SPENCE & PARTNERS LIMITED
🌳Matureactive
NI037760 · ltd · incorporated 2000-01-21
Investment thesis
Well-run mature business — low negotiation leverage; premium likely.
Why interesting: Textbook target; clean filings, stable trading.
Why risky: No pressure on seller; any deal likely at full price.
Opportunity decay
approaching window · 12-months
Approaching a transaction window — refinance or sale event plausible in the next 12 months.
- · Oldest live charge 17.7y old — refinance window within 12 months
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
not disclosed
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
77/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: Other activities auxiliary to insurance and pension funding
Sector: Financial & insurance
Investor take
PursueStrong opportunity: active trading company with strong profile and bankable structure.
Opportunity 77/100 (strong), bankability 75/100. 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 (65/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
2 live charges · 2 lenders · oldest 17.7y
50/100
clean up first
Refinance viable after a tidy-up — address the highlighted items first.
- · Oldest live charge is 17.7 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · Two lenders — manageable, but coordination required.
- · Legal-friction score 38/100 — workable, but lender will want more DD.
Data confidence
Overall: medium (55/100)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
No iXBRL financials extracted
0
Lenders & charges
2 charges (2/2 with lender, 2/2 with type)
90
Directors & officers
20 officers (4 active, 20 linked, 17 with DOB)
87
Ownership & PSC
2 active PSC(s) of 3 total, 3 with control declared
90
Director network
Network not yet resolved
30
Filing history
127 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
77/100Strong
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
77
Few red flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.
Recent activity
Last 30 days
0
filings
Last 90 days
1
filing
- • 1 confirmation-statement
Last 180 days
2
filings
- • 1 confirmation-statement
- • 1 officers
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (60 events)Click to expand
- 2026-02-03📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2025-11-14📄accounts-with-accounts-type-smallaccounts · AA
- 2025-10-13📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2025-09-30➖STAFFORD, Kerry Suzanne resigneddirector
- 2025-08-26➕CAMPBELL, Ciara appointedsecretary
- 2025-08-26➖STAFFORD, Kerry resignedsecretary
- 2025-08-26📄appoint-person-secretary-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP03
- 2025-08-26📄termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM02
- 2024-10-18📄accounts-with-accounts-type-smallaccounts · AA
- 2024-03-12📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2024-03-12📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2024-03-01➕GALVIN, Bill appointeddirector
- 2024-02-29➖SPENCE, Brian David resigneddirector
- 2023-12-14📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-10-08📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC05
- 2023-03-31📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC02
- 2023-01-23📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2022-10-10📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2022-10-10📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2022-10-10📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2022-10-10📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2022-09-30➖COPELAND, David Neil resigneddirector
- 2022-09-30➖DAVISON, David James resigneddirector
- 2022-09-30➖NOLAN, Hugh Dominic resigneddirector
- 2022-09-30➕SPENCE, Brian David appointeddirector
- 2022-09-15📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2022-06-12📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2022-06-12📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2022-06-06➕COHEN, Simon Robert appointeddirector
- 2022-06-06➕STAFFORD, Kerry Suzanne appointeddirector
- 2022-04-12📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2022-04-12🔓Charge satisfied #2
- 2017-04-04➖CAMPBELL, Ian Matthew resigneddirector
- 2016-05-02➕NOLAN, Hugh Dominic appointeddirector
- 2015-01-23➖ELLIOTT, Marian Bronwen resigneddirector
- 2012-12-03➖FERGUSSON, Elizabeth Jessie resigneddirector
- 2012-08-02➕ELLIOTT, Marian Bronwen appointeddirector
- 2011-10-13➕COLLINS, Alan Mackenzie appointeddirector
- 2011-10-13➕DAVISON, David James appointeddirector
- 2009-06-18➕CAMPBELL, Ian Matthew appointeddirector
- 2009-01-09🔒Charge registered #2Lender: The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
- 2008-10-28➖CONLON, Ian William resigneddirector
- 2008-09-02🔒Charge registered #1Lender: Ellcon Investments Limited
- 2008-06-09➖DAVISON, David James resigneddirector
- 2008-06-09➕FERGUSSON, Elizabeth Jessie appointeddirector
- 2008-06-09➖SPENCE, Brian David resigneddirector
- 2006-08-22➖AITKEN, Ian Montgomery resigneddirector
- 2006-08-22➕DAVISON, David James appointeddirector
- 2005-11-29➕STAFFORD, Kerry appointedsecretary
- 2005-11-09➖MAIRS, Kim resigneddirector
Showing most recent 50 of 60 events
Owner dependency
58/100
Moderate — manageable with handoverSome founder dependency, but not acute. A structured handover period should cover most risk.
