CORBEN LTD
💤Zombieactive
SC174048 · ltd · incorporated 1997-04-03
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.
Why now
Window steady · low confidence
Steady and stalled — no momentum either way. Needs an approach trigger.
What changed my view
Last 30 days
No material changes in the last 30 days.
Last 90 days
No snapshot from 90 days ago — start tracking from today.
Last 180 days
No snapshot from 180 days ago — start tracking from today.
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
year to Dec 2024
Net worth
£218.8k
book net assets
Opportunity
82/100
Exceptional
What this business does
Primary activity: Buying and selling of own real estate
Sector: Real estate
Investor take
PursueAsset-holding vehicle with a 68-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.
Opportunity 82/100 (exceptional), bankability 85/100. Strong seller-intent signal (93/100, director aged 68). 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
2 live charges · oldest 19.8y
45/100
under pressure
Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.
- · Oldest live charge is 19.8 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · Single lender — cleanest path to refinance.
- · Distress signals active — lender appetite narrows.
Data confidence
Overall: medium (79/100)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
2 charges (2/2 with lender, 2/2 with type)
90
Directors & officers
5 officers (2 active, 5 linked, 2 with DOB)
78
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 1 total, 1 with control declared
90
Director network
2 connected companies via shared directors
51
Filing history
82 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
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 £218,782
Key financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsCash
—
Net Worth
£219k
~ YoY
Current Assets
£3k
↓ 8.5% YoY
Current Liabilities
—
Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · accounting standard unknown| Metric | 2024-12-31 | 2023-12-31 |
|---|---|---|
| Total assets | £2.8k | £3.1k |
| Current assets | £3.1k | £3.4k |
| Net assets | £218.8k | £218.5k |
Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.
Recent activity
Last 30 days
0
filings
Last 90 days
0
filings
Last 180 days
2
filings
- • 1 confirmation-statement
- • 1 officers
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (28 events)Click to expand
- 2026-02-19📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2026-02-06➖HEINIGER, Cornelia Maria resigneddirector
- 2025-09-19📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2024-09-20📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2023-09-14📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2022-09-29📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2021-09-15📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2020-09-09📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2019-09-24📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2018-09-27📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2017-09-27📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2016-09-27📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-smallaccounts · AA
- 2016-01-27📄annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholdersannual-return · AR01
- 2015-09-29📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-smallaccounts · AA
- 2015-02-02📄annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholdersannual-return · AR01
- 2014-09-08📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-smallaccounts · AA
- 2011-08-24🔓Charge satisfied #2
- 2011-03-31🔓Charge satisfied #1
- 2007-06-25🔒Charge registered #2Lender: The Governor and Company of the Bank of Scotland
- 2006-09-01🔒Charge registered #1Lender: The Governor and Company of the Bank of Scotland
- 1997-05-12➕HEINIGER, Cornelia Maria appointedsecretary
- 1997-05-12➕HEINIGER, Philippe Heinz, Dr appointeddirector
- 1997-05-12➖OSWALDS OF EDINBURGH LIMITED resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 1997-05-12➕HEINIGER, Cornelia Maria appointeddirector
- 1997-05-12➖JORDANS (SCOTLAND) LIMITED resignedcorporate-nominee-director
- 1997-04-03🏢Company incorporatedAs CORBEN LTD
- 1997-04-03➕OSWALDS OF EDINBURGH LIMITED appointedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 1997-04-03➕JORDANS (SCOTLAND) LIMITED appointedcorporate-nominee-director
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 29 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
- +Founder age: Director aged approximately 68 — succession pressure is live.
Succession & seller-readiness
95/100
Likely off-market candidateStrong acquirability signals converging. Worth approaching directly — this is how off-market deals start.
SIGNALS
- primaryFounder aged 63+: Senior director is approximately 68. 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 29 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 29 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 · dominant holder ≥75%| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Dr Philippe Heinz Heiniger Individual · Swiss · DOB 05/1958 · age 68 | 75–100% | — | 75-100% shares | 01/01/2017 |
From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.
