Straight answers to what we're asked most. If your question isn't here, get in touch and we'll answer it directly.
General & Process
No. We buy businesses directly, with our own financing structures. We don't list your business, we don't charge a listing fee, and we don't take a commission when it sells. If we agree a deal, we're the buyer — not a middleman.
No. The initial conversation and the full consultation are both free, with no obligation on your part. The only paid service we offer is the optional Business Readiness Assessment, and that's clearly priced upfront — nothing else on the site involves a fee to you.
It varies by business complexity, but from first conversation to heads of terms agreed is typically 2–4 weeks. Completion depends on legal work and due diligence, but we push to keep this as fast as possible. Unlike a broker listing, there's no open-ended waiting period.
It depends on the business and what works best for both of us. Some deals are structured as a share purchase, others as an asset purchase — each has different tax and liability implications for you as the seller. We'll talk through which makes sense for your situation, and you should get your accountant's view on it too.
In most cases we keep what's working. A trading name and reputation you've spent years building has real value — we're not in the business of stripping that out. Any changes we might make would be discussed with you as part of the handover conversation, not sprung on you afterwards.
Yes — we'd always recommend you take your own independent legal and financial advice before completing any transaction. We'll work alongside your advisors constructively.
Eligibility & Confidentiality
We focus on UK service-based businesses with turnover between £350k and £10m, anywhere in the country. We look at most sectors — property maintenance, automotive, security, transport, trades, distribution and more. If you're not sure whether your business fits, just ask. We'd rather have the conversation than have you assume the answer is no.
Not necessarily. We consider businesses that are profitable, breaking even, or facing financial challenges. If your business has underlying value — a good customer base, a strong team, or a solid trade name — we'll look at it. A distressed situation doesn't automatically rule you out.
Debt doesn't automatically kill a deal. We've completed acquisitions where the business was under real financial pressure. We look at the underlying business — the customers, the cashflow, the real potential — not just the headline numbers, and we've got experience structuring exits that satisfy creditors while still giving you a clean break.
Only when you're ready for them to. We operate under strict confidentiality throughout — nothing goes further without your say-so. Disclosure to staff is something we plan carefully together, and in most cases it's positive news for them, since we commit to protecting their employment.
That's fine, and it's a common starting point. Many of our conversations begin 12–18 months before a sale completes. Starting early gives you time to prepare the business properly and get the best outcome. There's no pressure to commit to anything at the consultation stage.
Yes. Plenty of sellers come to us after a broker listing has stalled, or after realising the fees and restrictive contracts aren't worth it. There's no conflict in having that conversation with us directly — just be aware of any exclusivity clause a broker may have you tied into, and check what it means before we go further.
Seller Finance
Instead of us raising the full purchase price upfront from a bank, you agree to receive payment over time, funded by the profits the business generates under our ownership. No bank approval needed, no dependency on us having personal funds sitting in the bank — and the deal can actually complete. Our Seller Finance Explained page walks through a full worked example.
This is the most common concern, and a fair one. The protections are built into the legal agreement — a charge or debenture over the business assets, personal guarantees, regular financial reporting, and defined remedies if payments are missed. Your solicitor drafts these into the sale agreement, and we expect and welcome them.
Completely legal, and increasingly common. It's been used in business acquisitions for decades — standard practice in the US, and growing fast in the UK as bank lending has tightened. Your solicitor will be familiar with it.
Understandable, and worth exploring honestly. If your business holds cash reserves at the point of sale, that can form part of an initial lump sum payment. What we won't do is promise a large cash deposit from personal funds — we're upfront about that. What we offer is a reliable, structured income stream from the business's own profits, which for many sellers heading into retirement is worth more than a lump sum that then needs reinvesting.
We work from the real numbers — turnover, net profit, cost base and liabilities — and show our working rather than just giving you a figure. Because the payments are funded by the business itself rather than upfront bank finance, the structure can often support a higher total price than a straight cash sale. If you want a proper independent valuation before any conversation with us, our Business Readiness Assessment gives you that.
Your Information
It's treated in strict confidence and used only to assess your business and have a proper conversation with you — it's never sold or passed to third parties for marketing. Full detail on what we collect and why is in our Privacy Policy & Cookie Notice.
Still Got a Question?
Ask us directly. No obligation, no pressure — just a straight answer.