DIRECT COMMERCIAL LIMITED
🌳Matureactive
03133493 · ltd · incorporated 1995-12-04
Investment thesis
Established operating company — standard diligence applies, no dominant angle.
Why interesting: Live, filing, normal profile.
Why risky: No standout signals in either direction.
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
year to Feb 2025
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
82/100
Exceptional
What this business does
Primary activity: Non-life insurance
Sector: Financial & insurance
Investor take
PursueStrong opportunity: active trading company with exceptional profile and acceptable with review structure.
Opportunity 82/100 (exceptional), bankability 67/100. Strong seller-intent signal (60/100, director aged 58). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Consolidate lender relationships. 4 distinct lenders creates friction — refinance into single-lender structure for cleaner diligence. Most likely exit: strategic trade sale (73/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
4 live charges · 4 lenders · oldest 24.3y
35/100
too messy
Refinance path is blocked by complexity. Rethink structure or expect bespoke, expensive terms.
- · Oldest live charge is 24.3 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · 4 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
- · Legal-friction score 30/100 — workable, but lender will want more DD.
Data confidence
Overall: medium (74/100)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
1 year of iXBRL accounts extracted (no YoY comparison) + narrative notes parsed
50
Lenders & charges
4 charges (4/4 with lender, 4/4 with type)
90
Directors & officers
21 officers (7 active, 21 linked, 15 with DOB)
84
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 4 total, 4 with control declared
90
Director network
10 connected companies via shared directors
75
Filing history
146 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
🔒Estimated company valuation
Sector-multiple EBITDA, turnover, and NAV-proxy valuation range with confidence tier — derived from extracted iXBRL financials.
Available from the Pro tier upwards.
See pricing →Opportunity Score
82/100Exceptional
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
80
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
85
Few red flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.
Key financials
1 year extracted from filed iXBRL accountsCash
—
Net Worth
—
Current Assets
—
Current Liabilities
—
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · FRS 102| Metric | 2025-02-28 |
|---|---|
| Average employees | 18200 |
Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.
🔒Filing-note intelligence
4 signals 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 accounts
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (63 events)Click to expand
- 2026-03-05📄change-account-reference-date-company-previous-extendedaccounts · AA01
- 2026-01-12📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2026-01-05📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2025-12-18🔒Charge registered #4Lender: Kroll Trustee Services Limited
- 2025-07-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-groupaccounts · AA
- 2024-07-22📄accounts-with-accounts-type-groupaccounts · AA
- 2024-07-12📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2024-04-16📄accounts-amended-with-accounts-type-groupaccounts · AAMD
- 2024-04-16📄accounts-with-accounts-type-groupaccounts · AA
- 2023-12-18📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC02
- 2023-10-03📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2023-10-03📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2023-09-21➕HANTSON, Joseph appointeddirector
- 2023-09-21➖OLESZKO, Colin Henry resigneddirector
- 2023-06-07📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2023-06-05📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-05-25➕HOULIHAN, Peter appointeddirector
- 2022-12-19📄capital-allotment-sharescapital · SH01
- 2022-12-19📄termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM02
- 2022-12-19📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2022-08-22📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2022-02-28📄change-account-reference-date-company-current-shortenedaccounts · AA01
- 2021-12-08➖CUNNINGHAM, Emma Marie Claude resignedsecretary
