DIRECT AUTO FINANCE LIMITED
⚰️Wound downdissolved
03412137 · ltd · incorporated 1997-07-30
Investment thesis
Company dissolved — not a live target.
Why interesting: Historical record only; useful for precedent research.
Why risky: Not transactable.
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
not disclosed
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
49/100
Watch
What this business does
Primary activity: Non-trading company
Sector: Professional, scientific & technical
Investor take
Pass (distressed without resilience)Distressed dormant / non-trading — structural issues outweigh the discount.
Opportunity 49/100 (watch), bankability 52/100. Strong seller-intent signal (73/100, director aged 68). Asset purchase likely safer than share purchase given structural signals. 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 (30/100). Current lenders should be on monthly review.
🏦
Refinance opportunity
4 live charges · 3 lenders · oldest 28.5y
25/100
too messy
Structure is too messy for a clean refinance right now — clean up first or expect bespoke terms.
- · Oldest live charge is 28.5 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · 3 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
- · Legal-friction score 50/100 (high).
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, 1 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
37 officers (3 active, 37 linked, 29 with DOB)
86
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 1 total, 1 with control declared
90
Director network
12 connected companies via shared directors
81
Filing history
164 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
49/100Watch
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional
Not actionable now, but monitor — distressed, succession, or structural changes could flip this into a real opportunity.
Business quality
10
Concerning — overdue filings or status flags present.
Acquirability
75
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
41
Multiple red flags — proceed with caution.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.
Recent activity
Last 30 days
0
filings
Last 90 days
0
filings
Last 180 days
0
filings
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (102 events)Click to expand
- 2022-07-06⚠️gazette-dissolved-liquidationgazette · GAZ2
- 2022-07-06🏁Company dissolved
- 2022-04-06⚠️liquidation-voluntary-members-return-of-final-meetinginsolvency · LIQ13
- 2021-08-07⚠️liquidation-voluntary-appointment-of-liquidatorinsolvency · 600
- 2021-08-07📄resolutionresolution · RESOLUTIONS
- 2021-08-07⚠️liquidation-voluntary-declaration-of-solvencyinsolvency · LIQ01
- 2021-08-02📄capital-allotment-sharescapital · SH01
- 2020-11-06📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2020-11-06🔓Charge satisfied #3
- 2020-10-12📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2020-04-01➕KAPUR, Neeraj appointeddirector
- 2020-04-01📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2020-03-31➖THOMAS, Simon George resigneddirector
- 2020-03-31📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2019-09-18📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2018-12-05📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2018-12-05📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2018-12-03➖FISHER, Andrew Charles resigneddirector
- 2018-12-03➕THOMAS, Simon George appointeddirector
- 2018-10-04📄appoint-person-secretary-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP03
- 2018-07-27📄legacymiscellaneous · ANNOTATION
- 2018-07-16➕WHINCUP, David George appointedsecretary
- 2018-04-26📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2018-04-12📄termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM02
- 2018-03-31➖WATTS, Paula resignedsecretary
- 2018-03-19📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2018-03-12➕LE MAY, Malcolm John appointeddirector
- 2017-08-31📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2017-08-21➖CROOK, Peter Stuart resigneddirector
- 2017-05-25📄appoint-person-secretary-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP03
- 2017-05-25📄termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM02
- 2017-05-12➖VERSLUYS, Emma Gayle resignedsecretary
- 2017-05-12➕WATTS, Paula appointedsecretary
- 2009-12-31➖PLOWMAN, Stephen Russell resigneddirector
- 2007-02-01➕CROOK, Peter Stuart appointeddirector
- 2007-02-01➕FISHER, Andrew Charles appointeddirector
- 2007-02-01➖GLEN, Robert John resigneddirector
- 2007-02-01➖LINDSEY, Ian Walter resigneddirector
- 2006-06-21🔓Charge satisfied #1
- 2006-04-28➖HARRISON, Richard resigneddirector
- 2006-04-28➖SHAW, Simon Andrew resigneddirector
- 2006-02-03➖COOPER, Julian Edward Peregrine resigneddirector
- 2006-02-03➖MACLEOD, Gregory Ian resigneddirector
- 2006-02-03➕PLOWMAN, Stephen Russell appointeddirector
- 2006-02-03➖YATES, Stuart William resigneddirector
- 2005-12-31➖JOHNSTONE, Christopher Charles resigneddirector
- 2005-12-22➖PARSONAGE, Robert David resigneddirector
- 2005-12-22➖WEBSTER, James Maxwell resigneddirector
- 2005-11-28🔓Charge satisfied #4
- 2005-09-29➖MARSHALL SMITH, Rosamond Joy resignedsecretary
Showing most recent 50 of 102 events
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
- +Two-director setup: Only two active directors — typical of owner-managed SMEs but limits succession.
- +Founder age: Director aged approximately 68 — succession pressure is live.
Succession & seller-readiness
66/100
Strong succession signalMultiple signals suggest succession is on the horizon. Candidate for proactive outreach.
SIGNALS
- primaryFounder aged 63+: Senior director is approximately 68. Approaching typical UK retirement age — succession thinking likely.
- secondaryTwo-director governance: Small-team governance. Succession depth is thin but not absent.
