CASTLE HOMES (FR) LTD.
💤Zombieactive
SC306046 · ltd · incorporated 2006-07-28
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 Sept 2024
Net worth
£174.5k
book net assets
Opportunity
82/100
Exceptional
What this business does
Primary activity: Development of building projects
Sector: Construction
Investor take
PursueActive trading company with a 60-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.
Opportunity 82/100 (exceptional), bankability 80/100. Strong seller-intent signal (70/100, director aged 60). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Cash flow review and working-capital discipline. Cash down -42% YoY — forensic review of receivables, stock turns, and creditor days. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (73/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
3 live charges · oldest 19.6y
45/100
under pressure
Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.
- · Oldest live charge is 19.6 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
3 charges (3/3 with lender, 3/3 with type)
90
Directors & officers
5 officers (2 active, 5 linked, 2 with DOB)
78
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 2 total, 2 with control declared
90
Director network
2 connected companies via shared directors
51
Filing history
65 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 £174,491
Cash draining
Cash down 42% YoY
Cash YoY
-42%
Year on year
Key financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsCash
£8k
↓ 42% YoY
Net Worth
£174k
↑ 5.9% YoY
Current Assets
£130k
↓ 3.9% YoY
Current Liabilities
—
Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · accounting standard unknown| Metric | 2024-09-30 | 2023-09-30 |
|---|---|---|
| Total assets | £199.8k | £200.6k |
| Current assets | £129.5k | £134.8k |
| Cash | £7.8k | £13.5k |
| Debtors | £1.4k | £950 |
| Net assets | £174.5k | £164.8k |
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
0
filings
Last 180 days
4
filings
- • 2 gazette
- • 1 accounts
- • 1 dissolution
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (30 events)Click to expand
- 2026-01-20📄gazette-filings-brought-up-to-dategazette · DISS40
- 2026-01-19📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2026-01-13📄dissolved-compulsory-strike-off-suspendeddissolution · DISS16(SOAS)
- 2025-12-09📄gazette-notice-compulsorygazette · GAZ1
- 2024-09-29📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-12-12📄gazette-filings-brought-up-to-dategazette · DISS40
- 2023-12-11📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-12-08📄dissolved-compulsory-strike-off-suspendeddissolution · DISS16(SOAS)
- 2023-11-28📄gazette-notice-compulsorygazette · GAZ1
- 2023-09-28📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2022-10-06📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2022-10-06📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2022-10-06📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2022-08-25➖CRUICKSHANK, Henry Alan resigneddirector
- 2022-06-21📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-06-28📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2021-06-28📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2021-06-25📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2020-06-29📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2007-01-30🔒Charge registered #3Lender: Lloyds Tsb Scotland PLC
- 2006-10-04🔒Charge registered #2Lender: Lloyds Tsb Scotland PLC
- 2006-09-20🔒Charge registered #1Lender: Lloyds Tsb Scotland PLC
- 2006-07-28🏢Company incorporatedAs CASTLE HOMES (FR) LTD.
- 2006-07-28➕MAY, Iain Leslie appointedsecretary
- 2006-07-28➕MAY, Iain Leslie appointeddirector
- 2006-07-28➕BRIAN REID LTD. appointedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 2006-07-28➖BRIAN REID LTD. resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 2006-07-28➕CRUICKSHANK, Henry Alan appointeddirector
- 2006-07-28➕STEPHEN MABBOTT LTD. appointedcorporate-nominee-director
- 2006-07-28➖STEPHEN MABBOTT LTD. resignedcorporate-nominee-director
Owner dependency
93/100
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 20 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
- +Senior director age: Director aged approximately 60 — approaching natural succession window.
Succession & seller-readiness
78/100
Likely off-market candidateStrong acquirability signals converging. Worth approaching directly — this is how off-market deals start.
SIGNALS
- secondaryFounder aged 58+: Senior director is approximately 60. Early succession window.
- primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
- secondary12+ year tenure: Director in role 20 years.
- 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
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 Iain Leslie May Individual · Scottish · DOB 05/1966 · age 60 | 75–100% | 75–100% | 75-100% shares · 75-100% voting | 06/04/2016 |
1 historic (ceased) PSC
- Mr Henry Alan Cruickshankceased 25/08/2022· 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting
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 · Construction · AB postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CUNNINGHAM PLASTERING LTD→ SC357878 · est 2009 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 17y | — | — |
| CW ACCESS LTD→ SC851313 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| D COWIE PLUMBING & HEATING LTD→ SC727927 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 4y | — | — |
| DAVIDSONS MARINE & INDUSTRIAL PAINTERS LTD.→ SC245245 · est 2003 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 23y | — | — |
| DEESIDE PLUMBING AND HEATING LTD→ SC606663 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| DEVREV JOINERY LTD→ SC866486 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| DIAMOND PROPERTY DEVELOPMENTS -78 QR LTD→ SC757552 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| DIVERSITY ENERGY SOLUTIONS LTD→ SC545423 · est 2016 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 9y | — | — |
| DK BOILER CARE LTD→ SC883743 · est 2026 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| DM BUILDERS (FR) LTD.→ SC313928 · est 2006 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 19y | — | — |
| DM DECORATING AND SERVICES LIMITED→ SC833272 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| DM JOINERY LTD→ SC866600 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
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
Incorporated2006-07-28
Jurisdictionscotland
Primary SIC41100 — Development of building projects
Registered office
Chapelhill Farmhouse
Fraserburgh
AB43 7ED
United Kingdom
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-06-30
Last made up to: 2024-09-30
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-08-11
Last: 2025-07-28
Officers (2 active · 3 resigned)
Active
MAY, Iain Leslie→
Activedirector · ~60y · appointed 2006-07-28
View their other companies + combined net worth →
BRIAN REID LTD.→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 2006-07-28 · resigned 2006-07-28
CRUICKSHANK, Henry Alan→
Resigneddirector · ~68y · appointed 2006-07-28 · resigned 2022-08-25
STEPHEN MABBOTT LTD.→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-director · appointed 2006-07-28 · resigned 2006-07-28
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
3
Total charges
3
Outstanding
1
Active lenders
Status:Lender:3 of 3 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | Lloyds Banking Group Lloyds Tsb Scotland PLC | Standard security | 1 property | 30/01/2007 | — | |
| outstanding | Lloyds Banking Group Lloyds Tsb Scotland PLC | Standard security | 1 property | 04/10/2006 | — | |
| outstanding | Lloyds Banking Group Lloyds Tsb Scotland PLC | Bond & floating charge | 1 property | 20/09/2006 | — |
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.
Recent filings (65 total)
gazette-filings-brought-up-to-date
gazette · DISS40
2026-01-20
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2026-01-19
dissolved-compulsory-strike-off-suspended
dissolution · DISS16(SOAS)
2026-01-13
gazette-notice-compulsory
gazette · GAZ1
2025-12-09
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-07-30
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-09-29
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-07-31
gazette-filings-brought-up-to-date
gazette · DISS40
2023-12-12
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-12-11
dissolved-compulsory-strike-off-suspended
dissolution · DISS16(SOAS)
2023-12-08
gazette-notice-compulsory
gazette · GAZ1
2023-11-28
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-09-28
change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
address · AD01
2023-09-28
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2022-10-06
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2022-10-06