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UK Acquisition Partnership

A permanent home for businesses worth keeping.

We are Sam and Emily Humphreys — a husband and wife team acquiring and operating UK SMEs for the long term. We buy businesses built on strong foundations and invest in the next chapter, not a quick exit.

What we look for
UK based businesses
Turnover £500k – £5m
Recurring revenue or repeat demand
Loyal team, good reputation
Property maintenance/construction and healthcare
Who we are

Not a fund. Not a broker. Buyers who operate.

SEH is a husband and wife acquisition partnership. Sam brings a background in civil engineering systematic, detail-oriented, and experienced in managing complex projects and operational risk. Emily is a qualified healthcare professional with deep expertise in people-led, regulated environments.

Together we acquire UK owner managed and 'hands off' owner managed businesses across two sectors we know well: property maintenance and trades, and healthcare and care services. We take direct responsibility for everything we own.

Sam and Emily Humphreys
Sector Focus

Property Maintenance
& Construction

Sam's civil engineering background means we understand these businesses from the inside: the workforce model, the contracts, the client relationships.

  • Turnover £500k – £5m
  • Recurring contracts preferred
  • Midlands, any trade specialism
  • Owner managed and hands off management, established team
Learn more →
Sector Focus

Healthcare &
Care Homes

Emily's clinical background means we approach care home acquisitions with genuine understanding of what good care looks like from the inside.

  • CQC-registered, Good or above
  • 20 – 80 registered beds
  • Freehold preferred
  • Nursing, residential, dementia
Learn more →
Why founders choose SEH

Designed for owners, not spreadsheets.

Selling a business is one of the most significant decisions you will make. We take that seriously.

Discretion

Confidential from the first conversation. Your team, customers, and competitors will not know unless you decide to tell them.

Fairness

Straightforward terms and honest valuations. No jargon, no last-minute changes, no unnecessary complexity.

Continuity

We protect your people, your customers, and your culture. A transition plan is agreed before we complete.

Flexibility

Full exit, phased exit, or an advisory role; we structure around what works for you and us ensuring a smooth exit that benefits us all.

Operator mindset

We take over the running of the business. We do not manage from a distance or pass it to a third party.

Long-term ownership

We buy to hold. There is no fund cycle, no investor deadline, and no pressure to sell on within five years.

Our principles

What we protect. What we improve. What we avoid.

🛡

What we protect

Your people. Customer relationships. Brand reputation. The things that took years to build.

📈

What we improve

Systems. Reporting. Operational cadence. Growth execution. The things that bring the next level to a business.

🚫

What we avoid

Short-term extraction. Disruption for its own sake. Unnecessary rebranding. Financial engineering over operational substance.

Our process

Simple, transparent, no surprises.

Seven steps from first conversation to completion. You will always know where you stand.

1

Intro call

15–30 minutes, completely informal. No preparation needed.

2

NDA signed

Before anything sensitive is discussed or shared.

3

Initial review

We share honest, early thinking on value and fit within days.

4

Secondary phone call

A secondary call to ensure we're on the same page after review but before continuing.

5

Heads of Terms

Plain English. No legal boilerplate. Agreed fast.

6

Due diligence & completion

Focused, efficient. Typically 6-8 weeks. Transition plan agreed before day one.

7

Completion and transition

Before completion a full transition plan will be agreed.

Typical timeline from first conversation to completion: 4-8 months for most businesses. We are transparent throughout and will never let timelines drift without explanation.

Three paths available
Clean exit

Short handover, then step back fully

Phased exit

Reduce involvement over 6–18 months

Stay involved

Advisory or board role, on your terms

For advisers, accountants and brokers

We welcome introductions and handle them professionally and discreetly. Finder's fees paid for successful introductions.

Thinking about the next chapter?

Whether you've been considering this for years or the thought is just beginning to form; we're happy to have an early, informal conversation. No pressure and no obligation.

Or call us directly: 07708 320302
Why sell to SEH?

Selling your business should feel respectful, not transactional.

The decision to sell a business you've built is one of the most personal decisions you'll make. We've designed every part of how we work around that.

The people promise

Your team comes first.

We never acquire a business and immediately restructure. Your team is not a figure on a page, they are the reason the business works, and we treat them accordingly.

