3C ASSOCIATES LTD.

💤Zombieactive
02325778 · ltd · incorporated 1988-12-07
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 Mar 2025
Net worth
£13.5k
book net assets
Opportunity
73/100
Strong
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What this business does
Primary activity: SIC 84130
Sector: Public administration
Investor take
Special-situation opportunity
Distressed other with salvageable qualities — special-situations priority.

Opportunity 73/100 (strong), bankability 80/100. Strong seller-intent signal (68/100, director aged 66). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Cash flow review and working-capital discipline. Cash down -88% YoY — forensic review of receivables, stock turns, and creditor days. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (73/100).

🏦

Refinance opportunity

1 live charge · oldest 14.8y

45/100
under pressure

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

  • · Oldest live charge is 14.8 years old — likely at or near maturity.
  • · Single lender — cleanest path to refinance.
  • · Distress signals active — lender appetite narrows.

Data confidence

Overall: medium (79/100)

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
2 years of iXBRL accounts extracted (YoY deltas available) + narrative notes parsed
75
Lenders & charges
1 charges (1/1 with lender, 1/1 with type)
90
Directors & officers
16 officers (2 active, 16 linked, 10 with DOB)
83
Ownership & PSC
2 active PSC(s) of 3 total, 3 with control declared
90
Director network
2 connected companies via shared directors
51
Filing history
166 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
73/100Strong
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
64
Some moderate concerns — review flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.

Signals from accounts

Derived from iXBRL accounts · accounting standard not declared
Positive net assets
Net assets £13,535
Net assets shrinking
Down £50,423 YoY
Cash draining
Cash down 88% YoY
Cash YoY
-88%
Year on year

Key financials

2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accounts
Cash
£12k
↓ 88% YoY
Net Worth
£14k
↓ 79% YoY
Current Assets
£78k
↓ 41% YoY
Current Liabilities
—
£0£27k£53k£80k£107k£133kMar 2024Mar 2025

Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series

Financials

Extracted from Companies House accounts · accounting standard unknown
Metric2025-03-312024-03-31
Total assets£15.3k£77.0k
Current assets£78.3k£133.3k
Cash£11.9k£97.3k
Debtors£66.4k£36.0k
Net assets£13.5k£64.0k

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

🔒Filing-note intelligence

1 signal detected in this company's narrative notes — going-concern language, audit opinion, contingent liabilities, related-party transactions.

Available from the Pro tier upwards.

See pricing →

Recent activity

Last 30 days
0
filings
Last 90 days
0
filings
Last 180 days
1
filing
  • • 1 confirmation-statement
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (48 events)Click to expand
  1. 2025-11-14
    📄
    change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
  2. 2025-08-12
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
    accounts · AA
  3. 2025-05-19
    📍
    change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
    address · AD01
  4. 2025-05-09
    📄
    change-corporate-director-company
    officers · CH02
  5. 2025-05-09
    📄
    change-corporate-secretary-company-with-change-date
    officers · CH04
  6. 2025-05-09
    📍
    change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
    address · AD01
  7. 2025-03-27
    📄
    change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
  8. 2025-03-27
    📄
    change-person-director-company-with-change-date
    officers · CH01
  9. 2024-11-25
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
    accounts · AA
  10. 2024-05-30
    ➕
    BUFFERY SECRETARIES LTD appointed
    corporate-secretary
  11. 2024-05-30
    ➖
    CORNERSTONES SECRETARIES LTD resigned
    corporate-secretary
  12. 2024-05-30
    📄
    termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM02
  13. 2024-05-30
    📄
    appoint-corporate-secretary-company-with-name-date
    officers · AP04
  14. 2023-06-28
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
    accounts · AA
  15. 2022-09-14
    📄
    change-corporate-director-company
    officers · CH02
  16. 2022-09-13
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
    accounts · AA
  17. 2022-09-13
    📍
    change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
    address · AD01
  18. 2022-07-22
    📄
    capital-allotment-shares
    capital · SH01
  19. 2022-07-22
    📄
    capital-allotment-shares
    capital · SH01
  20. 2022-07-22
    📄
    capital-allotment-shares
    capital · SH01
  21. 2022-04-14
    📄
    capital-statement-capital-company-with-date-currency-figure
    capital · SH19
  22. 2022-04-14
    📄
    legacy
    capital · SH20
  23. 2022-04-14
    ⚠️
    legacy
    insolvency · CAP-SS
  24. 2021-12-31
    ➖
    SQUIRES, Michael Thomas Dickson resigned
    director
  25. 2021-05-01
    ➖
    EADES, Helen Elizabeth Christine resigned
    director
  26. 2018-08-14
    ➕
    EADES, Helen Elizabeth Christine appointed
    director
  27. 2012-06-30
    ➖
    CHEESE, Peter Ayrton resigned
    director
  28. 2011-07-19
    🔒
    Charge registered #1
    Lender: Nationwide Building Society
  29. 2010-11-30
    ➕
    CHEESE, Peter Ayrton appointed
    director
  30. 2009-05-07
    ➕
    CORNERSTONES SECRETARIES LTD appointed
    corporate-secretary
  31. 2009-05-07
    ➖
    JMB SECRETARIES LIMITED resigned
    corporate-secretary
  32. 2008-07-08
    ➕
    SQUIRES, Michael Thomas Dickson appointed
    director
  33. 2003-11-26
    ➖
    BIRD, Hedda Mary resigned
    secretary
  34. 2003-11-26
    ➕
    JMB SECRETARIES LIMITED appointed
    corporate-secretary
  35. 2003-03-26
    ➕
    BIRD, Hedda Mary appointed
    secretary
  36. 2003-03-25
    ➖
    VAIL, Simon David resigned
    secretary
  37. 2000-05-05
    ➖
    BIRD, Hedda resigned
    secretary
  38. 2000-05-05
    ➕
    VAIL, Simon David appointed
    secretary
  39. 1999-10-15
    ➖
    FORDHAM, David Albert Frederick resigned
    director
  40. 1999-05-21
    ➖
    HARDING, Emma resigned
    director
  41. 1999-02-01
    ➕
    HARDING, Emma appointed
    director
  42. 1998-11-24
    ➖
    BIRD, Thomas James resigned
    director
  43. 1995-06-03
    ➕
    BIRD, Thomas James appointed
    director
  44. 1995-05-16
    ➖
    WHYTE, William resigned
    director
  45. 1995-03-16
    ➖
    WALLACE, Charles Stewart Gordon resigned
    director
  46. 1994-06-01
    ➕
    FORDHAM, David Albert Frederick appointed
    director
  47. 1993-07-31
    ➖
    TREBLE, John resigned
    director
  48. 1988-12-07
    🏢
    Company incorporated
    As 3C ASSOCIATES LTD.

