ACCOUNTANTS WITH A DIFFERENCE LTD

💤Zombieactive
05657295 · ltd · incorporated 2005-12-19
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 Mar 2026
Net worth
£31.0k
book net assets
Opportunity
80/100
Exceptional
🔔
Follow this company (free)
Email alerts on filings, charges, director changes, gazette notices. No account needed.

Unsubscribe any time from any email. GDPR-respectful.

🔒Generate AI memo →🔒Outreach pack →🔒Corporate story →📑 Reports →Sign in to watch
What this business does
Primary activity: Accounting and auditing activities
Sector: Professional, scientific & technical
ALSO REGISTERED FOR
  • 69202Bookkeeping activities
  • 74909Other professional, scientific and technical activities n.e.c.
Investor take
Pursue
Asset-holding vehicle with a 71-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.

Opportunity 80/100 (exceptional), bankability 75/100. Strong seller-intent signal (83/100, director aged 71). 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: medium (76/100)

Adequate coverage. AI outputs are reliable for the sections scored high; verify the rest in diligence.

Company profile
address, 3 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
5 officers (1 active, 5 linked, 3 with DOB)
82
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 2 total, 2 with control declared
90
Director network
Network not yet resolved
30
Filing history
61 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 £31,018

Key financials

2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accounts
Cash
—
Net Worth
£31k
↑ 67% YoY
Current Assets
£39k
↑ 105% YoY
Current Liabilities
—
£0£8k£15k£23k£31k£39kMar 2025Mar 2026

Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series

Financials

Extracted from Companies House accounts · FRS 105 (micro)
Metric2026-03-312025-03-31
Total assets£31.2k£18.7k
Current assets£38.6k£18.8k
Net assets£31.0k£18.6k

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
1
filing
  • • 1 accounts
Last 180 days
1
filing
  • • 1 accounts
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (26 events)Click to expand
  1. 2026-04-09
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
    accounts · AA
  2. 2025-09-15
    📄
    change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
  3. 2025-09-15
    📄
    cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
  4. 2025-09-15
    📄
    capital-allotment-shares
    capital · SH01
  5. 2025-09-15
    📄
    termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM02
  6. 2025-09-10
    ➖
    GIBSON, Susan resigned
    secretary
  7. 2025-04-02
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
    accounts · AA
  8. 2024-09-30
    ➖
    GIBSON, Susan resigned
    director
  9. 2024-09-30
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  10. 2024-04-29
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
    accounts · AA
  11. 2024-01-17
    📄
    appoint-person-secretary-company-with-name-date
    officers · AP03
  12. 2024-01-15
    ➕
    GIBSON, Susan appointed
    secretary
  13. 2023-04-01
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
    accounts · AA
  14. 2022-04-04
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
    accounts · AA
  15. 2021-04-02
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
    accounts · AA
  16. 2020-05-09
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
    accounts · AA
  17. 2019-04-19
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
    accounts · AA
  18. 2018-04-28
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
    accounts · AA
  19. 2017-11-01
    📄
    appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
    officers · AP01
  20. 2017-10-31
    ➕
    GIBSON, Susan appointed
    director
  21. 2014-05-31
    ➖
    GIBSON, Susan resigned
    director
  22. 2012-12-19
    ➖
    GIBSON, John Edward resigned
    secretary
  23. 2005-12-19
    🏢
    Company incorporated
    As ACCOUNTANTS WITH A DIFFERENCE LTD
  24. 2005-12-19
    ➕
    GIBSON, John Edward appointed
    director
  25. 2005-12-19
    ➕
    GIBSON, John Edward appointed
    secretary
  26. 2005-12-19
    ➕
    GIBSON, Susan appointed
    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 20 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
  • +Founder age: Director aged approximately 71 — 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 71 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 20 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
  • secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 20 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

clean
No 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 · dominant holder ≥75%
NameSharesVoting rightsNature of controlNotified
Mr John Edward Gibson
Individual · British · DOB 03/1955 · age 71
75–100%
—75-100% shares06/04/2016
1 historic (ceased) PSC
  • Mrs Susan Gibsonceased 10/09/2025· 25-50% shares

From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.

Similar companies

Active · Professional services · HG postcode area
CompanyEst. valueTurnoverNet worthStaffAgeOppDirector
3LB CONSULTING LTD→
15702818 · est 2024 · no financials extracted
————1y——
5AV LIMITED→
09865668 · est 2015 · no financials extracted
————10y——
AANDW CONSULTANTS LTD→
11959432 · est 2019 · no financials extracted
————6y——
AC MARKETING & MORE LTD→
16788642 · est 2025 · no financials extracted
———————
ACADEMY OF TURNAROUNDS OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE LIMITED→
13749625 · est 2021 · no financials extracted
————4y——
ACCOMPLISH LIMITED→
16016390 · est 2024 · no financials extracted
————1y——
ACCOUNTS AND TAX (HARROGATE) LTD→
05178635 · est 2004 · no financials extracted
————21y——
ACORN ARCHITECTURE LIMITED→
16621289 · est 2025 · no financials extracted
———————
AD ASTRA ACCOUNTING LIMITED→
16439514 · est 2025 · no financials extracted
———————
ADASTON GROUP LIMITED→
10392382 · est 2016 · no financials extracted
————9y——
ADELIE SUSTAINABILITY LTD→
15997857 · est 2024 · no financials extracted
————1y——
ADJUSTING APPOINTMENTS LIMITED→
05644152 · est 2005 · no financials extracted
————20y——
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
Incorporated2005-12-19
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC69201 — Accounting and auditing activities

Registered office

Rhovanion
Skelton On Ure
Ripon
North Yorkshire
HG4 5AJ

Filing status

Accounts
Next due: 2027-12-31
Last made up to: 2026-03-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-09-29
Last: 2025-09-15

Officers (1 active · 4 resigned)

GIBSON, John Edward→
director · ~71y · appointed 2005-12-19
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
GIBSON, John Edward→
secretary · appointed 2005-12-19 · resigned 2012-12-19
Resigned
GIBSON, Susan→
secretary · appointed 2024-01-15 · resigned 2025-09-10
Resigned
GIBSON, Susan→
director · ~69y · appointed 2017-10-31 · resigned 2024-09-30
Resigned
GIBSON, Susan→
director · ~69y · appointed 2005-12-19 · resigned 2014-05-31
Resigned

Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.

Recent filings (61 total)

accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2026-04-09
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-09-15
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2025-09-15
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2025-09-15
capital-allotment-shares
capital · SH01
2025-09-15
termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM02
2025-09-15
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2025-04-02
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-12-19
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2024-09-30
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2024-04-29
appoint-person-secretary-company-with-name-date
officers · AP03
2024-01-17
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-12-19
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2023-04-01
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-01-04
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2022-04-04