🔒Co-director network graph
Radial SVG graph showing every company connected via shared directors, colour-coded by status.
Available from the Pro tier upwards.
See pricing →Similar companies
Active · Property · PA postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AKZ PROPERTIES LIMITED→ SC198072 · est 1999 | £2.10M £1.78M–£2.41M | — | £2.10M | — | 26y | 82 | 83y |
| NMS PORTFOLIO LIMITED→ SC168894 · est 1996 | £808.0k £686.8k–£929.3k | — | £808.0k | — | 29y | 83 | 75y |
| KENTALLEN ADVENTURE LTD.→ SC290827 · est 2005 | £630.6k £536.0k–£725.1k | — | £630.6k | — | 20y | 82 | 68y |
| CITY LETS (GLASGOW) LIMITED→ SC160734 · est 1995 | £622.8k £529.4k–£716.2k | — | £622.8k | — | 30y | 82 | 87y |
| FERNOCH LIMITED→ SC301506 · est 2006 | £593.0k £504.0k–£681.9k | — | £593.0k | — | 20y | 82 | 73y |
| D M & S PROPERTIES LTD.→ SC295500 · est 2006 | £570.4k £484.8k–£655.9k | — | £570.4k | — | 20y | 82 | 78y |
| GREENPORT LIMITED→ SC300747 · est 2006 | £532.4k £452.6k–£612.3k | — | £532.4k | — | 20y | 82 | 72y |
| COLPROP LIMITED→ SC151689 · est 1994 | £531.5k £451.8k–£611.2k | — | £531.5k | — | 31y | 82 | 84y |
| D.N. MUNRO LIMITED→ SC273184 · est 2004 | £420.7k £357.6k–£483.9k | — | £420.7k | — | 21y | 82 | 58y |
| CK HAIR LTD.→ SC194511 · est 1999 | £153.0k £130.0k–£175.9k | — | £153.0k | — | 27y | 82 | 60y |
| BURNBANK INVESTMENTS LIMITED→ SC340769 · est 2008 | £32.8k £27.9k–£37.7k | — | £32.8k | — | 18y | 82 | 69y |
| LETSLET.ME.UK LIMITED→ SC282162 · est 2005 | £17.0k £14.4k–£19.5k | — | £17.0k | — | 21y | 83 | 64y |
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
Incorporated1997-04-03
Jurisdictionscotland
Primary SIC68100 — Buying and selling of own real estate
Registered office
Celtic Sea
Loch Melfort
Arduaine
Argyll
PA34 4XQ
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-09-30
Last made up to: 2024-12-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-01-28
Last: 2026-01-14
Officers (2 active · 3 resigned)
HEINIGER, Cornelia Maria→
Activesecretary · appointed 1997-05-12
View their other companies + combined net worth →
HEINIGER, Philippe Heinz, Dr→
Activedirector · ~68y · appointed 1997-05-12
View their other companies + combined net worth →
OSWALDS OF EDINBURGH LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 1997-04-03 · resigned 1997-05-12
HEINIGER, Cornelia Maria→
Resigneddirector · ~65y · appointed 1997-05-12 · resigned 2026-02-06
JORDANS (SCOTLAND) LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-director · appointed 1997-04-03 · resigned 1997-05-12
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
2
Total charges
0
Outstanding
0
Active lenders
Status:Lender:2 of 2 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| satisfied | Lloyds Banking Group The Governor and Company of the Bank of Scotland | Standard security | 1 property | 25/06/2007 | 24/08/2011 | |
| satisfied | Lloyds Banking Group The Governor and Company of the Bank of Scotland | Floating charge | 1 property | 01/09/2006 | 31/03/2011 |
Recent filings (82 total)
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-02-24
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2026-02-19
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2025-09-19
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-01-24
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2024-09-20
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-01-26
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2023-09-14
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-01-26
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2022-09-29
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-02-04
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2021-09-15
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-01-26
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2020-09-09
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2020-01-22
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2019-09-24