BUSINESS MAIL SERVICES LIMITED
💤Zombieactive
02818410 · ltd · incorporated 1993-05-17
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
—
book net assets
Opportunity
78/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: Postal activities under universal service obligation
Sector: Transportation & storage
Investor take
PursueStrong opportunity: active trading company with strong profile and bankable structure.
Opportunity 78/100 (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: 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).
Data confidence
Overall: high (80/100)Strong data coverage across all sections. AI outputs should be trusted with minimal caveats.
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
Confirmed no charges registered
85
Directors & officers
6 officers (2 active, 6 linked, 2 with DOB)
77
Ownership & PSC
2 active PSC(s) of 4 total, 4 with control declared
90
Director network
10 connected companies via shared directors
75
Filing history
87 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
78/100Strong
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
90
Good data coverage for analysis.
Key financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsCash
—
Net Worth
—
Current Assets
—
Current Liabilities
—
Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · FRS 102| Metric | 2025-03-31 | 2024-03-31 |
|---|
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 (28 events)Click to expand
- 2025-07-10📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2024-10-22📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2024-09-25📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2024-04-08📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2024-02-15📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC01
- 2024-02-15📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC01
- 2024-02-15📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2023-12-18📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2023-10-16📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2022-12-15📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2022-05-31📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC01
- 2022-05-31📄withdrawal-of-a-person-with-significant-control-statementpersons-with-significant-control · PSC09
- 2021-11-05📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2021-09-03📄gazette-filings-brought-up-to-dategazette · DISS40
- 2021-09-01📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control-statementpersons-with-significant-control · PSC08
- 2021-09-01📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2021-09-01📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2021-09-01📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2021-08-03📄gazette-notice-compulsorygazette · GAZ1
- 2021-03-29➕O'SULLIVAN, Lee James appointeddirector
- 2021-01-02➖SULLIVAN, Patrick Joseph resigneddirector
- 2012-07-05➕O'SULLIVAN, Patrick Philippe appointedsecretary
- 2012-07-05➖SULLIVAN, Lee James resignedsecretary
- 1994-05-17➖WATERLOW SECRETARIES LIMITED resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 1994-05-17➖WATERLOW NOMINEES LIMITED resignedcorporate-nominee-director
- 1993-05-17🏢Company incorporatedAs BUSINESS MAIL SERVICES LIMITED
- 1993-05-17➕WATERLOW SECRETARIES LIMITED appointedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 1993-05-17➕WATERLOW NOMINEES LIMITED appointedcorporate-nominee-director
Owner dependency
83/100
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.
- +Senior director age: Director aged approximately 59 — approaching natural succession window.
Succession & seller-readiness
65/100
Strong succession signalMultiple signals suggest succession is on the horizon. Candidate for proactive outreach.
SIGNALS
- secondaryFounder aged 58+: Senior director is approximately 59. 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 33 years old and no new directors in the last 3 years — succession not yet being planned internally.
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
2 active beneficial owners| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr Lee James O'Sullivan Individual · British · DOB 06/1967 · age 59 | 50–75% | 50–75% | board control50-75% shares · 50-75% voting · board control | 30/03/2023 |
Caroline Ann O'Sullivan Individual · British · DOB 12/1963 · age 63 | 25–50% | 25–50% | 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting | 30/03/2023 |
2 historic (ceased) PSCs
- Mrs Annie O'Sullivanceased 30/03/2023· 75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control
- Patrick Joseph Sullivanceased 02/01/2021· 75-100% shares · 75-100% voting
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 · Transport & logistics · W postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BOSWELLS LIMITED→ 05432207 · est 2005 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 20y | — | — |
| CAB SMART LTD→ 15362175 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| CABO LOGISTICS LTD→ 14101067 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| CABSTAR LIMITED→ 12735331 · est 2020 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| CADUCEUS PHARMACEUTICALS UK ECONOMIC INTEREST GROUPING→ GE000052 · est 1993 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 32y | — | — |
| CAMELRIDER LIMITED→ 14585519 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| CANAL AND RIVER CRUISES LTD→ 07553442 · est 2011 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 15y | — | — |
| CANDOUR CAR CARTER LIMITED→ 09297955 · est 2014 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 11y | — | — |
| CAPITALWESTSTORAGE LTD→ 17087633 · est 2026 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| CAPTAINS & CREW LIMITED→ 09548568 · est 2015 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 11y | — | — |
| CAR SERVICES LONDON LTD→ 14125018 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| CARGO CARRIERS LTD→ 16410131 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
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
Incorporated1993-05-17
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC53100 — Postal activities under universal service obligation
Registered office
Unit 8 Concord Business Centre
Concord Road
London
W3 0TR
United Kingdom
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-12-31
Last made up to: 2025-03-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-05-31
Last: 2026-05-17
Officers (2 active · 4 resigned)
O'SULLIVAN, Patrick Philippe→
Activesecretary · appointed 2012-07-05
View their other companies + combined net worth →
O'SULLIVAN, Lee James→
Activedirector · ~59y · appointed 2021-03-29
View their other companies + combined net worth →
SULLIVAN, Lee James→
Resignedsecretary · resigned 2012-07-05
WATERLOW SECRETARIES LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 1993-05-17 · resigned 1994-05-17
SULLIVAN, Patrick Joseph→
Resigneddirector · ~85y · resigned 2021-01-02
WATERLOW NOMINEES LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-director · appointed 1993-05-17 · resigned 1994-05-17
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Recent filings (87 total)
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-05-18
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2025-07-10
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-06-10
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2024-10-22
change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
address · AD01
2024-09-25
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-05-21
change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
address · AD01
2024-04-08
notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC01
2024-02-15
notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC01
2024-02-15
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2024-02-15
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2023-12-18
change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
address · AD01
2023-10-16
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-05-18
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2022-12-15
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-05-31