BUREAU PROPERTIES LIMITED

💤Zombieactive
01814520 · ltd · incorporated 1984-05-09
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
🔔
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What this business does
Primary activity: Non-trading company
Sector: Professional, scientific & technical
Investor take
Pursue
Strong opportunity: dormant / non-trading with strong profile and bankable structure.

Opportunity 79/100 (strong), bankability 85/100. High owner-dependency — earn-out structure likely required for clean transition. 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

1 live charge · oldest 26.3y

45/100
under pressure

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

  • · Oldest live charge is 26.3 years old — likely at or near maturity.
  • · Single lender — cleanest path to refinance.
  • · Distress signals active — lender appetite narrows.

Data confidence

Overall: medium (59/100)

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
1 charges (1/1 with lender, 1/1 with type)
90
Directors & officers
24 officers (2 active, 24 linked, 16 with DOB)
83
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
203 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.

Recent activity

Last 30 days
0
filings
Last 90 days
0
filings
Last 180 days
2
filings
  • • 1 accounts
  • • 1 confirmation-statement
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (64 events)Click to expand
  1. 2026-03-16
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
    accounts · AA
  2. 2025-09-05
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
    accounts · AA
  3. 2025-01-09
    📄
    change-person-director-company-with-change-date
    officers · CH01
  4. 2024-08-27
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
    accounts · AA
  5. 2024-07-11
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  6. 2024-06-30
    ➖
    PLUMTREE, David Kerry resigned
    director
  7. 2024-06-26
    📄
    mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
    mortgage · MR04
  8. 2024-06-26
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #1
  9. 2024-01-31
    📍
    move-registers-to-sail-company-with-new-address
    address · AD03
  10. 2023-12-12
    📄
    change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC05
  11. 2023-12-11
    📍
    change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
    address · AD01
  12. 2023-08-30
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
    accounts · AA
  13. 2023-08-03
    📄
    change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC05
  14. 2022-10-13
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  15. 2022-10-13
    📄
    appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
    officers · AP01
  16. 2022-10-03
    ➖
    CLARKE, Adrienne Elizabeth Lea resigned
    director
  17. 2022-09-27
    ➕
    PLUMTREE, David Kerry appointed
    director
  18. 2022-09-12
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
    accounts · AA
  19. 2021-12-14
    📄
    appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
    officers · AP01
  20. 2021-12-08
    📄
    legacy
    miscellaneous · ANNOTATION
  21. 2021-12-07
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  22. 2021-11-30
    ➕
    TWIGG, Richard John appointed
    director
  23. 2021-11-30
    ➖
    WILLIAMS, Gareth Rhys resigned
    director
  24. 2021-09-23
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
    accounts · AA
  25. 2021-01-04
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
    accounts · AA
  26. 2016-02-01
    ➖
    LAW, Shirley Gaik Heah resigned
    secretary
  27. 2012-12-19
    ➕
    OAKWOOD CORPORATE SECRETARY LIMITED appointed
    corporate-secretary
  28. 2010-01-22
    ➕
    CLARKE, Adrienne Elizabeth Lea appointed
    director
  29. 2009-12-31
    ➖
    HILL, Harry Douglas resigned
    director
  30. 2007-12-31
    ➖
    NOWER, Michael Charles resigned
    director
  31. 2005-03-12
    ➖
    LAW, Shirley Gaik Heah resigned
    director
  32. 2005-01-24
    ➕
    HILL, Harry Douglas appointed
    director
  33. 2004-10-15
    ➕
    LAW, Shirley Gaik Heah appointed
    secretary
  34. 2004-10-15
    ➖
    SHANKLEY, Alan Forbes resigned
    secretary
  35. 2004-10-15
    ➕
    LAW, Shirley Gaik Heah appointed
    director
  36. 2004-10-15
    ➕
    NOWER, Michael Charles appointed
    director
  37. 2004-10-15
    ➖
    SHANKLEY, Alan Forbes resigned
    director
  38. 2004-10-15
    ➖
    THORNE, Rosemary Prudence resigned
    director
  39. 2004-10-15
    ➕
    WILLIAMS, Gareth Rhys appointed
    director
  40. 2004-03-31
    ➖
    RODRIGUES, Christopher John resigned
    director
  41. 2004-03-31
    ➕
    SHANKLEY, Alan Forbes appointed
    director
  42. 2001-09-21
    ➖
    JONES, Warwick Richard resigned
    director
  43. 2001-04-23
    ➖
    WOODCOCK, David Hart resigned
    director
  44. 2001-02-28
    ➖
    ABDIN, Romana resigned
    director
  45. 2000-02-22
    🔒
    Charge registered #1
    Lender: The Masters and Scholars of Balliol College in the University of Oxford
  46. 2000-01-04
    ➕
    THORNE, Rosemary Prudence appointed
    director
  47. 1999-01-04
    ➖
    SMITH, John Arthur William resigned
    director
  48. 1998-07-01
    ➖
    CROMAR, Kenneth resigned
    secretary
  49. 1998-07-01
    ➕
    SHANKLEY, Alan Forbes appointed
    secretary
  50. 1998-05-20
    ➕
    JONES, Warwick Richard appointed
    director
Showing most recent 50 of 64 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

