ABLE UK LIMITED
🌳Matureactive
02386356 · ltd · incorporated 1989-05-18
Investment thesis
Well-run mature business — low negotiation leverage; premium likely.
Why interesting: Textbook target; clean filings, stable trading.
Why risky: No pressure on seller; any deal likely at full price.
Opportunity decay
hardening · 12-months
Already tight — no obvious softening catalysts on the horizon.
- · Thesis: well-run, low negotiation leverage
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
not disclosed
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
83/100
Exceptional
What this business does
Primary activity: SIC 39000
Sector: Water supply & waste
ALSO REGISTERED FOR
- 42990Construction of other civil engineering projects n.e.c.
- 43110Demolition
- 70229Management consultancy activities other than financial management
Investor take
PursueActive trading company with a 79-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.
Opportunity 83/100 (exceptional), bankability 67/100. Strong seller-intent signal (63/100, director aged 79). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Consolidate lender relationships. 3 distinct lenders creates friction — refinance into single-lender structure for cleaner diligence. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (65/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
4 live charges · 3 lenders · oldest 36.0y
35/100
too messy
Refinance path is blocked by complexity. Rethink structure or expect bespoke, expensive terms.
- · Oldest live charge is 36.0 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · 3 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
- · Legal-friction score 25/100 — workable, but lender will want more DD.
Data confidence
Overall: medium (60/100)Adequate coverage. AI outputs are reliable for the sections scored high; verify the rest in diligence.
Company profile
address, 4 SIC codes, incorporation date
100
Financials
No iXBRL financials extracted
0
Lenders & charges
4 charges (4/4 with lender, 4/4 with type)
90
Directors & officers
11 officers (5 active, 11 linked, 9 with DOB)
86
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 1 total, 1 with control declared
90
Director network
11 connected companies via shared directors
78
Filing history
125 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
83/100Exceptional
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional
Strong composite across quality, acquirability, and risk. High-priority target — progress to serious diligence.
Business quality
70
Active, clean filings, stable charge profile.
Acquirability
85
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
85
Few red flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.
Recent activity
Last 30 days
1
filing
- • 1 confirmation-statement
Last 90 days
1
filing
- • 1 confirmation-statement
Last 180 days
1
filing
- • 1 confirmation-statement
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (37 events)Click to expand
- 2025-11-06📄accounts-with-accounts-type-groupaccounts · AA
- 2025-09-05📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2025-09-01➖CRAM, Richard Michael resigneddirector
- 2024-10-08📄accounts-with-accounts-type-groupaccounts · AA
- 2023-12-22📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2023-11-21➖ETHERINGTON, Neil Francis resigneddirector
- 2023-07-17📄accounts-with-accounts-type-groupaccounts · AA
- 2022-10-07📄accounts-with-accounts-type-groupaccounts · AA
- 2021-09-25📄accounts-with-accounts-type-groupaccounts · AA
- 2021-07-07📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2021-06-18➖MCMANUS, Christopher Patrick resigneddirector
- 2021-01-11📄accounts-with-accounts-type-groupaccounts · AA
- 2019-12-23📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2019-12-19➕JEWERS, Karen appointeddirector
- 2019-12-13📄accounts-with-accounts-type-groupaccounts · AA
- 2019-02-22📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2019-02-22📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2019-02-22📄change-person-secretary-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH03
- 2019-02-22📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2019-02-22🔓Charge satisfied #4
- 2018-11-05📄accounts-with-accounts-type-groupaccounts · AA
- 2018-03-31➖JARVIS, Neil resigneddirector
- 2017-12-05➕JACQUES, Andrew appointeddirector
- 2016-11-11➕CRAM, Richard Michael appointeddirector
- 2016-11-11➕ETHERINGTON, Neil Francis appointeddirector
- 2016-11-11➕JARVIS, Neil appointeddirector
- 2016-11-11➕MCMANUS, Christopher Patrick appointeddirector
- 2014-06-23🔒Charge registered #4Lender: Svenska Handelsbanken Ab (Publ)
- 2013-11-04🔒Charge registered #3Lender: National Westminster Bank PLC
- 2013-10-10🔓Charge satisfied #1
- 2011-08-08🔒Charge registered #2Lender: Svenska Handelsbanken Ab (Publ)
- 2009-09-07➕JEWERS, Karen appointedsecretary
- 2009-09-07➖STEPHENSON, Rachel resignedsecretary
- 1994-12-31➕STEPHENSON, Rachel appointeddirector
- 1991-09-03➖SLEIGHTHOLME, Keith Robert resigneddirector
- 1990-05-15🔒Charge registered #1Lender: The Governor and Company of the Bank of Scotland
- 1989-05-18🏢Company incorporatedAs ABLE UK LIMITED
Owner dependency
73/100
High — earn-out structure requiredMaterial founder dependency. Consider a 2-3 year earn-out and build in a handover plan before completion.