Before we complete any acquisition we agree a transition plan that covers how the team will be communicated with, what will change and what will not, and how we will earn their trust in the first 90 days.

In our experience, a settled, motivated team is the most valuable asset to a business has and it us our duty to protect that.

The confidentiality promise

Discreet from the first conversation.

We understand that the idea of selling can feel sensitive, particularly before you're ready to tell your team, your key customers, or even your family. We handle that with care.

  • We sign an NDA before any sensitive information is shared
  • We do not approach your staff, customers or suppliers without your agreement
  • We keep the circle of people involved deliberately small
  • We never disclose that a conversation has taken place without your permission
The transition promise

Three paths: you choose what suits you.

Not every exit looks the same, and we don't expect it to.

01

Clean exit

A defined handover period: typically 1 to 3 months, after which you step back fully. Suited to owners who are ready to move on and have a capable team in place.

02

Phased exit

A gradual reduction in your involvement over 6 to 18 months. You stay involved while we learn the business and earn the trust of your team and customers.

03

Stay involved

A board or advisory role where you retain a connection to the business without the day-to-day responsibility. For founders who still have energy to contribute.

What we are and what we're not

We believe in being straight with you.

We are:

  • Long term owners, not short term flippers
  • Hands on operators who take direct responsibility
  • Relationship led: we get to know you before making an offer
  • Decisive: once we're interested, we move without delay
  • Transparent: what we say is what we mean

We are not:

  • Brokers or M&A advisers taking a fee and moving on
  • A fund with a fixed investment horizon
  • Financial engineers focused on extraction over operation
  • A corporate group that will rebrand and restructure
  • Buyers who disappear after completion

If any of this resonates, even if you're just beginning to think about it, we'd welcome an early conversation.

Acquisition criteria

What we look for.

We acquire in two sectors where our backgrounds give us a genuine operational edge. Here's an honest description of what attracts us to a business, and what gives us pause.

Sector one

Property Maintenance & Construction

Sam's civil engineering background means we understand these businesses from the inside allowing us to hit the ground running.

What we look for

  • UK-based, owner-managed or management team in place
  • Turnover £500k to £5m
  • Profitable or strong underlying fundamentals
  • Recurring contracts or repeat customer base
  • Loyal, established team
  • Good local reputation
  • Midlands based, however, we welcome UK wide

Types of business

  • Property and building maintenance
  • Facilities management
  • Electrical, plumbing, HVAC contractors
  • Civil engineer contractors
  • Roofing and specialist trades
  • Grounds maintenance and landscaping
  • Letting-related maintenance providers
  • Multi-trade contractors
Sector two

Healthcare & Care Services

Emily's healthcare background means we approach care home acquisitions with both clinical and operational understanding. We know what good care looks like, and we take that responsibility seriously.

What we look for

  • CQC registered homes, Good or above preferred
  • 20 to 80 registered beds
  • Stable or improving occupancy
  • Committed, established care team
  • Freehold preferred, long leasehold considered
  • Midlands based but we welcome UK wide

Types of service

  • Nursing homes
  • Residential care homes
  • Dementia specialist homes
  • Supported living providers
  • Mixed nursing and residential services

Not sure if you fit? We're flexible. If your business doesn't tick every box but the fundamentals are strong, we're still happy to have a conversation. Get in touch and we'll be straight with you.

Our process

How it works.

A clear, founder friendly process with no unnecessary complexity. Here is exactly what to expect from first contact to completion.

1

Intro call: 15 to 30 minutes

No preparation needed. This is an informal chat to understand your situation, introduce ourselves properly, and decide together whether it's worth going further. We won't ask for financials at this stage. This call is completely confidential and carries no obligation whatsoever.

2

NDA signed

Before anything sensitive is discussed or shared, we sign a mutual non-disclosure agreement. This protects you — and us. It is standard, straightforward, and takes minutes.

3

Initial review

We review the headline financials and key business information you're comfortable sharing. We move quickly — you'll have our initial thinking on value and fit within a few days, not weeks. We'll be honest with you even if the numbers suggest it's not the right time.