- 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
2 high · 1 med ·Company dissolved
highCompany has been dissolved — it no longer legally exists. Any diligence here is historical only.
Evidence: Dissolved on 2022-07-06
4 insolvency-related filings on record
highFilings relating to insolvency, liquidation, or administration exist in the company's history. Review before proceeding.
Evidence: 2022-07-06: gazette-dissolved-liquidation; 2022-04-06: liquidation-voluntary-members-return-of-final-meeting
Charge satisfaction-then-recreation pattern
mediumMultiple instances where a charge was satisfied and a new charge created within 6 months. Suggests active refinancing cycle.
Group structure
Provident Financial Plc is the ultimate parent — holding 75%+ shares. This company sits inside their group.
🏛️ultimate parent
Provident Financial Plc
Corporate parent · holds 75-100% shares · board control
⬇
DIRECT AUTO FINANCE LIMITED
This company · 03412137
Parent relationships inferred from Persons with Significant Control filings. Full subsidiary tree requires reverse-lookup (coming).
Shareholders & ownership
1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Provident Financial Plc Corporate entity | 75–100% | 75–100% | board control75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control | 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.
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Peers ranked by estimated value, then turnover, then opportunity score.See all →
🔒Tailored diligence questions
10 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
Statusdissolved
Typeltd
Incorporated1997-07-30
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC74990 — Non-trading company
Registered office
No. 1 Godwin Street
Bradford
West Yorkshire
BD1 2SU
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: —
Last made up to: 2019-12-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: —
Last: —
Officers (0 active · 34 resigned)
WHINCUP, David George→
Activesecretary · appointed 2018-07-16
View their other companies + combined net worth →
KAPUR, Neeraj→
Activedirector · ~61y · appointed 2020-04-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
LE MAY, Malcolm John→
Activedirector · ~68y · appointed 2018-03-12
View their other companies + combined net worth →
MARSHALL SMITH, Rosamond Joy→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2002-12-18 · resigned 2005-09-29
MEYRICK, Stephen John→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 1998-07-01 · resigned 2002-12-10
PRINCE, Joseph Michael→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 1997-07-30 · resigned 1998-07-01
VERSLUYS, Emma Gayle→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2005-09-29 · resigned 2017-05-12
WATTS, Paula→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2017-05-12 · resigned 2018-03-31
L & A SECRETARIAL LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 1997-07-30 · resigned 1997-07-30
COOPER, Julian Edward Peregrine→
Resigneddirector · ~64y · appointed 2005-09-29 · resigned 2006-02-03
CROOK, Peter Stuart→
Resigneddirector · ~63y · appointed 2007-02-01 · resigned 2017-08-21
DUNKLEY, Paul John→
Resigneddirector · ~68y · appointed 1997-12-17 · resigned 2002-12-10
FARBRIDGE, Caroline Louise→
Resigneddirector · ~60y · appointed 2003-09-30 · resigned 2004-12-31
FARBRIDGE, Caroline Louise→
Resigneddirector · ~60y · appointed 2002-12-18 · resigned 2003-05-21
FISHER, Andrew Charles→
Resigneddirector · ~68y · appointed 2007-02-01 · resigned 2018-12-03
GLEN, Robert John→
Resigneddirector · ~64y · appointed 2005-09-29 · resigned 2007-02-01
HARRISON, Richard→
Resigneddirector · ~58y · appointed 2004-09-22 · resigned 2006-04-28
JOHNSTONE, Christopher Charles→
Resigneddirector · ~67y · appointed 2002-12-18 · resigned 2005-12-31
LINDSEY, Ian Walter→
Resigneddirector · ~80y · appointed 2005-08-17 · resigned 2007-02-01
MACLEOD, Gregory Ian→
Resigneddirector · ~66y · appointed 2005-09-29 · resigned 2006-02-03
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
4
Total charges
0
Outstanding
0
Active lenders
Status:Lender:4 of 4 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| satisfied | Lloyds Banking Group The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC | Composite guarantee and debenture | 1 property | 26/07/1999 | 28/11/2005 | |
| satisfied | Hartwell Automotive Group Hartwell Automotive Group Limited | Rent deposit deed | 1 property | 11/02/1999 | 06/11/2020 | |
| satisfied | Lloyds Banking Group The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC | Composite guarantee and debenture | 1 property | 16/12/1997 | 07/06/2001 | |
| satisfied | Dunedin Property Investment Company Dunedin Property Investment Company Limited | Rent deposit deed | 1 property | 12/11/1997 | 21/06/2006 |
Recent filings (164 total)
gazette-dissolved-liquidation
gazette · GAZ2
2022-07-06
liquidation-voluntary-members-return-of-final-meeting
insolvency · LIQ13
2022-04-06
liquidation-voluntary-appointment-of-liquidator
insolvency · 600
2021-08-07
resolution
resolution · RESOLUTIONS
2021-08-07
liquidation-voluntary-declaration-of-solvency
insolvency · LIQ01
2021-08-07
capital-allotment-shares
capital · SH01
2021-08-02
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2020-11-06
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2020-10-12
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2020-09-30
appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
officers · AP01
2020-04-01
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2020-03-31
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2019-10-11
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2019-09-18
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2018-12-05
appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
officers · AP01
2018-12-05