AUTOPAINT FIFE LIMITED

💤Zombieactive
SC279399 · ltd · incorporated 2005-02-04
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 Dec 2024
Net worth
£248.4k
book net assets
Opportunity
80/100
Exceptional
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What this business does
Primary activity: Retail trade of motor vehicle parts and accessories
Sector: Wholesale & retail
Investor take
Pursue
Asset-holding vehicle with a 78-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.

Opportunity 80/100 (exceptional), bankability 75/100. Strong seller-intent signal (83/100, director aged 78). 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 (76/100)

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
5 officers (1 active, 5 linked, 2 with DOB)
78
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 2 total, 2 with control declared
90
Director network
Network not yet resolved
30
Filing history
55 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.

Signals from accounts

Derived from iXBRL accounts · FRS 102
Positive net assets
Net assets £248,420
Cash YoY
+35%
Year on year

Key financials

2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accounts
Cash
£79k
↑ 35% YoY
Net Worth
£248k
↑ 3.4% YoY
Current Assets
£359k
↑ 4.4% YoY
Current Liabilities
—
£0£72k£144k£216k£287k£359kDec 2023Dec 2024

Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series

Financials

Extracted from Companies House accounts · FRS 102
Metric2024-12-312023-12-31
Total assets£248.4k£240.3k
Current assets£359.3k£344.0k
Cash£79.0k£58.7k
Debtors£105.3k£110.3k
Net assets£248.4k£240.3k

Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.

🔒Filing-note intelligence

1 signal 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 confirmation-statement
Last 180 days
1
filing
  • • 1 confirmation-statement
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (25 events)Click to expand
  1. 2025-09-26
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  2. 2024-09-26
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  3. 2023-09-27
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  4. 2022-09-29
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  5. 2022-07-06
    📄
    gazette-filings-brought-up-to-date
    gazette · DISS40
  6. 2022-04-26
    📄
    gazette-notice-compulsory
    gazette · GAZ1
  7. 2021-09-24
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  8. 2020-09-29
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  9. 2019-09-26
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  10. 2018-10-11
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  11. 2018-04-09
    📄
    cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
  12. 2018-04-09
    📄
    termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM02
  13. 2018-04-09
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  14. 2017-09-29
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  15. 2016-11-30
    ➖
    WANDS, Helen Veronica resigned
    secretary
  16. 2016-11-30
    ➖
    WANDS, Helen Veronica resigned
    director
  17. 2016-09-26
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-small
    accounts · AA
  18. 2005-02-04
    🏢
    Company incorporated
    As AUTOPAINT FIFE LIMITED
  19. 2005-02-04
    ➕
    WANDS, John Douglas Prentice appointed
    director
  20. 2005-02-04
    ➕
    WANDS, Helen Veronica appointed
    secretary
  21. 2005-02-04
    ➕
    ACS SECRETARIES LIMITED appointed
    corporate-nominee-secretary
  22. 2005-02-04
    ➖
    ACS SECRETARIES LIMITED resigned
    corporate-nominee-secretary
  23. 2005-02-04
    ➕
    WANDS, Helen Veronica appointed
    director
  24. 2005-02-04
    ➕
    ACS NOMINEES LIMITED appointed
    corporate-nominee-director
  25. 2005-02-04
    ➖
    ACS NOMINEES LIMITED resigned
    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 21 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
  • +Founder age: Director aged approximately 78 — succession pressure is live.

Succession & seller-readiness

100/100
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 78 years old. Natural succession window is now.
  • primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
  • primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 21 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
  • secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 21 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
NameSharesVoting rightsNature of controlNotified
Mr John Douglas Prentice Wands
Individual · British · DOB 10/1948 · age 78
25–50%
—25-50% shares06/04/2016
1 historic (ceased) PSC
  • Mrs Helen Veronica Wandsceased 30/11/2016· 25-50% shares

From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.

Similar companies

Active · Automotive · KY postcode area
CompanyEst. valueTurnoverNet worthStaffAgeOppDirector
FLEAR & THOMSON LIMITED→
SC028660 · est 1951
£2.08M
£1.66M–£2.49M
———74y8280y
FIFE AUTO CENTRE LTD.→
SC194842 · est 1999 · no financials extracted
————27y8364y
ALAN BENNIE MOTOR ENGINEERS LIMITED→
SC260726 · est 2003
———70022y8258y
BODYWYSE AUTOCARE LIMITED→
SC285841 · est 2005
——£1.08M—20y8259y
CLEVEDEN CARS LIMITED→
SC180119 · est 1997
———20028y8263y
FIFE ACCIDENT REPAIR CENTRE LIMITED→
SC276436 · est 2004
———110021y8264y
FIFE SEAT LIMITED→
SC331707 · est 2007
——£26.8k—18y8259y
FRANK MUNRO & SONS LIMITED→
SC241429 · est 2002 · no financials extracted
————23y8262y
GRANGE GARAGE (FIFE) LIMITED→
SC217994 · est 2001
———20025y8266y
SHIFTY PSYCLES LTD→
SC864645 · est 2025 · no financials extracted
———————
SINCLAIR-ROJAS LIMITED→
SC152154 · est 1994 · no financials extracted
————31y——
SWAN CAR BROKERS LTD→
SC822342 · est 2024 · no financials extracted
————1y——
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
Incorporated2005-02-04
Jurisdictionscotland
Primary SIC45320 — Retail trade of motor vehicle parts and accessories

Registered office

23 High Street
Strathmiglo
Fife
KY14 7QA

Filing status

Accounts
Next due: 2026-09-30
Last made up to: 2024-12-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-02-18
Last: 2026-02-04

Officers (1 active · 4 resigned)

WANDS, John Douglas Prentice→
director · ~78y · appointed 2005-02-04
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
WANDS, Helen Veronica→
secretary · appointed 2005-02-04 · resigned 2016-11-30
Resigned
ACS SECRETARIES LIMITED→
corporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 2005-02-04 · resigned 2005-02-04
Resigned
WANDS, Helen Veronica→
director · ~79y · appointed 2005-02-04 · resigned 2016-11-30
Resigned
ACS NOMINEES LIMITED→
corporate-nominee-director · appointed 2005-02-04 · resigned 2005-02-04
Resigned

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

Recent filings (55 total)

confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-02-17
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-09-26
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-03-13
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-09-26
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-03-25
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-09-27
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-04-05
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2022-09-29
gazette-filings-brought-up-to-date
gazette · DISS40
2022-07-06
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-07-05
gazette-notice-compulsory
gazette · GAZ1
2022-04-26
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2021-09-24
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-04-30
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2020-09-29
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2020-03-04