BURWATER HOLDINGS LIMITED
💤Zombieactive
01495839 · ltd · incorporated 1980-05-08
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
—
not disclosed
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
79/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: Sale of new cars and light motor vehicles
Sector: Wholesale & retail
Investor take
PursueActive trading company with a 65-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.
Opportunity 79/100 (strong), bankability 85/100. Strong seller-intent signal (93/100, director aged 65). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Broaden director team. Sole director creates succession risk and reduces buyer comfort. Appoint a second director or strong #2. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (73/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
5 live charges · 2 lenders · oldest 41.0y
30/100
under pressure
Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.
- · Oldest live charge is 41.0 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · Two lenders — manageable, but coordination required.
- · Distress signals active — lender appetite narrows.
Data confidence
Overall: medium (56/100)Adequate coverage. AI outputs are reliable for the sections scored high; verify the rest in diligence.
Company profile
address, 1 SIC codes, incorporation date
100
Financials
No iXBRL financials extracted
0
Lenders & charges
5 charges (5/5 with lender, 5/5 with type)
90
Directors & officers
6 officers (2 active, 6 linked, 3 with DOB)
80
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 2 total, 2 with control declared
90
Director network
1 connected companies via shared directors
48
Filing history
138 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
80
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
77
Few red flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.
Recent activity
Last 30 days
1
filing
- • 1 accounts
Last 90 days
1
filing
- • 1 accounts
Last 180 days
1
filing
- • 1 accounts
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (38 events)Click to expand
- 2026-07-02📄accounts-with-accounts-type-groupaccounts · AA
- 2025-10-31📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2025-09-24📄resolutionresolution · RESOLUTIONS
- 2025-09-24📄memorandum-articlesincorporation · MA
- 2025-08-04📄accounts-with-accounts-type-groupaccounts · AA
- 2024-09-02📄accounts-with-accounts-type-groupaccounts · AA
- 2023-09-22📄accounts-with-accounts-type-groupaccounts · AA
- 2022-09-20📄accounts-with-accounts-type-groupaccounts · AA
- 2022-07-14📄capital-allotment-sharescapital · SH01
- 2022-03-10📄memorandum-articlesincorporation · MA
- 2022-03-10📄capital-variation-of-rights-attached-to-sharescapital · SH10
- 2022-03-10📄capital-alter-shares-subdivisioncapital · SH02
- 2022-03-10📄resolutionresolution · RESOLUTIONS
- 2021-11-08📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC01
- 2021-11-08📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2021-11-02📄capital-allotment-sharescapital · SH01
- 2021-11-02📄capital-alter-shares-redemption-statement-of-capitalcapital · SH02
- 2021-11-02📄resolutionresolution · RESOLUTIONS
- 2021-11-02📄resolutionresolution · RESOLUTIONS
- 2021-09-24📄accounts-with-accounts-type-groupaccounts · AA
- 2021-03-31➖HARTING, Michael Peter resigneddirector
- 2020-10-01➕HAYFIELD, Neil appointedsecretary
- 2020-10-01➖HARTING, Neil Andrew resignedsecretary
- 2019-01-23🔓Charge satisfied #5
- 2019-01-23🔓Charge satisfied #4
- 2019-01-23🔓Charge satisfied #2
- 2012-03-14➖HARTING, Ann Rita resignedsecretary
- 2012-03-14➕HARTING, Neil Andrew appointedsecretary
- 2012-03-14➖HARTING, Ann Rita resigneddirector
- 2011-04-02🔒Charge registered #5Lender: Barclays Bank PLC
- 2003-11-26🔓Charge satisfied #3
- 2003-03-18🔓Charge satisfied #1
- 1996-11-01➕HARTING, Neil Andrew appointeddirector
- 1996-05-30🔒Charge registered #4Lender: Barclays Bank PLC
- 1996-05-30🔒Charge registered #3Lender: Volkswagen Financial Services (UK) Limited
- 1996-03-07🔒Charge registered #2Lender: Barclays Bank PLC
- 1985-07-23🔒Charge registered #1Lender: Barclays Bank PLC
- 1980-05-08🏢Company incorporatedAs BURWATER HOLDINGS LIMITED
Owner dependency
100/100
Critical — business is the founderThe 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.
- +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 30 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
- +Founder age: Director aged approximately 65 — succession pressure is live.
Succession & seller-readiness
95/100
Likely off-market candidateStrong acquirability signals converging. Worth approaching directly — this is how off-market deals start.