- 2021-12-01📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2021-12-01📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2020-05-06➕CRIPPS, Carl Mark Anthony appointeddirector
- 2020-05-06➕WEBB, Christopher Joseph appointeddirector
- 2020-05-06➕OLESZKO, Colin Henry appointeddirector
- 2018-08-07🔓Charge satisfied #3
- 2017-05-31🔒Charge registered #3Lender: Stm Fidecs Trust Company Limited (Registered in Gibraltar)
- 2016-09-20➕CUNNINGHAM, Emma Marie Claude appointedsecretary
- 2011-06-15➖BUTLER, Charles Colin resigneddirector
- 2011-02-28➖CUNNINGHAM, Philip resigneddirector
- 2010-04-05➖CROTHERS, Robert James resigneddirector
- 2010-01-20➕CUNNINGHAM, Philip Michael appointeddirector
- 2009-03-31➖WEBB, Christopher Joseph resigneddirector
- 2007-11-22🔓Charge satisfied #2
- 2007-11-22🔓Charge satisfied #1
- 2007-08-01➕GUILFOYLE, Liam James appointeddirector
- 2007-08-01➕WEBB, Christopher Joseph appointeddirector
- 2007-05-31➕GUILFOYLE, Liam James appointedsecretary
- 2007-05-31➖SKINNER, Neil Fraser resignedsecretary
- 2007-05-31➖SKINNER, Neil Fraser resigneddirector
- 2004-12-20➖MCCARTHY, Charles John resigneddirector
- 2004-09-08➕SKINNER, Neil Fraser appointeddirector
- 2003-09-15➕CROTHERS, Robert James appointeddirector
- 2003-08-08🔒Charge registered #2Lender: National Westminster Bank PLC
- 2002-06-17➕BUTLER, Charles Colin appointeddirector
- 2002-05-03➖CUNNINGHAM, Emma Marie Claude resignedsecretary
- 2002-05-03➕SKINNER, Neil Fraser appointedsecretary
Showing most recent 50 of 63 events
Owner dependency
58/100
Moderate — manageable with handoverSome founder dependency, but not acute. A structured handover period should cover most risk.
FACTORS
- -6 active directors: Broader management team in place — suggests transferable governance.
- +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 19 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
- +Senior director age: Director aged approximately 58 — approaching natural succession window.
Succession & seller-readiness
53/100
Moderate signalSome succession indicators present. Worth watching; approach if sector/strategy fits.
SIGNALS
- secondaryFounder aged 58+: Senior director is approximately 58. Early succession window.
- secondary12+ year tenure: Director in role 19 years.
- 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| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr Philip Michael Cunningham Individual · British · DOB 01/1970 · age 56 | 50–75% | 50–75% | 50-75% shares · 50-75% voting | 06/04/2016 |
3 historic (ceased) PSCs
- Electric Bidco Limitedceased 08/12/2021· 75-100% shares · 75-100% voting
- Mrs Emma Marie Claude Cunninghamceased 08/12/2021· 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting · board control
- Stm Fidecs Trust Company Limited As Trustees Of The Carraig Employee Benefit Trustceased 15/08/2018· 25-50% shares · 25-50% 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 · Financial services · CM postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DDH FINANCIAL SERVICES LTD→ 09989571 · est 2016 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 10y | — | — |
| DELAWARE CAPITAL LIMITED→ 11589363 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| DIRECT MORTGAGE NETWORK LTD→ 11626407 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| DN ADJUSTING LTD→ 09521056 · est 2015 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 11y | — | — |
| DOE MOTORS FINANCE LIMITED→ 00894643 · est 1966 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 59y | — | — |
| DONATANTONIO INVESTMENTS LTD→ 08999642 · est 2014 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 12y | — | — |
| DOWNTON MORTGAGES AND FINANCIAL SERVICES LTD→ 13233478 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| DUNCAN WEALTH MANAGEMENT LIMITED→ 08951512 · est 2014 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 12y | — | — |
| DYNAMICS CONSULTANCY LIMITED→ 08714843 · est 2013 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 12y | — | — |
| E J B FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS LTD→ 14458997 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| EAO MORTGAGES LTD→ 16099932 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| EARN AND LEARN TRADING LTD→ 16932555 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Peers ranked by estimated value, then turnover, then opportunity score.See all →
🔒Tailored diligence questions