FACTORS
- -4 active directors: Broader management team in place — suggests transferable governance.
- +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 31 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
- +Founder age: Director aged approximately 79 — succession pressure is live.
- +Family involvement: Multiple officers share a surname — likely family business, which concentrates governance.
Succession & seller-readiness
90/100
Likely off-market candidateStrong acquirability signals converging. Worth approaching directly — this is how off-market deals start.
SIGNALS
- primaryFounder aged 70+: Senior director is approximately 79 years old. Natural succession window is now.
- primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 31 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 37 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
cleanNo red flags detected from available public data. (This is not a clean bill of health — detailed accounts review still recommended.)
Shareholders & ownership
1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr Peter Melvin Stephenson Individual · British · DOB 05/1947 · age 79 | 75–100% | — | 75-100% shares | 06/04/2016 |
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 →Similar companies
Active · Energy & utilities · TS postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A.G ENTERPRISES LIMITED→ 06995435 · est 2009 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 16y | — | — |
| A1 MUCKAWAY LIMITED→ 05716473 · est 2006 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 20y | — | — |
| A19 PRO CLEAN LTD→ 15585959 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| ADPARATIO LTD→ 14825368 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| AJ SKIP HIRE LTD→ 15326411 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| ANDREW TOSE LTD→ 11441163 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| ARCHWADE LIMITED→ 10589597 · est 2017 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 9y | — | — |
| ARTEMIS HOUSE LTD→ 16943841 · est 2026 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| AXORIUM ENVIRONMENTAL LTD→ 16946665 · est 2026 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| AZ HEAT LIMITED→ 15199799 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| BACKSHIELD SERVICES LIMITED→ 02994969 · est 1994 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 31y | — | — |
| BESPOKE-ELECTRICAL-UK LIMITED→ 12029530 · est 2019 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 6y | — | — |
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
Incorporated1989-05-18
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC39000 — SIC 39000
Registered office
Able House
Billingham Reach Industrial Est
Haverton Hill Road
Cleveland
TS23 1PX
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-09-30
Last made up to: 2024-12-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-05-12
Last: 2026-04-28
Officers (5 active · 6 resigned)
Active
JACQUES, Andrew→
Activedirector · ~48y · appointed 2017-12-05
View their other companies + combined net worth →
JEWERS, Karen→
Activedirector · ~55y · appointed 2019-12-19
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
STEPHENSON, Rachel→
Activedirector · ~57y · appointed 1994-12-31
View their other companies + combined net worth →
STEPHENSON, Rachel→
Resignedsecretary · resigned 2009-09-07
CRAM, Richard Michael→
Resigneddirector · ~66y · appointed 2016-11-11 · resigned 2025-09-01
ETHERINGTON, Neil Francis→
Resigneddirector · ~69y · appointed 2016-11-11 · resigned 2023-11-21
JARVIS, Neil→
Resigneddirector · ~64y · appointed 2016-11-11 · resigned 2018-03-31
MCMANUS, Christopher Patrick→
Resigneddirector · ~61y · appointed 2016-11-11 · resigned 2021-06-18
SLEIGHTHOLME, Keith Robert→
Resigneddirector · ~81y · resigned 1991-09-03
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
4
Total charges
2
Outstanding
2
Active lenders
Status:Lender:4 of 4 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| satisfied | Svenska Handelsbanken Ab (Publ) | A registered charge | — | 23/06/2014 | 22/02/2019 | |
| outstanding | National Westminster Bank National Westminster Bank PLC | A registered charge | 1 property | 04/11/2013 | — | |
| outstanding | Svenska Handelsbanken Ab (Publ) | Memorandum of security over cash deposits | 1 property | 08/08/2011 | — | |
| satisfied | Lloyds Banking Group The Governor and Company of the Bank of Scotland | Debenture | 1 property | 15/05/1990 | 10/10/2013 |
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.
Recent filings (125 total)
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-05-13
accounts-with-accounts-type-group
accounts · AA
2025-11-06
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2025-09-05
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-04-28
accounts-with-accounts-type-group
accounts · AA
2024-10-08
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-05-13
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2023-12-22
accounts-with-accounts-type-group
accounts · AA
2023-07-17
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-05-08
accounts-with-accounts-type-group
accounts · AA
2022-10-07
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-05-23
accounts-with-accounts-type-group
accounts · AA
2021-09-25
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2021-07-07
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-05-19
accounts-with-accounts-type-group
accounts · AA
2021-01-11