extracted from Companies House accounts · FRS 102
Metric2023-12-31

Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.

Recent activity

Last 30 days
0
filings
Last 90 days
1
filing
  • • 1 confirmation-statement
Last 180 days
1
filing
  • • 1 confirmation-statement
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (83 events)Click to expand
  1. 2025-10-04
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
    accounts · AA
  2. 2025-09-29
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  3. 2025-09-15
    ➖
    MALCOLM, Peter David resigned
    director
  4. 2024-11-18
    📄
    change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC05
  5. 2024-11-18
    📍
    change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
    address · AD01
  6. 2024-07-30
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
    accounts · AA
  7. 2024-01-31
    ➖
    BENFORD, Colin Arthur resigned
    director
  8. 2024-01-31
    ➕
    MALCOLM, Peter David appointed
    director
  9. 2024-01-31
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  10. 2024-01-31
    📄
    appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
    officers · AP01
  11. 2023-08-29
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
    accounts · AA
  12. 2023-03-31
    📄
    change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC05
  13. 2023-03-20
    📍
    change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
    address · AD01
  14. 2022-09-27
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
    accounts · AA
  15. 2021-10-06
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
    accounts · AA
  16. 2021-07-09
    📄
    change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC05
  17. 2021-07-05
    📍
    change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
    address · AD01
  18. 2021-01-19
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  19. 2021-01-15
    ➖
    BALDRY, Carl Steven resigned
    director
  20. 2021-01-05
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
    accounts · AA
  21. 2020-04-08
    📍
    move-registers-to-registered-office-company-with-new-address
    address · AD04
  22. 2020-03-26
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
    accounts · AA
  23. 2019-06-28
    ➖
    LINK GROUP CORPORATE SECRETARY LIMITED resigned
    corporate-secretary
  24. 2019-06-28
    ➖
    LINK GROUP CORPORATE DIRECTOR LIMITED resigned
    corporate-director
  25. 2018-09-06
    ➖
    OSBORNE, David John resigned
    director
  26. 2017-11-03
    ➖
    CAPITA GROUP SECRETARY LIMITED resigned
    corporate-secretary
  27. 2017-11-03
    ➕
    LINK GROUP CORPORATE SECRETARY LIMITED appointed
    corporate-secretary
  28. 2017-11-03
    ➖
    CAPITA CORPORATE DIRECTOR LIMITED resigned
    corporate-director
  29. 2017-11-03
    ➕
    LINK GROUP CORPORATE DIRECTOR LIMITED appointed
    corporate-director
  30. 2016-09-15
    ➕
    BALDRY, Carl Steven appointed
    director
  31. 2016-09-15
    ➕
    OSBORNE, David John appointed
    director
  32. 2015-07-31
    ➖
    LAWRENCE, Susan Elizabeth resigned
    director
  33. 2015-07-27
    ➕
    MARTIN, Sean Peter appointed
    director
  34. 2015-07-27
    ➕
    BENFORD, Colin Arthur appointed
    director
  35. 2009-04-21
    ➕
    LAWRENCE, Susan Elizabeth appointed
    director
  36. 2009-04-21
    ➖
    VICKERS, Jonathan Glyn resigned
    director
  37. 2008-12-01
    ➖
    CAPITA COMPANY SECRETARIAL SERVICES LIMITED resigned
    corporate-secretary
  38. 2008-12-01
    ➕
    CAPITA GROUP SECRETARY LIMITED appointed
    corporate-secretary
  39. 2008-03-31
    ➖
    HURST, Gordon Mark resigned
    director
  40. 2008-03-31
    ➖
    SHEARER, Richard John resigned
    director
  41. 2008-03-31
    ➕
    CAPITA CORPORATE DIRECTOR LIMITED appointed
    corporate-director
  42. 2007-03-31
    ➖
    PEEL, John William resigned
    director
  43. 2007-03-31
    ➕
    SHEARER, Richard John appointed
    director
  44. 2005-11-22
    ➖
    COYLE, Robert Charles resigned
    director
  45. 2005-11-01
    ➕
    CAPITA COMPANY SECRETARIAL SERVICES LIMITED appointed
    corporate-secretary
  46. 2005-10-31
    ➖
    HURST, Gordon Mark resigned
    secretary
  47. 2005-05-10
    ➖
    EVERARD, Nicholas Charles resigned
    director
  48. 2005-05-10
    ➕
    VICKERS, Jonathan Glyn appointed
    director
  49. 2004-07-05
    ➕
    EVERARD, Nicholas Charles appointed
    director
  50. 2004-06-10
    ➖
    NEEDHAM, Bryan Donald resigned
    director
Showing most recent 50 of 83 events

Owner dependency

83/100
Critical — business is the founder

The business appears inseparable from the founder. Acquisition without a serious earn-out or meaningful transition period would likely destroy value.

FACTORS
  • +Sole director: Only one active director — all governance concentrated on one person.
  • +Senior director age: Director aged approximately 61 — approaching natural succession window.

Succession & seller-readiness

70/100
Strong succession signal

Multiple signals suggest succession is on the horizon. Candidate for proactive outreach.

SIGNALS
  • secondaryFounder aged 58+: Senior director is approximately 61. Early succession window.
  • primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
  • secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 56 years old and no new directors in the last 3 years — succession not yet being planned internally.
  • supportingClean filings + long tenure: Disciplined long-tenure operator — classic lifestyle-business pattern that often sells quietly.

