ACTIVE SECURITY UK LIMITED
💤Zombieactive
04906739 · ltd · incorporated 2003-09-22
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
£83.0k
book net assets
Opportunity
82/100
Exceptional
What this business does
Primary activity: Other construction installation
Sector: Construction
Investor take
PursueActive trading company with a 73-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.
Opportunity 82/100 (exceptional), bankability 80/100. Strong seller-intent signal (83/100, director aged 73). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Discharge stale live charges. 1 live charge(s) created 15+ years ago — likely paid but undischarged. Clean register. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (73/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
1 live charge · oldest 16.7y
45/100
under pressure
Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.
- · Oldest live charge is 16.7 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · Single lender — cleanest path to refinance.
- · Distress signals active — lender appetite narrows.
Data confidence
Overall: medium (77/100)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
5 officers (1 active, 5 linked, 3 with DOB)
82
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 1 total, 1 with control declared
90
Director network
Network not yet resolved
30
Filing history
58 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
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.
Signals from accounts
Derived from iXBRL accounts · accounting standard not declaredPositive net assets
Net assets £83,037
Key financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsCash
—
Net Worth
£83k
Current Assets
£137k
Current Liabilities
—
Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · accounting standard unknown| Metric | 2024-10-31 | 2023-10-31 |
|---|---|---|
| Total assets | £83.0k | — |
| Current assets | £137.0k | — |
| Net assets | £83.0k | — |
| Average employees | — | 300 |
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
0
filings
Last 180 days
0
filings
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (26 events)Click to expand
- 2025-07-11📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2024-07-26📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2023-03-31📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2022-02-09📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2021-07-08📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2020-06-26📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2019-09-23📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2019-06-10📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2018-07-08📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2017-08-14📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-smallaccounts · AA
- 2017-08-03📄capital-allotment-sharescapital · SH01
- 2017-07-20📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2016-07-20📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-smallaccounts · AA
- 2015-09-24📄annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholdersannual-return · AR01
- 2015-07-23📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-smallaccounts · AA
- 2009-09-29🔒Charge registered #1Lender: National Westminster Bank PLC
- 2009-09-22➖FERNANDEZ ROSADO, Maria Jose resignedsecretary
- 2007-11-30➕FERNANDEZ ROSADO, Maria Jose appointedsecretary
- 2007-11-30➖GRAHAM, Jacqueline resignedsecretary
- 2007-11-30➖GRAHAM, Jacqueline resigneddirector
- 2007-11-30➖HARPER, Richard Andrew resigneddirector
- 2004-06-01➕HARPER, Richard Andrew appointeddirector
- 2003-09-22🏢Company incorporatedAs ACTIVE SECURITY UK LIMITED
- 2003-09-22➕HUGHES, John Santo appointeddirector
- 2003-09-22➕GRAHAM, Jacqueline appointedsecretary
- 2003-09-22➕GRAHAM, Jacqueline appointeddirector
Owner dependency
100/100
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.
- +Founder age: Director aged approximately 73 — succession pressure is live.
Succession & seller-readiness
100/100
Likely off-market candidateStrong 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 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
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 John Santo Hughes Individual · British · DOB 10/1953 · age 73 | 50–75% | 50–75% | board control50-75% shares · 50-75% 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 M PAVIER PLUMBING AND HEATING LIMITED→ 07589678 · est 2011 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 15y | — | — |
| A PRICE STEEL ERECTION & CLADDING LTD→ 13422565 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 4y | — | — |
| A.P.S. (GB) LTD→ 08784877 · est 2013 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 12y | — | — |
| ABT LAND LTD→ 13640061 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 4y | — | — |
| ACB ELECTRICAL LIMITED→ 12454055 · est 2020 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 6y | — | — |
| ACCESS FLOORS DISTRIBUTION LIMITED→ 07051550 · est 2009 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 16y | — | — |
| ACCORD DESIGN AND BUILD LIMITED→ 15140159 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| ACM DEVELOPMENTS (HEREFORD) LTD→ 11755049 · est 2019 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| ACQUIRE SAFETY LIMITED→ 10348223 · est 2016 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 9y | — | — |
| ADAMS BUILDING CONTRACTORS (HEREFORDSHIRE) LIMITED→ 08179186 · est 2012 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 13y | — | — |
| AEROBARRIER UK AND IRELAND LTD→ 15243249 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| AES (LEDBURY) LIMITED→ 10926573 · est 2017 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 8y | — | — |
Peers ranked by estimated value, then turnover, then opportunity score.See all →
🔒Tailored diligence questions
8 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
Incorporated2003-09-22
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC43290 — Other construction installation
Registered office
Unit D
Linton Trading Estate
Bromyard
Herefordshire
HR7 4QT
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-07-31
Last made up to: 2024-10-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-09-16
Last: 2025-09-02
Officers (1 active · 4 resigned)
HUGHES, John Santo→
Activedirector · ~73y · appointed 2003-09-22
View their other companies + combined net worth →
FERNANDEZ ROSADO, Maria Jose→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2007-11-30 · resigned 2009-09-22
GRAHAM, Jacqueline→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2003-09-22 · resigned 2007-11-30
GRAHAM, Jacqueline→
Resigneddirector · ~64y · appointed 2003-09-22 · resigned 2007-11-30
HARPER, Richard Andrew→
Resigneddirector · ~52y · appointed 2004-06-01 · resigned 2007-11-30
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
1
Total charges
1
Outstanding
1
Active lenders
Status:Lender:1 of 1 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | National Westminster Bank National Westminster Bank PLC | Debenture | 1 property | 29/09/2009 | — |
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.
Recent filings (58 total)
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-09-19
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2025-07-11
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-09-02
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2024-07-26
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-09-05
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2023-03-31
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-09-05
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2022-02-09
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-09-15
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2021-07-08
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2020-11-13
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2020-06-26
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2019-09-23
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2019-09-23
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2019-06-10