FACTORS
- +Senior director age: Director aged approximately 58 — approaching natural succession window.
Succession & seller-readiness
53/100
Moderate signalSome succession indicators present. Worth watching; approach if sector/strategy fits.
SIGNALS
- secondaryFounder aged 58+: Senior director is approximately 58. Early succession window.
- secondary12+ year tenure: Director in role 15 years.
- supportingClean filings + long tenure: Disciplined long-tenure operator — classic lifestyle-business pattern that often sells quietly.
Red flags
1 med ·2 director resignations in last 12 months
mediumMultiple recent departures can indicate governance disagreement, succession event, or preparation for sale/stress.
Evidence: STAFFORD, Kerry resigned 2025-08-26; STAFFORD, Kerry Suzanne resigned 2025-09-30
Group structure
2 corporate shareholders identified. Group structure is distributed.
🏛️
3173 Bidco Limited
Corporate parent
🏛️ultimate parent
3173 Limited
Corporate parent · holds 75-100% shares · board control
⬇
SPENCE & PARTNERS LIMITED
This company · NI037760
Parent relationships inferred from Persons with Significant Control filings. Full subsidiary tree requires reverse-lookup (coming).
Shareholders & ownership
2 active beneficial owners · dominant holder ≥75%| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
3173 Limited Corporate entity | 75–100% | 75–100% | board control75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control | 06/04/2016 |
3173 Bidco Limited Corporate entity | — | — | sig. influencesignificant influence | 30/09/2022 |
1 historic (ceased) PSC
- Mr Brian David Spenceceased 30/09/2022· significant influence
From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.
Similar companies
Active · Financial services · BT postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SEOPA LTD→ NI046322 · est 2003 | £34.63M £25.18M–£44.07M | £32.38M | — | 7500 | 23y | 90 | 51y |
| WILLIS & COMPANY (INSURANCE BROKERS) LIMITED→ NI032004 · est 1997 | £21.84M £15.89M–£27.80M | — | — | 9800 | 29y | 87 | 81y |
| LODGE FINANCIAL ADVICE LIMITED→ NI045612 · est 2003 | £716.5k £521.1k–£911.9k | — | — | 8 | 23y | 83 | 61y |
| ACKER DEVELOPMENTS LIMITED→ NI028267 · est 1994 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 32y | 83 | 60y |
| CREATION CONSUMER FINANCE LIMITED→ NI032565 · est 1997 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 28y | 83 | 67y |
| CRN FINANCIAL SERVICES LIMITED→ NI018912 · est 1985 | — | — | £178.8k | — | 40y | 83 | 64y |
| DRUMBEARN LIMITED→ NI054292 · est 2005 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 21y | 83 | 60y |
| GDP PARTNERSHIP LIMITED→ NI605327 · est 2010 | — | — | £8.9k | — | 15y | 83 | 62y |
| INSURE I LIMITED→ NI072940 · est 2009 | — | — | £1.62M | — | 16y | 83 | 66y |
| M & D FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT LIMITED→ NI049794 · est 2004 | — | — | — | 600 | 22y | 83 | 60y |
| MCGRADY FINANCIAL SERVICES LIMITED→ NI032133 · est 1997 | — | — | £215.7k | — | 29y | 83 | 60y |
| MORTGAGE IQ LIMITED→ NI056126 · est 2005 | — | — | £18.4k | — | 20y | 83 | 58y |
Peers ranked by estimated value, then turnover, then opportunity score.See all →
🔒Tailored diligence questions
6 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
Incorporated2000-01-21
Jurisdictionnorthern-ireland
Primary SIC66290 — Other activities auxiliary to insurance and pension funding
Registered office
Linen Loft
Adelaide Street
Belfast
BT2 8FE
Northern Ireland
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-12-31