Red flags

clean
No red flags detected from available public data. (This is not a clean bill of health — detailed accounts review still recommended.)

Group structure

Apex Corporate Trustees (Uk) Limited is the ultimate parent — holding 75%+ shares. This company sits inside their group.

🏛️
Apex Corporate Trustees (Uk) Limited
Corporate parent · holds 75-100% shares · board control
ultimate parent
⬇
ROYAL EXCHANGE TRUST COMPANY LIMITED
This company · 00978338

Parent relationships inferred from Persons with Significant Control filings. Full subsidiary tree requires reverse-lookup (coming).

Shareholders & ownership

1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%
NameSharesVoting rightsNature of controlNotified
Apex Corporate Trustees (Uk) Limited
Corporate entity
75–100%
75–100%board control75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control06/04/2016

From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.

🔒Co-director network graph

Radial SVG graph showing every company connected via shared directors, colour-coded by status.

Available from the Pro tier upwards.

See pricing →

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Peers ranked by estimated value, then turnover, then opportunity score.See all →
🔒Tailored diligence questions

7 specific questions generated from this company's actual signals — liquidity, leverage, director age, charge count, red flags, age-of-company.

Available from the Pro tier upwards.

See pricing →
🔒Advanced scoring suite

Exit-route ranking, improvement thesis, quiet-distress detector, covenant-pressure proxy, extraction monitor, approaching triggers, ownership drift, local cluster, value trap, debt capacity, archetype classification — 48+ scoring modules.

Available from the Pro tier upwards.

See pricing →

Company details

Statusactive
Typeltd
Incorporated1970-04-29
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC66190 — Other activities auxiliary to financial services, except insurance and pension funding

Registered office

4th Floor, 140 Aldersgate Street
London
EC1A 4HY
United Kingdom

Filing status

Accounts
Next due: 2026-09-30
Last made up to: 2024-12-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-04-14
Last: 2026-03-31

Officers (1 active · 33 resigned)

MARTIN, Sean Peter→
director · ~61y · appointed 2015-07-27
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
CLAYTON, John Reginald William→
secretary · resigned 1999-10-31
Resigned
HURST, Gordon Mark→
secretary · appointed 2001-08-08 · resigned 2005-10-31
Resigned
RICHARDSON, Ian David Lea→
secretary · appointed 1999-10-31 · resigned 2001-08-08
Resigned
CAPITA COMPANY SECRETARIAL SERVICES LIMITED→
corporate-secretary · appointed 2005-11-01 · resigned 2008-12-01
Resigned
CAPITA GROUP SECRETARY LIMITED→
corporate-secretary · appointed 2008-12-01 · resigned 2017-11-03
Resigned
LINK GROUP CORPORATE SECRETARY LIMITED→
corporate-secretary · appointed 2017-11-03 · resigned 2019-06-28
Resigned
BALDRY, Carl Steven→
director · ~60y · appointed 2016-09-15 · resigned 2021-01-15
Resigned
BARNES, Derek→
director · ~79y · resigned 1994-12-30
Resigned
BENFORD, Colin Arthur→
director · ~64y · appointed 2015-07-27 · resigned 2024-01-31
Resigned
BURTON, Caroline Mary→
director · ~76y · resigned 1999-07-31
Resigned
CHAPELL, Stuart→
director · ~70y · appointed 1998-07-01 · resigned 2000-02-22
Resigned
CHEETHAM, Christopher Spencer→
director · ~71y · appointed 1999-09-15 · resigned 2001-08-08
Resigned
COYLE, Robert Charles→
director · ~61y · appointed 2001-08-08 · resigned 2005-11-22
Resigned
CROSBIE, Stanley→
director · ~88y · resigned 1999-02-05
Resigned
DAVEY, Peter John→
director · ~79y · resigned 1998-05-08
Resigned
EVERARD, Nicholas Charles→
director · ~70y · appointed 2004-07-05 · resigned 2005-05-10
Resigned
FAIRWEATHER, Peter John→
director · ~65y · appointed 1999-02-08 · resigned 2000-03-03
Resigned
HURST, Gordon Mark→
director · ~64y · appointed 2001-08-08 · resigned 2008-03-31
Resigned
LAWRENCE, Susan Elizabeth→
director · ~65y · appointed 2009-04-21 · resigned 2015-07-31
Resigned

Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.

Mortgages & charges

2
Total charges
1
Outstanding
1
Active lenders
Status:Lender:2 of 2 shown
TypeProperties
satisfied
Henry Ansbacher & Co (As Agent and Trustee for the Banks)
Henry Ansbacher & Co Limited (As Agent and Trustee for the Banks)
Memorandum of deposit and charge over securities1 property30/04/199031/08/1996
outstanding
Guardian Assurance Company .
Guardian Assurance Company Limited.
Letter of charge1 property12/08/1981—
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.

Recent filings (226 total)

confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-03-31
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2025-10-04
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2025-09-29
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-04-11
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC05
2024-11-18
change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
address · AD01
2024-11-18
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2024-07-30
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-04-05
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2024-01-31
appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
officers · AP01
2024-01-31
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2023-08-29
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-04-11
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC05
2023-03-31
change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
address · AD01
2023-03-20
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2022-09-27