HORLEY ESTATES LIMITED

💤Zombieactive
02881099 · ltd · incorporated 1993-12-15
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 2025
Net worth
—
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: Buying and selling of own real estate
Sector: Real estate
Investor take
Pursue
Active trading company with a 80-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.

Opportunity 80/100 (exceptional), bankability 75/100. Strong seller-intent signal (83/100, director aged 80). 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 (78/100)

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
Confirmed no charges registered
85
Directors & officers
8 officers (2 active, 8 linked, 4 with DOB)
80
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 2 total, 2 with control declared
90
Director network
3 connected companies via shared directors
54
Filing history
94 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.

Key financials

2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accounts
Cash
—
Net Worth
—
Current Assets
—
Current Liabilities
—
£0£0£0£0£0£0Mar 2024Mar 2025

Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series

Financials

Extracted from Companies House accounts · accounting standard unknown
Metric2025-03-222024-03-22
Average employees200200

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
2
filings
  • • 1 accounts
  • • 1 confirmation-statement
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (31 events)Click to expand
  1. 2025-12-12
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  2. 2024-12-20
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  3. 2023-12-21
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  4. 2022-12-14
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  5. 2022-03-22
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  6. 2022-01-07
    📍
    change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
    address · AD01
  7. 2021-03-30
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  8. 2019-12-19
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  9. 2019-12-16
    📄
    capital-allotment-shares
    capital · SH01
  10. 2019-03-19
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  11. 2018-12-19
    📄
    change-account-reference-date-company-previous-shortened
    accounts · AA01
  12. 2018-12-04
    📄
    change-person-director-company-with-change-date
    officers · CH01
  13. 2018-04-20
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  14. 2018-01-31
    📄
    change-account-reference-date-company-previous-shortened
    accounts · AA01
  15. 2018-01-12
    📍
    change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
    address · AD01
  16. 2018-01-11
    📄
    change-person-director-company-with-change-date
    officers · CH01
  17. 2017-10-18
    ➕
    LAWSON, Judith Hannah appointed
    secretary
  18. 2017-10-18
    ➖
    LAWSON, Michael Howard resigned
    secretary
  19. 2017-10-18
    ➖
    LAWSON, Michael Howard resigned
    director
  20. 2007-02-08
    ➕
    LAWSON, Judith Hannah appointed
    director
  21. 2007-02-08
    ➖
    GLASS, Stephen Arnold resigned
    director
  22. 1995-04-18
    ➕
    GLASS, Stephen Arnold appointed
    director
  23. 1995-04-18
    ➖
    JARVIS, Leonard George resigned
    director
  24. 1994-02-10
    ➕
    LAWSON, Michael Howard appointed
    secretary
  25. 1994-02-10
    ➖
    TEMPLE SECRETARIES LIMITED resigned
    corporate-nominee-secretary
  26. 1994-02-10
    ➕
    JARVIS, Leonard George appointed
    director
  27. 1994-02-10
    ➕
    LAWSON, Michael Howard appointed
    director
  28. 1994-02-10
    ➖
    COMPANY DIRECTORS LIMITED resigned
    corporate-nominee-director
  29. 1993-12-15
    🏢
    Company incorporated
    As HORLEY ESTATES LIMITED
  30. 1993-12-15
    ➕
    TEMPLE SECRETARIES LIMITED appointed
    corporate-nominee-secretary
  31. 1993-12-15
    ➕
    COMPANY DIRECTORS LIMITED appointed
    corporate-nominee-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 19 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
  • +Founder age: Director aged approximately 80 — succession pressure is live.

Succession & seller-readiness

98/100
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 80 years old. Natural succession window is now.
  • primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
  • secondary12+ year tenure: Director in role 19 years.
  • secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 32 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
Mrs Judith Hannah Lawson
Individual · British · DOB 08/1946 · age 80
75–100%
—75-100% shares06/04/2016
1 historic (ceased) PSC
  • Mr Michael Howard Lawsonceased 18/10/2017· 25-50% shares

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 · N postcode area
CompanyEst. valueTurnoverNet worthStaffAgeOppDirector
026 LIMITED→
14873063 · est 2023 · no financials extracted
————2y——
07 INVEST LTD→
14080349 · est 2022 · no financials extracted
————3y——
07716741 LIMITED→
07716741 · est 2011 · no financials extracted
————14y——
08143460 LTD.→
08143460 · est 2012 · no financials extracted
————13y——
08952692 LIMITED→
08952692 · est 2014 · no financials extracted
————12y——
0909 LTD→
15322753 · est 2023 · no financials extracted
————2y——
10 ALEXANDRA ROAD PROPERTY MANAGEMENT LIMITED→
15132102 · est 2023 · no financials extracted
————2y——
100 BARNSBURY ROAD LIMITED→
07718527 · est 2011 · no financials extracted
————14y——
100 BETHUNE ROAD MANAGEMENT COMPANY LIMITED→
05458382 · est 2005 · no financials extracted
————20y——
100 CAZENOVE ROAD N16 LIMITED→
03832959 · est 1999 · no financials extracted
————26y——
100 STAYS LTD→
15124248 · est 2023 · no financials extracted
————2y——
1000 ROOMS LTD→
10140476 · est 2016 · no financials extracted
————9y——
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
Incorporated1993-12-15
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC68100 — Buying and selling of own real estate

Registered office

C/O Sterlings Ltd Lawford House
Albert Place
London
N3 1QA
England

Filing status

Accounts
Next due: 2026-12-22
Last made up to: 2025-03-22
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-12-26
Last: 2025-12-12

Officers (2 active · 6 resigned)

LAWSON, Judith Hannah→
secretary · appointed 2017-10-18
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
LAWSON, Judith Hannah→
director · ~80y · appointed 2007-02-08
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
LAWSON, Michael Howard→
secretary · appointed 1994-02-10 · resigned 2017-10-18
Resigned
TEMPLE SECRETARIES LIMITED→
corporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 1993-12-15 · resigned 1994-02-10
Resigned
GLASS, Stephen Arnold→
director · ~90y · appointed 1995-04-18 · resigned 2007-02-08
Resigned
JARVIS, Leonard George→
director · ~90y · appointed 1994-02-10 · resigned 1995-04-18
Resigned
LAWSON, Michael Howard→
director · ~84y · appointed 1994-02-10 · resigned 2017-10-18
Resigned
COMPANY DIRECTORS LIMITED→
corporate-nominee-director · appointed 1993-12-15 · resigned 1994-02-10
Resigned

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

Recent filings (94 total)

accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-12-12
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-12-12
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-12-20
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-12-13
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-12-21
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-12-15
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-12-16
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2022-12-14
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2022-03-22
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-01-07
change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
address · AD01
2022-01-07
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2021-03-30
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-01-05
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2019-12-19
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2019-12-17