4

Secondary phone call

This is a chance to discuss more deeply your current situation and allow us to align our end goals. We can iron out any details before HOTs are signed.

5

Heads of Terms

If we're both keen to proceed, we issue a clear, plain English heads of terms covering the proposed price, structure, and key conditions. We keep these simple; there's no advantage to either party in a complicated document at this stage.

6

Due diligence

Thorough but focused. We look at the things that matter: financials, customers, team, operations, and any sector-specific factors. We aim to complete due diligence within 6 to 8 weeks and we do not use it as an opportunity to renegotiate without good reason.

7

Completion and transition

Legal completion is managed efficiently by our respective solicitors. Before we complete, we agree a detailed transition plan covering the handover period, how your team will be communicated with, and what the first 90 days will look like. There should be no surprises on day one.

Typical timeline from first conversation to completion: 6 to 8 months for most businesses. We are transparent throughout and will never let timelines drift without a clear explanation.

Team & backing

The people behind SEH.

We are Sam and Emily Humphreys: a husband and wife team with complementary backgrounds across engineering, property, and healthcare.

Sam Humphreys, Director
Director

Sam Humphreys

Sam is a civil engineer by training and career, with experience across infrastructure, construction, project management and property. His professional life has been defined by the disciplines that make complex operations work: careful planning, risk management, attention to detail, and the ability to see clearly when things go wrong and work through it.

He brings that same systematic approach to every acquisition. He is interested in how businesses actually function: the systems, the people, the client relationships, not just what the numbers say.

Sam leads on property maintenance and trades acquisitions, financial structuring, and post-acquisition operational improvement.

Emily Humphreys, Director
Director

Emily Humphreys

Emily is a healthcare professional with 10+ years of experience in within the NHS working through all range of care as a physiotherapist to specialising in spinal care. Her career has been built in environments where the stakes are high, the standards are non-negotiable, and the work is fundamentally about people; their safety, their dignity, and the quality of their daily experience.

She brings a rare combination of clinical expertise and operational leadership to the businesses SEH acquires. In the care sector, her credentials matter not just commercially but ethically — she understands what good care looks like from the inside.

Emily leads on healthcare acquisitions, clinical governance, regulatory compliance, and team culture across the group.

Backing & capital

The capital is in place.

SEH is funded through a combination of personal capital, committed lending facilities, and specialist acquisition finance from lenders with direct experience in our target sectors.

We have the capital in place to move quickly, complete without conditions on funding, and invest in the businesses we acquire post completion. When we issue a heads of terms, the funding is ready.

We work with a small number of trusted advisers including specialist solicitors and accountants with experience in property maintenance and healthcare transactions, they understand the specific regulatory and financial frameworks of both sectors.

Our sectors

Two sectors. Real expertise in both.

We acquire in two areas where our backgrounds give us genuine operational knowledge to reassure founders we are not just financial analysers.

Property maintenance & Construction

We understand these businesses from the inside.

Sam Humphreys is a civil engineer. He has spent his career understanding how buildings, infrastructure, and the teams that maintain them actually work. When he sits across the table from a property maintenance/construction business owner, he can empathise with and understand the challenges this sector brings.

He understands contract structures with letting agents and housing associations, the challenge of managing a mobile workforce, the difference between reactive and planned maintenance revenue, and what it looks like when a business is genuinely systemised versus held together by the owner.

Emily's background in healthcare means we also understand the operational and human side of running a service business. Between us, we take the continuity of your team and your customers as seriously as you do.

What we look for

  • Turnover between £500k and £5m
  • Recurring contracts or repeat demand
  • Letting agent, LA, or commercial relationships
  • An established team with good retention
  • Midlands based but any region considered

Types of business

  • Property maintenance and building services
  • Civil engineering contractors
  • Electrical, plumbing, HVAC, roofing specialists
  • Grounds and facilities management
  • Multi-trade contractors
Healthcare & care homes

A note from Emily.

"I have spent my career in healthcare. I know what it takes to run a good care home. The clinical responsibility, the relationships with residents and families and the demands it places on staff. When I speak to a care home owner about their business, I understand what they've built and why passing it to the right person matters so much."