Owner dependency

90/100
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.
  • +Founder age: Director aged approximately 66 — succession pressure is live.

Succession & seller-readiness

65/100
Strong succession signal

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

SIGNALS
  • primaryFounder aged 63+: Senior director is approximately 66. Approaching typical UK retirement age — succession thinking likely.
  • primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.

Red flags

1 high · 1 low
1 insolvency-related filing on record
high

Filings relating to insolvency, liquidation, or administration exist in the company's history. Review before proceeding.

Evidence: 2022-04-14: legacy

Multiple registered office changes
low

Multiple address changes in a short period can indicate operational instability or admin disorder.

Shareholders & ownership

2 active beneficial owners
NameSharesVoting rightsNature of controlNotified
Ms Helen Elizabeth Christine Eades
Individual · British · DOB 05/1973 · age 53
25–50%
25–50%25-50% shares · 25-50% voting29/10/2021
Ms Hedda Mary Bird
Individual · British · DOB 04/1960 · age 66
25–50%
—25-50% shares06/04/2016
1 historic (ceased) PSC
  • Mr Michael Thomas Dickson Squiresceased 31/12/2021· 25-50% 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 →

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

9 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
Incorporated1988-12-07
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC84130 — SIC 84130

Registered office

C/O Buffery & Co Ltd
Chiltern House, 45 Station Road
Henley-On-Thames
RG9 1AT
England

Filing status

Accounts
Next due: 2026-12-31
Last made up to: 2025-03-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-11-25
Last: 2025-11-11

Officers (2 active · 14 resigned)

BUFFERY SECRETARIES LTD→
corporate-secretary · appointed 2024-05-30
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
BIRD, Hedda Mary→
director · ~66y
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
BIRD, Hedda Mary→
secretary · appointed 2003-03-26 · resigned 2003-11-26
Resigned
BIRD, Hedda→
secretary · resigned 2000-05-05
Resigned
VAIL, Simon David→
secretary · appointed 2000-05-05 · resigned 2003-03-25
Resigned
CORNERSTONES SECRETARIES LTD→
corporate-secretary · appointed 2009-05-07 · resigned 2024-05-30
Resigned
JMB SECRETARIES LIMITED→
corporate-secretary · appointed 2003-11-26 · resigned 2009-05-07
Resigned
BIRD, Thomas James→
director · ~93y · appointed 1995-06-03 · resigned 1998-11-24
Resigned
CHEESE, Peter Ayrton→
director · ~69y · appointed 2010-11-30 · resigned 2012-06-30
Resigned
EADES, Helen Elizabeth Christine→
director · ~53y · appointed 2018-08-14 · resigned 2021-05-01
Resigned
FORDHAM, David Albert Frederick→
director · ~84y · appointed 1994-06-01 · resigned 1999-10-15
Resigned
HARDING, Emma→
director · ~62y · appointed 1999-02-01 · resigned 1999-05-21
Resigned
SQUIRES, Michael Thomas Dickson→
director · ~75y · appointed 2008-07-08 · resigned 2021-12-31
Resigned
TREBLE, John→
director · ~79y · resigned 1993-07-31
Resigned
WALLACE, Charles Stewart Gordon→
director · ~77y · resigned 1995-03-16
Resigned
WHYTE, William→
director · ~78y · resigned 1995-05-16
Resigned

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

Mortgages & charges

1
Total charges
1
Outstanding
1
Active lenders
Status:Lender:1 of 1 shown
TypeProperties
outstanding
Nationwide
Nationwide Building Society
Rent deposit deed1 property19/07/2011—
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.

Recent filings (166 total)

confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-11-24
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2025-11-14
accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
accounts · AA
2025-08-12
change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
address · AD01
2025-05-19
change-corporate-director-company
officers · CH02
2025-05-09
change-corporate-secretary-company-with-change-date
officers · CH04
2025-05-09
change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
address · AD01
2025-05-09
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2025-03-27
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2025-03-27
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-11-26
accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
accounts · AA
2024-11-25
termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM02
2024-05-30
appoint-corporate-secretary-company-with-name-date
officers · AP04
2024-05-30
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-11-15
accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
accounts · AA
2023-06-28