A. T. PLUMBING SUPPLIES LTD
Likely engaged in the wholesale and retail distribution of plumbing supplies, hardware, and related materials to trade customers and possibly the public, operating as a small, owner-managed business based in Bedfordshire given its total exemption accounting status.
Opportunity 82/100 (exceptional), bankability 80/100. 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).
Refinance opportunity
1 live charge · oldest 12.7y
Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.
- · Oldest live charge is 12.7 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · Single lender — cleanest path to refinance.
- · Distress signals active — lender appetite narrows.
Data confidence
Overall: medium (76/100)Adequate coverage. AI outputs are reliable for the sections scored high; verify the rest in diligence.
Strong composite across quality, acquirability, and risk. High-priority target — progress to serious diligence.
Key financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsHover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · FRS 102| Metric | 2024-10-31 | 2023-10-31 |
|---|---|---|
| Average employees | 500 | 500 |
Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.
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
Corporate timeline (21 events)Click to expand
- 2025-07-09📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-07-25📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-06-27📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2023-06-22📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-05-23📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2022-07-21📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-05-19📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2020-05-06📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2019-06-13📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2018-07-25📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2017-08-07📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-smallaccounts · AA
- 2016-07-29📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-smallaccounts · AA
- 2015-09-23📄annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholdersannual-return · AR01
- 2015-08-06📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-smallaccounts · AA
- 2014-09-25📄annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholdersannual-return · AR01
- 2013-09-12🔒Charge registered #1Lender: Barclays Bank PLC
- 2003-09-08🏢Company incorporatedAs A. T. PLUMBING SUPPLIES LTD
- 2003-09-08➕AMES, Andrew Keith appointedsecretary
- 2003-09-08➕AMES, Janet Pauline appointeddirector
- 2003-09-08➕SWIFT INCORPORATIONS LIMITED appointedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 2003-09-08➖SWIFT INCORPORATIONS LIMITED resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary
Owner dependency
The business appears inseparable from the founder. Acquisition without a serious earn-out or meaningful transition period would likely destroy value.
- +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
Strong acquirability signals converging. Worth approaching directly — this is how off-market deals start.
- 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 23 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
cleanShareholders & ownership
1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mrs Janet Pauline Ames Individual · British · DOB 09/1963 · age 63 | 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.
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A B FRUITS LIMITED→ 05651085 · est 2005 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 20y | — | — |
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| ALPHA GARAGE EQUIPMENT LTD→ 11079047 · est 2017 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 8y | — | — |
| ANDROMEDA FASTENERS LIMITED→ 16162951 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| ANGLIAN FASTENERS LIMITED→ 00963304 · est 1969 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 56y | — | — |
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| APPY SHOPPER LTD→ 15655826 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| ARCHIVE 75 LTD→ 16607608 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ARI-O COMMERCE CONNECT LTD→ 16065135 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| ARIHANT SALES LIMITED→ 08727105 · est 2013 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 12y | — | — |
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 →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
Registered office
Filing status
Officers (2 active · 1 resigned)
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | Barclays Barclays Bank PLC | A registered charge | 1 property | 12/09/2013 | — |