— Emily Humphreys, Director

Sam's civil engineering background means we also approach the property and infrastructure side with a real attention to detail, we consider the condition of the building, planned maintenance and the capital investment required. In a sector where the building and the business are inseparable, this matters.

What care home owners most want to know

"Will the residents be looked after properly?"

Yes. Emily takes direct clinical oversight responsibility.

"Will you keep my staff?"

We make every effort to retain the team and agree a communications plan before we complete.

"Will you maintain the CQC rating?"

CQC compliance is a core operational priority. Emily leads on quality governance.

"Will you change the name?"

In most cases, no. The local reputation of a care home is an asset we protect.

Ready to have an informal conversation?

No pressure. No obligation. Everything stays confidential.

Emily directly: 07385 678305
For intermediaries

For advisers, accountants, and brokers.

We welcome introductions from professional intermediaries and handle them with the same discretion and professionalism we offer to business owners directly.

How we work with intermediaries

Fast, professional, and straightforward.

If you're working with a client considering their exit options and believe SEH could be a good fit, we'd welcome a brief introductory conversation. We move quickly, communicate clearly, and keep you informed at every stage.

  • We respond to all intermediary introductions within 3-5 business days
  • We sign NDAs immediately and without complication
  • We provide initial feedback on fit and indicative value within 5 business days of receiving an information memorandum
  • We pay finder's fees for successful introductions — please contact us to discuss terms
  • We do not approach your client directly without your knowledge and agreement

We are active buyers in

Property Maintenance & Trades

Turnover £500k – £5m. Any trade specialism. Midlands based but welcome UK wide.

Healthcare & Care Homes

CQC-registered, 20–80 beds. Nursing, residential, dementia. Midlamds based but welcome UK wide.

Direct contact

enquiries@sehventurecapital.com
07708 320302

Frequently asked questions

Questions we hear most — answered honestly.

Do I need to be ready to sell to have a conversation?+

No. Many of the best conversations we have are with owners who are thinking about the future but haven't made any decisions. An early conversation costs nothing, commits you to nothing, and often helps clarify your own thinking.

Will my staff find out?+

Not unless you decide to tell them. We do not approach your team, customers, or suppliers at any stage without your explicit agreement. Everything stays confidential until you are ready.

How do you value a business?+

We value businesses based on their sustainable earnings. Typically a multiple of EBITDA (profit before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation). The multiple depends on factors including the strength of the contract base, how systemised the business is, the quality of the team, and how dependent the business is on the current owner. We explain our thinking in plain English and we do not hide behind jargon.

Do I need my own solicitor?+

Yes, and we recommend it strongly. You should have independent legal advice from a solicitor experienced in business sales.

How long does the process take?+

From first conversation to completion, most transactions take between 4-8 months. We are transparent about timelines throughout and will never let things drift without a clear explanation.

Will you change the name of my business?+

In most cases, no. The trading name and local reputation of a business are assets we protect. If there is ever a reason to consider a rebrand, we would discuss it openly with you — never as a surprise after completion.

What happens to my team after you buy the business?+

We take continuity of employment seriously. All staff transfer to us on their existing terms under TUPE legislation, and we make every effort to retain the team. We agree a communication and transition plan with you before we complete, so your people hear the news properly.

Do you only buy businesses in certain regions?+

No. We consider businesses anywhere in the UK. Geography is not a barrier for the right business.

What if my business is not currently profitable?+

It depends on the circumstances. If there are strong underlying fundamentals, a loyal customer base, a good team, recurring revenue, but profitability has been affected by one-off costs or a high owner salary, that's a conversation worth having. If the business is in genuine distress, we're probably not the right buyer, but we'll say so quickly rather than waste your time.

Still have a question?

Get in touch

Let's start a conversation.

Everything you share with us is treated in the strictest confidence. We'll respond within 1-3 business days.

Everything you share is treated in strict confidence. We will never share your details with third parties without your permission.

Direct contact

Email
enquiries@sehventurecapital.com
Phone — Sam
07708 320302
Phone — Emily (care homes)
07385 678305
Response time
1-3 business days

Our confidentiality promise

Everything you share, including the fact that you've made contact, stays strictly between us. We will never approach your team, customers, or suppliers without your explicit agreement.

We sign an NDA before any detailed information is shared.