3D GROUND SCANNING SURVEYS LTD

💤Zombieactive
03314705 · ltd · incorporated 1997-02-07
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 Oct 2024
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
73/100
Strong
🔔
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What this business does
Primary activity: Other professional, scientific and technical activities n.e.c.
Sector: Professional, scientific & technical
Investor take
Pass (distressed without resilience)
Distressed active trading company — structural issues outweigh the discount.

Opportunity 73/100 (strong), bankability 75/100. Strong seller-intent signal (78/100, director aged 73). Biggest value-creation lever: Resolve: Confirmation statement overdue. Annual confirmation statement not filed on time. Required statutory filing — overdue is a strong discipline signal. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (73/100).

🏦

Refinance opportunity

1 live charge · oldest 29.0y

45/100
under pressure

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

  • · Oldest live charge is 29.0 years old — likely at or near maturity.
  • · Single lender — cleanest path to refinance.
  • · Distress signals active — lender appetite narrows.

Data confidence

Overall: medium (78/100)

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
7 officers (2 active, 7 linked, 3 with DOB)
79
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 4 total, 4 with control declared
90
Director network
1 connected companies via shared directors
48
Filing history
97 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
60
Adequate — check latest filings for context.
Acquirability
80
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
67
Some moderate concerns — review flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.

Key financials

2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accounts
Cash
—
Net Worth
—
Current Assets
—
Current Liabilities
—
£0£12k£25k£37k£50k£62kOct 2023Oct 2024

Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series

Financials

Extracted from Companies House accounts · FRS 102
Metric2024-10-312023-10-31
Total assets—£68.3k
Current assets—£36.7k
Cash—£22.0k
Debtors—£14.7k
Net assets—£62.2k
Average employees1—

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

🔒Filing-note intelligence

2 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
2
filings
  • • 2 gazette
Last 180 days
2
filings
  • • 2 gazette
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (33 events)Click to expand
  1. 2026-04-28
    📄
    gazette-filings-brought-up-to-date
    gazette · DISS40
  2. 2026-04-14
    📄
    gazette-notice-compulsory
    gazette · GAZ1
  3. 2025-07-31
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  4. 2025-07-24
    📍
    change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
    address · AD01
  5. 2024-10-31
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  6. 2023-01-25
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  7. 2022-07-27
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  8. 2021-12-24
    📄
    change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
  9. 2021-12-22
    📄
    change-person-director-company-with-change-date
    officers · CH01
  10. 2021-12-22
    ✏️
    certificate-change-of-name-company
    change-of-name · CERTNM
  11. 2021-07-19
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  12. 2021-05-31
    📄
    resolution
    resolution · RESOLUTIONS
  13. 2020-10-29
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  14. 2020-03-18
    📄
    mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
    mortgage · MR04
  15. 2020-03-18
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #1
  16. 2020-02-28
    📍
    change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
    address · AD01
  17. 2019-07-30
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  18. 2019-02-14
    📄
    cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
  19. 2019-02-14
    📄
    cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
  20. 2005-04-11
    ➖
    HIGGIN, Jilly Lucinda resigned
    director
  21. 2004-04-05
    ➕
    HIGGIN, Emma Hermione appointed
    secretary
  22. 2004-04-05
    ➖
    HIGGIN, Rupert Sinclair resigned
    secretary
  23. 1998-03-26
    ➕
    HIGGIN, Jilly Lucinda appointed
    director
  24. 1998-03-26
    ➖
    HIGGIN, Rupert Sinclair resigned
    director
  25. 1997-06-19
    🔒
    Charge registered #1
    Lender: Lloyds Bank PLC
  26. 1997-03-11
    ➕
    HIGGIN, Nicholas Peter Earle appointed
    director
  27. 1997-03-11
    ➕
    HIGGIN, Rupert Sinclair appointed
    secretary
  28. 1997-03-11
    ➖
    WATERLOW SECRETARIES LIMITED resigned
    corporate-nominee-secretary
  29. 1997-03-11
    ➕
    HIGGIN, Rupert Sinclair appointed
    director
  30. 1997-03-11
    ➖
    WATERLOW NOMINEES LIMITED resigned
    corporate-nominee-director
  31. 1997-02-07
    🏢
    Company incorporated
    As 3D GROUND SCANNING SURVEYS LTD
  32. 1997-02-07
    ➕
    WATERLOW SECRETARIES LIMITED appointed
    corporate-nominee-secretary
  33. 1997-02-07
    ➕
    WATERLOW NOMINEES LIMITED appointed
    corporate-nominee-director

Owner dependency

100/100
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.
  • +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 29 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
  • +Founder age: Director aged approximately 73 — succession pressure is live.

Succession & seller-readiness

100/100
Likely off-market candidate

Strong acquirability signals converging. Worth approaching directly — this is how off-market deals start.

SIGNALS
  • primaryFounder aged 70+: Senior director is approximately 73 years old. Natural succession window is now.
  • primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
  • primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 29 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
  • secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 29 years old and no new directors in the last 3 years — succession not yet being planned internally.

Red flags

1 high ·
Confirmation statement overdue
high

Annual confirmation statement not filed on time. Required statutory filing — overdue is a strong discipline signal.

Evidence: Next due: 2026-01-07

Shareholders & ownership

1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%
NameSharesVoting rightsNature of controlNotified
Mr Nicholas Peter Earle Higgin
Individual · British · DOB 01/1953 · age 73
75–100%
75–100%75-100% shares · 75-100% voting06/04/2016
3 historic (ceased) PSCs
  • Margaret Kathryn Gordonceased 19/12/2016· significant influence
  • Mr Nicholas Peter Earle Higginceased 06/04/2016· 75-100% shares · 75-100% voting
  • Mrs Emma Hermione Higginceased 06/04/2016· significant influence

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
Incorporated1997-02-07
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC74909 — Other professional, scientific and technical activities n.e.c.

Registered office

St John's Chambers
Love Street
Chester
CH1 1QY
England

Filing status

Accounts
Next due: 2026-07-31
Last made up to: 2024-10-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-01-07OVERDUE
Last: 2024-12-24

Officers (2 active · 5 resigned)

HIGGIN, Emma Hermione→
secretary · appointed 2004-04-05
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
HIGGIN, Nicholas Peter Earle→
director · ~73y · appointed 1997-03-11
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
HIGGIN, Rupert Sinclair→
secretary · appointed 1997-03-11 · resigned 2004-04-05
Resigned
WATERLOW SECRETARIES LIMITED→
corporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 1997-02-07 · resigned 1997-03-11
Resigned
HIGGIN, Jilly Lucinda→
director · ~62y · appointed 1998-03-26 · resigned 2005-04-11
Resigned
HIGGIN, Rupert Sinclair→
director · ~62y · appointed 1997-03-11 · resigned 1998-03-26
Resigned
WATERLOW NOMINEES LIMITED→
corporate-nominee-director · appointed 1997-02-07 · resigned 1997-03-11
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
Lloyds Banking Group
Lloyds Bank PLC
Debenture1 property19/06/199718/03/2020

Recent filings (97 total)

gazette-filings-brought-up-to-date
gazette · DISS40
2026-04-28
gazette-notice-compulsory
gazette · GAZ1
2026-04-14
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-07-31
change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
address · AD01
2025-07-24
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-01-06
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-10-31
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-01-12
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-01-25
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-01-12
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2022-07-27
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-12-24
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2021-12-24
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2021-12-22
certificate-change-of-name-company
change-of-name · CERTNM
2021-12-22
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2021-07-19