23 (UK) LIMITED
💤Zombieactive
09321980 · ltd · incorporated 2014-11-21
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 Nov 2024
Net worth
£777.4k
book net assets
Opportunity
79/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: Buying and selling of own real estate
Sector: Real estate
ALSO REGISTERED FOR
- 68209Other letting and operating of own or leased real estate
- 70229Management consultancy activities other than financial management
Investor take
PursueStrong opportunity: property-backed borrower with strong profile and acceptable with review structure.
Opportunity 79/100 (strong), bankability 57/100. High owner-dependency — earn-out structure likely required for clean transition. Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. 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 (73/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
4 live charges · 3 lenders · oldest 9.6y
15/100
under pressure
Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.
- · Oldest live charge is 9.6 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · 3 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
- · 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, 3 SIC codes, incorporation date
100
Financials
2 years of iXBRL accounts extracted (YoY deltas available) + narrative notes parsed
75
Lenders & charges
4 charges (4/4 with lender, 4/4 with type)
90
Directors & officers
2 officers (2 active, 2 linked, 1 with DOB)
80
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 1 total, 1 with control declared
90
Director network
Network not yet resolved
30
Filing history
29 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
🔒Estimated company valuation
Sector-multiple EBITDA, turnover, and NAV-proxy valuation range with confidence tier — derived from extracted iXBRL financials.
Available from the Pro tier upwards.
See pricing →Opportunity Score
79/100Strong
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional
Solid opportunity signal. Worth a dedicated memo and management meeting.
Business quality
70
Active, clean filings, stable charge profile.
Acquirability
70
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 £777,441
Net assets shrinking
Down £112,534 YoY
Cash YoY
+98%
Year on year
Key financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsCash
£41k
↑ 98% YoY
Net Worth
£777k
↓ 13% YoY
Current Assets
£284k
↑ 1.8% YoY
Current Liabilities
—
Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · accounting standard unknown| Metric | 2024-11-30 | 2023-11-30 |
|---|---|---|
| Total assets | £1.32M | £1.41M |
| Current assets | £283.8k | £278.7k |
| Cash | £40.5k | £20.4k |
| Debtors | £243.2k | £258.2k |
| Net assets | £777.4k | £890.0k |
Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.
🔒Filing-note intelligence
2 signals 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 officers
Last 180 days
2
filings
- • 1 officers
- • 1 confirmation-statement
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (21 events)Click to expand
- 2026-03-12📄appoint-person-secretary-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP03
- 2026-03-09➕MCGRATH, Sinead Sarah appointedsecretary
- 2025-08-18📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2025-01-27📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2025-01-23🔒Charge registered #4Lender: Wedo Finance LTD
- 2024-12-13📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2024-11-29🔒Charge registered #3Lender: Aldermore Bank PLC
- 2024-08-29📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-06-05📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2022-11-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-11-29📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2020-11-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2019-07-18📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2018-11-29📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2018-05-22📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2017-08-23📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-smallaccounts · AA
- 2016-09-14📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2016-09-09🔒Charge registered #2Lender: Lloyds Bank PLC
- 2016-09-08🔒Charge registered #1Lender: Lloyds Bank PLC
- 2014-11-21🏢Company incorporatedAs 23 (UK) LIMITED
- 2014-11-21➕WATSON, Dale George appointeddirector
Owner dependency
88/100
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.
- +Senior director age: Director aged approximately 59 — approaching natural succession window.
- +No director turnover: Company is 11 years old with no director changes — suggests a very tight-knit founder team never broadened.
Succession & seller-readiness
60/100
Strong succession signalMultiple signals suggest succession is on the horizon. Candidate for proactive outreach.
SIGNALS
- secondaryFounder aged 58+: Senior director is approximately 59. Early succession window.
- primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
- 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 · dominant holder ≥75%| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr Dale George Watson Individual · English · DOB 04/1967 · age 59 | 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.
Similar companies
Active · Property · DL postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1646 LIMITED→ 12807041 · est 2020 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| 22 AUCKLAND PROPERTY LTD→ 16325098 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| 3 SAINTS PROPERTY LIMITED→ 14657782 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| 30 FERNSIDE ROAD LIMITED→ 07113129 · est 2009 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 16y | — | — |
| 36 STANHOPE ROAD MANAGEMENT COMPANY LIMITED→ 07020840 · est 2009 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 16y | — | — |
| 3DNEST LIMITED→ 16721477 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 3L&L LIMITED→ 14758398 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| 42 LTD→ 15743692 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| 4DP LTD→ 13393609 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 4y | — | — |
| 5API LTD→ 16980038 · est 2026 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 8NORTH PROPERTY LTD→ 13936465 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 4y | — | — |
| A AND D RENOVATIONS LIMITED→ 16964759 · est 2026 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Peers ranked by estimated value, then turnover, then opportunity score.See all →
🔒Tailored diligence questions
9 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
Incorporated2014-11-21
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC68100 — Buying and selling of own real estate
Registered office
Kensington House
3 Kensington
Bishop Auckland
Co Durham
DL14 6HX
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-08-31
Last made up to: 2024-11-30
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-11-27
Last: 2025-11-13
Officers (2 active · 0 resigned)
MCGRATH, Sinead Sarah→
Activesecretary · appointed 2026-03-09
View their other companies + combined net worth →
WATSON, Dale George→
Activedirector · ~59y · appointed 2014-11-21
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
4
Total charges
4
Outstanding
3
Active lenders
Status:Lender:4 of 4 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | Wedo Finance Wedo Finance LTD | A registered charge | 1 property | 23/01/2025 | — | |
| outstanding | Aldermore Aldermore Bank PLC | A registered charge | 1 property | 29/11/2024 | — | |
| outstanding | Lloyds Banking Group Lloyds Bank PLC | A registered charge | 1 property | 09/09/2016 | — | |
| outstanding | Lloyds Banking Group Lloyds Bank PLC | A registered charge | 1 property | 08/09/2016 | — |
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.
Recent filings (29 total)
appoint-person-secretary-company-with-name-date
officers · AP03
2026-03-12
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-11-21
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-08-18
mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
mortgage · MR01
2025-01-27
mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
mortgage · MR01
2024-12-13
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-11-13
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-08-30
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-08-29
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-11-14
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-06-05
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2022-11-30
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-11-16
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2021-11-29
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-11-25
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2020-12-21