SIGNALS
- primaryFounder aged 63+: Senior director is approximately 65. Approaching typical UK retirement age — succession thinking likely.
- primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
- primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 30 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 46 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
1 med ·Charge satisfaction-then-recreation pattern
mediumMultiple instances where a charge was satisfied and a new charge created within 6 months. Suggests active refinancing cycle.
Shareholders & ownership
1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr Neil Andrew Harting Individual · British · DOB 09/1961 · age 65 | 75–100% | — | 75-100% shares | 31/03/2021 |
1 historic (ceased) PSC
- Mr Michael Peter Hartingceased 31/03/2021· 50-75% shares
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 →Similar companies
Active · Automotive · KT postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BILL SHEPHERD AUTOMOTIVE LTD→ 09387159 · est 2015 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 11y | — | — |
| BODYSHIFTERS MOBILE LIMITED→ 16225163 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| BROOKLANDS CAR SALES LIMITED→ 02833143 · est 1993 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 32y | — | — |
| BROOKLANDS MOTOR COMPANY GROUP LTD→ 08198565 · est 2012 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 13y | — | — |
| BROWNS OF SURREY LTD→ 11145192 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 8y | — | — |
| BRU-GROUP LIMITED→ 10289120 · est 2016 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 9y | — | — |
| BRUNO HENRIQUE MECHANIC ELECTRICAL LTD→ 15109937 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| BUKHARI TRADERS LTD→ 16197692 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| BYCOMBE LIMITED→ 01974528 · est 1986 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 40y | — | — |
| BYFLEET AUTOCARE LIMITED→ 03865630 · est 1999 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 26y | — | — |
| BYHURST LIMITED→ 08568563 · est 2013 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 12y | — | — |
| C2E SPECIALIST CAR IMPORTERS LIMITED→ 09520867 · est 2015 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 11y | — | — |
Peers ranked by estimated value, then turnover, then opportunity score.See all →
🔒Tailored diligence questions
8 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
Incorporated1980-05-08
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC45111 — Sale of new cars and light motor vehicles
Registered office
Bridge Motor Works
New Zealand Avenue
Walton On Thames
Surrey
KT12 1AT
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2027-09-30
Last made up to: 2025-12-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-11-28
Last: 2025-11-14
Officers (2 active · 4 resigned)
Active
HARTING, Neil Andrew→
Activedirector · ~65y · appointed 1996-11-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
HARTING, Ann Rita→
Resignedsecretary · resigned 2012-03-14
HARTING, Neil Andrew→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2012-03-14 · resigned 2020-10-01
HARTING, Ann Rita→
Resigneddirector · ~95y · resigned 2012-03-14
HARTING, Michael Peter→
Resigneddirector · ~96y · resigned 2021-03-31
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
5
Total charges
0
Outstanding
0
Active lenders
Status:Lender:5 of 5 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| satisfied | Barclays Barclays Bank PLC | Guarantee & debenture | 1 property | 02/04/2011 | 23/01/2019 | |
| satisfied | Barclays Barclays Bank PLC | Guarantee and debenture | 1 property | 30/05/1996 | 23/01/2019 | |
| satisfied | Volkswagen Financial Services (UK) Volkswagen Financial Services (UK) Limited | Legal charge | 1 property | 30/05/1996 | 26/11/2003 | |
| satisfied | Barclays Barclays Bank PLC | Guarantee and debenture | 1 property | 07/03/1996 | 23/01/2019 | |
| satisfied | Barclays Barclays Bank PLC | Legal charge | 1 property | 23/07/1985 | 18/03/2003 |
Recent filings (138 total)
accounts-with-accounts-type-group
accounts · AA
2026-07-02
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-12-08
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2025-10-31
resolution
resolution · RESOLUTIONS
2025-09-24
memorandum-articles
incorporation · MA
2025-09-24
accounts-with-accounts-type-group
accounts · AA
2025-08-04
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-11-14
accounts-with-accounts-type-group
accounts · AA
2024-09-02
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-11-15
accounts-with-accounts-type-group
accounts · AA
2023-09-22
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-11-21
accounts-with-accounts-type-group
accounts · AA
2022-09-20
capital-allotment-shares
capital · SH01
2022-07-14
memorandum-articles
incorporation · MA
2022-03-10
capital-variation-of-rights-attached-to-shares
capital · SH10
2022-03-10