A I F LIMITED
💤Zombieactive
04540784 · ltd · incorporated 2002-09-20
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 Sept 2024
Net worth
£494.4k
book net assets
Opportunity
80/100
Exceptional
What this business does
Primary activity: Non-life insurance
Sector: Financial & insurance
Investor take
PursueAsset-holding vehicle with a 63-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.
Opportunity 80/100 (exceptional), bankability 75/100. Strong seller-intent signal (70/100, director aged 63). 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 (82/100)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, 5 with DOB)
87
Ownership & PSC
2 active PSC(s) of 2 total, 2 with control declared
90
Director network
10 connected companies via shared directors
75
Filing history
80 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
80/100Exceptional
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
90
Good data coverage for analysis.
Signals from accounts
Derived from iXBRL accounts · FRS 105 (micro)Positive net assets
Net assets £494,396
Key financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsCash
—
Net Worth
£494k
↑ 14% YoY
Current Assets
£739k
~ YoY
Current Liabilities
—
Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · FRS 105 (micro)| Metric | 2024-09-30 | 2023-09-30 |
|---|---|---|
| Total assets | £494.4k | £431.8k |
| Current assets | £739.0k | £743.9k |
| Net assets | £494.4k | £431.8k |
Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.
🔒Filing-note intelligence
1 signal 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
3
filings
- • 2 capital
- • 1 resolution
Last 180 days
3
filings
- • 2 capital
- • 1 resolution
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (30 events)Click to expand
- 2026-03-25📄resolutionresolution · RESOLUTIONS
- 2026-03-21📄capital-cancellation-sharescapital · SH06
- 2026-03-21📄capital-return-purchase-own-sharescapital · SH03
- 2025-09-20📄gazette-filings-brought-up-to-dategazette · DISS40
- 2025-09-19📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2025-08-26📄gazette-notice-compulsorygazette · GAZ1
- 2024-09-04📄gazette-filings-brought-up-to-dategazette · DISS40
- 2024-09-03📄gazette-notice-compulsorygazette · GAZ1
- 2024-09-02📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2023-06-27📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2023-06-21📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2023-05-26➖ROBSON, Luke Anthony resigneddirector
- 2022-09-16📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2022-02-14📄accounts-amended-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AAMD
- 2021-11-18📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2021-11-18📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2021-09-29📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2021-09-29📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2021-09-27📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC01
- 2021-06-28📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2014-11-12➕ROBSON, Luke Anthony appointeddirector
- 2008-01-18➖SALMON, Matthew John resigneddirector
- 2008-01-18➖SALMON, Nina Louise resigneddirector
- 2005-02-16➕SALMON, Matthew John appointeddirector
- 2004-10-01➕SALMON, Nina Louise appointeddirector
- 2004-04-30➖NATUSCH, Barrie resigneddirector
- 2003-08-01➕HOLMES, Richard Anthony appointeddirector
- 2002-09-20🏢Company incorporatedAs A I F LIMITED
- 2002-09-20➕BRADSHAW appointedcorporate-secretary
- 2002-09-20➕NATUSCH, Barrie appointeddirector
Owner dependency
93/100
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.
- +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 23 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
- +Senior director age: Director aged approximately 63 — approaching natural succession window.
Succession & seller-readiness
95/100
Likely off-market candidateStrong acquirability signals converging. Worth approaching directly — this is how off-market deals start.
SIGNALS
- primaryFounder aged 63+: Senior director is approximately 63. Approaching typical UK retirement age — succession thinking likely.
- primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
- primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 23 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 24 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
2 active beneficial owners| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr Richard Anthony Holmes Individual · British · DOB 12/1963 · age 63 | 50–75% | 50–75% | board control50-75% shares · 50-75% voting · board control | 06/04/2016 |
Ms Belinda Holmes Individual · British · DOB 11/1963 · age 63 | 25–50% | 25–50% | board control25-50% shares · 25-50% 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.
See pricing →Similar companies
Active · Financial services · CB postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16PHD LTD→ 16581590 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1980 LTD→ 12592773 · est 2020 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| 4L CAPITAL LIMITED→ 14218319 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| AAG INSURANCE SERVICES LIMITED→ 10439509 · est 2016 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 9y | — | — |
| ABA COMMERCIAL SERVICES LTD→ 09530994 · est 2015 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 11y | — | — |
| ABBEXA CAPITAL LTD→ 12129610 · est 2019 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 6y | — | — |
| ACCELERATOR ADVISORY LIMITED→ 12144298 · est 2019 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 6y | — | — |
| ACCUMULATE WEALTH MANAGEMENT GROUP LIMITED→ 09713789 · est 2015 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 10y | — | — |
| AEGIS CAPITAL PARTNERS LIMITED→ 16574468 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| AGUILA INTERNATIONAL RISK LTD→ 08834652 · est 2014 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 12y | — | — |
| AIRLITE FINANCE LIMITED→ 00636494 · est 1959 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 66y | — | — |
| AJP BUSINESS FINANCE SOLUTIONS LTD→ 16103930 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
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
Incorporated2002-09-20
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC65120 — Non-life insurance
Registered office
Cambridge House
16 High Street
Saffron Walden
Essex
CB10 1AX
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-06-30
Last made up to: 2024-09-30
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-10-04
Last: 2025-09-20
Officers (2 active · 4 resigned)
BRADSHAW→
Activecorporate-secretary · appointed 2002-09-20
View their other companies + combined net worth →
HOLMES, Richard Anthony→
Activedirector · ~63y · appointed 2003-08-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
NATUSCH, Barrie→
Resigneddirector · ~90y · appointed 2002-09-20 · resigned 2004-04-30
ROBSON, Luke Anthony→
Resigneddirector · ~39y · appointed 2014-11-12 · resigned 2023-05-26
SALMON, Matthew John→
Resigneddirector · ~57y · appointed 2005-02-16 · resigned 2008-01-18
SALMON, Nina Louise→
Resigneddirector · ~53y · appointed 2004-10-01 · resigned 2008-01-18
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Recent filings (80 total)
resolution
resolution · RESOLUTIONS
2026-03-25
capital-cancellation-shares
capital · SH06
2026-03-21
capital-return-purchase-own-shares
capital · SH03
2026-03-21
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-10-16
gazette-filings-brought-up-to-date
gazette · DISS40
2025-09-20
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2025-09-19
gazette-notice-compulsory
gazette · GAZ1
2025-08-26
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-09-20
gazette-filings-brought-up-to-date
gazette · DISS40
2024-09-04
gazette-notice-compulsory
gazette · GAZ1
2024-09-03
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2024-09-02
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-09-21
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2023-06-27
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2023-06-21
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-09-20