65/100
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 42 years old and no new directors in the last 3 years — succession not yet being planned internally.

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

Countrywide Estate Agents Limited is the ultimate parent — holding 75%+ shares. This company sits inside their group.

🏛️
Countrywide Estate Agents Limited
Corporate parent · holds 75-100% shares · board control
ultimate parent
⬇
BUREAU PROPERTIES LIMITED
This company · 01814520

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
Countrywide Estate Agents 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
Incorporated1984-05-09
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC74990 — Non-trading company

Registered office

Cumbria House
16-20 Hockliffe Street
Leighton Buzzard
Bedfordshire
LU7 1GN
United Kingdom

Filing status

Accounts
Next due: 2027-09-30
Last made up to: 2025-12-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-02-12
Last: 2026-01-29

Officers (2 active · 22 resigned)

OAKWOOD CORPORATE SECRETARY LIMITED→
corporate-secretary · appointed 2012-12-19
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
TWIGG, Richard John→
director · ~61y · appointed 2021-11-30
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
CROMAR, Kenneth→
secretary · appointed 1998-03-31 · resigned 1998-07-01
Resigned
LAW, Shirley Gaik Heah→
secretary · appointed 2004-10-15 · resigned 2016-02-01
Resigned
O'CONNOR, Sharon Noelle→
secretary · appointed 1997-03-17 · resigned 1998-03-31
Resigned
O'CONNOR, Sharon Noelle→
secretary · appointed 1995-11-15 · resigned 1997-01-11
Resigned
PECK, Roger Brian→
secretary · resigned 1995-11-15
Resigned
SHANKLEY, Alan Forbes→
secretary · appointed 1998-07-01 · resigned 2004-10-15
Resigned
STAFFORD, Paul Andrew→
secretary · appointed 1997-01-10 · resigned 1997-03-17
Resigned
ABDIN, Romana→
director · ~63y · resigned 2001-02-28
Resigned
CLARKE, Adrienne Elizabeth Lea→
director · ~62y · appointed 2010-01-22 · resigned 2022-10-03
Resigned
HILL, Harry Douglas→
director · ~78y · appointed 2005-01-24 · resigned 2009-12-31
Resigned
JONES, Warwick Richard→
director · ~75y · appointed 1998-05-20 · resigned 2001-09-21
Resigned
LAW, Shirley Gaik Heah→
director · ~81y · appointed 2004-10-15 · resigned 2005-03-12
Resigned
NOWER, Michael Charles→
director · ~77y · appointed 2004-10-15 · resigned 2007-12-31
Resigned
PLUMTREE, David Kerry→
director · ~57y · appointed 2022-09-27 · resigned 2024-06-30
Resigned
RODRIGUES, Christopher John→
director · ~77y · appointed 1998-03-31 · resigned 2004-03-31
Resigned
SHANKLEY, Alan Forbes→
director · ~77y · appointed 2004-03-31 · resigned 2004-10-15
Resigned
SMITH, John Arthur William→
director · ~79y · appointed 1998-03-31 · resigned 1999-01-04
Resigned
THORNE, Rosemary Prudence→
director · ~74y · appointed 2000-01-04 · resigned 2004-10-15
Resigned

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

Mortgages & charges

1
Total charges
0
Outstanding
0
Active lenders
Status:Lender:1 of 1 shown
TypeProperties
satisfied
The Masters and Scholars of Balliol College in the University of Oxford
Rent deposit deed1 property22/02/200026/06/2024

Recent filings (203 total)

accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2026-03-16
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-01-30
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2025-09-05
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-01-29
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2025-01-09
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2024-08-27
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2024-07-11
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2024-06-26
move-registers-to-sail-company-with-new-address
address · AD03
2024-01-31
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-01-31
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC05
2023-12-12
change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
address · AD01
2023-12-11
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2023-08-30
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC05
2023-08-03
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-02-07