6 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
Incorporated1995-12-04
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC65120 — Non-life insurance
Registered office
Redwing House Hedgerows Business Park
Colchester Road
Chelmsford
Essex
CM2 5PB
England
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-11-30
Last made up to: 2025-02-28
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-12-18
Last: 2025-12-04
Officers (7 active · 14 resigned)
GUILFOYLE, Liam James→
Activesecretary · appointed 2007-05-31
View their other companies + combined net worth →
CRIPPS, Carl Mark Anthony→
Activedirector · ~58y · appointed 2020-05-06
View their other companies + combined net worth →
CUNNINGHAM, Philip Michael→
Activedirector · ~56y · appointed 2010-01-20
View their other companies + combined net worth →
GUILFOYLE, Liam James→
Activedirector · ~44y · appointed 2007-08-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
HANTSON, Joseph→
Activedirector · ~54y · appointed 2023-09-21
View their other companies + combined net worth →
HOULIHAN, Peter→
Activedirector · ~48y · appointed 2023-05-25
View their other companies + combined net worth →
WEBB, Christopher Joseph→
Activedirector · ~49y · appointed 2020-05-06
View their other companies + combined net worth →
CUNNINGHAM, Emma Marie Claude→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2016-09-20 · resigned 2021-12-08
CUNNINGHAM, Emma Marie Claude→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 1999-12-01 · resigned 2002-05-03
CUNNINGHAM, Patricia Ellen→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 1996-01-31 · resigned 1999-12-01
SANT, Emma→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 1995-12-04 · resigned 1996-01-31
SKINNER, Neil Fraser→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2002-05-03 · resigned 2007-05-31
BUTLER, Charles Colin→
Resigneddirector · ~82y · appointed 2002-06-17 · resigned 2011-06-15
CROTHERS, Robert James→
Resigneddirector · ~62y · appointed 2003-09-15 · resigned 2010-04-05
CUNNINGHAM, Emma Marie Claude→
Resigneddirector · ~56y · appointed 1999-12-01 · resigned 2002-05-03
CUNNINGHAM, Philip→
Resigneddirector · ~79y · appointed 2002-05-03 · resigned 2011-02-28
CUNNINGHAM, Philip Michael→
Resigneddirector · ~56y · appointed 1995-12-04 · resigned 2002-05-03
MCCARTHY, Charles John→
Resigneddirector · ~68y · appointed 2002-05-03 · resigned 2004-12-20
OLESZKO, Colin Henry→
Resigneddirector · ~46y · appointed 2020-05-06 · resigned 2023-09-21
SKINNER, Neil Fraser→
Resigneddirector · ~71y · appointed 2004-09-08 · resigned 2007-05-31
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
4
Total charges
1
Outstanding
1
Active lenders
Status:Lender:4 of 4 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | Kroll Trustee Services Kroll Trustee Services Limited | A registered charge | 1 property | 18/12/2025 | — | |
| satisfied | Stm Fidecs Trust Company (Registered in Gibraltar) Stm Fidecs Trust Company Limited (Registered in Gibraltar) | A registered charge | — | 31/05/2017 | 07/08/2018 | |
| satisfied | National Westminster Bank National Westminster Bank PLC | Charge of deposit | 1 property | 08/08/2003 | 22/11/2007 | |
| satisfied | Lincoln Assurance Lincoln Assurance Limited | Rent deposit deed | 1 property | 16/04/2002 | 22/11/2007 |
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.
Recent filings (146 total)
change-account-reference-date-company-previous-extended
accounts · AA01
2026-03-05
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2026-01-12
mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
mortgage · MR01
2026-01-05
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-12-13
accounts-with-accounts-type-group
accounts · AA
2025-07-30
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-12-10
accounts-with-accounts-type-group
accounts · AA
2024-07-22
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2024-07-12
accounts-amended-with-accounts-type-group
accounts · AAMD
2024-04-16
accounts-with-accounts-type-group
accounts · AA
2024-04-16
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-12-18
notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC02
2023-12-18
appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
officers · AP01
2023-10-03
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2023-10-03
appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
officers · AP01
2023-06-07