Last made up to: 2025-03-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-03-07
Last: 2026-02-21
Officers (4 active · 16 resigned)
Active
COHEN, Simon Robert→
Activedirector · ~55y · appointed 2022-06-06
View their other companies + combined net worth →
COLLINS, Alan Mackenzie→
Activedirector · ~50y · appointed 2011-10-13
View their other companies + combined net worth →
GALVIN, Bill→
Activedirector · ~58y · appointed 2024-03-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
COPELAND, David Neil→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2000-01-21 · resigned 2005-11-01
STAFFORD, Kerry→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2005-11-29 · resigned 2025-08-26
AITKEN, Ian Montgomery→
Resigneddirector · ~86y · appointed 2003-07-22 · resigned 2006-08-22
BUTTEN, Margaret Ellen→
Resigneddirector · ~62y · appointed 2000-01-21 · resigned 2000-08-03
CAMPBELL, Ian Matthew→
Resigneddirector · ~74y · appointed 2009-06-18 · resigned 2017-04-04
CONLON, Ian William→
Resigneddirector · ~61y · appointed 2000-08-03 · resigned 2008-10-28
COPELAND, David Neil→
Resigneddirector · ~61y · appointed 2000-08-03 · resigned 2022-09-30
DAVISON, David James→
Resigneddirector · ~63y · appointed 2011-10-13 · resigned 2022-09-30
DAVISON, David James→
Resigneddirector · ~63y · appointed 2006-08-22 · resigned 2008-06-09
ELLIOTT, Marian Bronwen→
Resigneddirector · ~44y · appointed 2012-08-02 · resigned 2015-01-23
FERGUSSON, Elizabeth Jessie→
Resigneddirector · ~70y · appointed 2008-06-09 · resigned 2012-12-03
MAIRS, Kim→
Resigneddirector · ~57y · appointed 2000-08-03 · resigned 2005-11-09
NOLAN, Hugh Dominic→
Resigneddirector · ~58y · appointed 2016-05-02 · resigned 2022-09-30
SPENCE, Brian David→
Resigneddirector · ~64y · appointed 2022-09-30 · resigned 2024-02-29
SPENCE, Brian David→
Resigneddirector · ~64y · appointed 2000-01-21 · resigned 2008-06-09
STAFFORD, Kerry Suzanne→
Resigneddirector · ~58y · appointed 2022-06-06 · resigned 2025-09-30
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
2
Total charges
1
Outstanding
1
Active lenders
Status:Lender:2 of 2 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| satisfied | Lloyds Banking Group The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC | Debenture | 1 property | 09/01/2009 | 12/04/2022 | |
| outstanding | Ellcon Investments Ellcon Investments Limited | Debenture | 1 property | 02/09/2008 | — |
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.
Recent filings (127 total)
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-03-06
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2026-02-03
accounts-with-accounts-type-small
accounts · AA
2025-11-14
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2025-10-13
appoint-person-secretary-company-with-name-date
officers · AP03
2025-08-26
termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM02
2025-08-26
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-02-21
accounts-with-accounts-type-small
accounts · AA
2024-10-18
appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
officers · AP01
2024-03-12
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2024-03-12
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-02-21
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-01-24
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2023-12-14
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC05
2023-10-08
notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC02
2023-03-31