C J O GROUP LTD Group Structure: Subsidiaries & UBO
Executive summary
C J O GROUP LTD (company number 15882976) is an active UK holding company incorporated on 7 August 2024 under SIC code 64209 (activities of financial services holding companies). Upstream, the company is directly controlled by corporate parent G & O Group Limited (06133302) holding 75% to 100% of shares and voting rights, with ultimate beneficial ownership held by Mr Christopher John O'Dell and Mrs Ferdous Sultana Gossain. Downstream, reverse corporate analysis reveals a substantial group consisting of 10 direct subsidiaries, including historical trading and property entities dating back to 1950, with second-tier subsidiaries held beneath Fairfield Rents Limited.
The structural limitation of standard Companies House searches
Corporate due diligence frequently breaks down at the public filing boundary. Under the Companies Act 2006 and the People with Significant Control (PSC) regime introduced under the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015, the official register maintained at Companies House is designed strictly as an upward-pointing disclosure mechanism.
When a practitioner searches a company name or registration number on the public register, the record reveals only that single legal entity, its direct officers, and the upstream entities or individuals that exercise significant control over it. There is no native functionality on Companies House that permits an investigator, lender, or buyer to type in a parent company name and generate an automated list of its subsidiaries. The official search engine does not index downstream ownership relationships.
Legal and financial advisers often rely on filed group statutory accounts to ascertain group composition. However, that approach presents severe operational risks during transactions and risk assessments:
1. Filing Latency: Accounts are filed months after the accounting reference date. An acquisition, inter-company share transfer, or corporate restructuring executed within the last nine to twelve months will not appear in the latest available public balance sheet.
2. Statutory Exemptions: Small and medium-sized groups frequently qualify for exemptions under section 398 and section 400 of the Companies Act 2006, relieving them of the statutory obligation to produce consolidated group accounts.
3. Dormant and Non-Material Exclusions: Group accounts routinely omit non-trading, newly incorporated, or dormant entities where directors deem them immaterial to a true and fair view.
To establish an accurate, current corporate org chart, corporate intelligence practitioners must invert the public data. Instead of relying on self-reported accounts, our reverse PSC engine indexes the statutory PSC filings of every registered UK company, identifying each instance where the target entity is reported as a corporate person with significant control. This maps the downstream group tier by tier in real time.
What a Companies House search shows for C J O GROUP LTD
Querying C J O GROUP LTD directly on the public register displays the single entity profile: an active private limited company incorporated on 7 August 2024, with registered office filings and single-entity statutory milestones. Its officer and upstream PSC registers disclose the following direct control positions:
Officers
- Mr Christopher John O'Dell: British national, resident in England, born in December 1952. Appointed as director at incorporation on 7 August 2024. No occupation is listed on the register.
Persons with significant control
- G & O Group Limited (company number 06133302): Corporate PSC notified on 7 August 2024. Holds ownership of shares (75% to 100%), voting rights (75% to 100%), and the right to appoint and remove directors.
- Mr Christopher John O'Dell: Individual PSC with separate filings notified on 7 August 2025 recording the nature of control as significant influence or control over the company.
This basic search confirms the direct corporate parent and the controlling director. It leaves a commercial adviser entirely blind to the operating breadth, asset-holding companies, and contingent liabilities operating beneath C J O GROUP LTD.
What the reverse PSC search reveals: The downstream group
Applying a reverse corporate PSC search to C J O GROUP LTD reveals that this company serves as the immediate holding entity for 10 UK operating, rental, and investment companies. Several of these entities represent established businesses with decades of standalone operating history.
The downstream subsidiary portfolio is set out in the table below:
| Company Name | Number | Status | Incorporated | Control Band | Own Subsidiaries |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Enlightened Investments Limited | 04974038 | Active | 24/11/2003 | 75-100% shares | 0 |
| Builders Merchants (Wimbledon) Limited | 00477580 | Active | 25/01/1950 | 75-100% shares | 0 |
| Fairfield Rents Limited | 02563991 | Active | 30/11/1990 | 75-100% shares | 2 |
| G & O Real Estate Limited | 05851558 | Active | 20/06/2006 | 75-100% shares | 0 |
| G & O Rents Limited | 02550619 | Active | 22/10/1990 | 75-100% shares | 0 |
| Oriel Investments (UK) Limited | 04864755 | Active | 13/08/2003 | 75-100% shares | 0 |
| Menetrier Investments Limited | 02364392 | Active | 22/03/1989 | 75-100% shares | 0 |
| Pilotcrown Limited | 01672755 | Active | 20/10/1982 | 75-100% shares | 0 |
| New Malden Property Limited | 14911270 | Active | 02/06/2023 | 75-100% shares | 0 |
| CJO Real Estate Limited | 17222991 | Active | 15/05/2026 | 75-100% shares | 0 |
Second-tier subsidiaries and multi-layered holdings
A critical finding of the reverse search is the presence of multi-tiered subsidiary holdings. While 9 of the 10 direct subsidiaries hold no further UK corporate entities on their own PSC registers, Fairfield Rents Limited (02563991) is registered as the corporate person with significant control over 2 second-tier subsidiaries.
In transactional due diligence, failure to identify second-tier subsidiaries creates substantial blind spots. For instance, Builders Merchants (Wimbledon) Limited was incorporated in 1950, representing over seven decades of trading life. Meanwhile, CJO Real Estate Limited represents a newly incorporated vehicle registered on 15 May 2026. A standard upward search on C J O GROUP LTD would never disclose that the entity sits atop this mixed group of property investment, property rental, and trading companies.
Who sits at the top: Upstream chain to the ultimate beneficial owners
Establishing the ultimate beneficial owner (UBO) is mandatory under the Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017 (MLR 2017). When evaluating C J O GROUP LTD, a compliance officer cannot stop at G & O Group Limited, because a corporate body cannot be an ultimate human beneficial owner under the regulations.
Tracing the ownership register of G & O Group Limited (company number 06133302) upstream reveals the ultimate individual ownership structure:
1. Direct Corporate Shareholder of Root Entity: G & O Group Limited holds between 75% and 100% of the share capital and voting rights in C J O GROUP LTD, alongside the unilateral power to appoint and remove its board of directors.
2. Ultimate Beneficial Owners of the Parent Entity:
- Mr Christopher John O'Dell: Holds 25% to 50% of the shares, 25% to 50% of voting rights, and the right to appoint and remove directors in G & O Group Limited. He is also separately recorded on C J O GROUP LTD's register as exercising significant influence or control.
- Mrs Ferdous Sultana Gossain: Holds 25% to 50% of the shares, 25% to 50% of voting rights, and the right to appoint and remove directors in G & O Group Limited.
Both individuals qualify as beneficial owners under the statutory 25% threshold stipulated in the MLR 2017 and the Register of People with Significant Control Regulations 2016. Any regulated firm onboarding C J O GROUP LTD must verify the identity of both Mr O'Dell and Mrs Gossain to satisfy customer due diligence (CDD) obligations.
Step-by-step framework for corporate group due diligence
When assessing corporate groups with holding company structures like C J O GROUP LTD, professional advisers should follow this structured review framework:
1. Root Entity Verification: Review the target entity's incorporation date, status, filed accounts classification, and active officers on the Companies House Register.
2. Upstream Ownership Mapping: Follow every corporate PSC entry through the ownership chain until natural persons or qualifying exempt entities (such as listed companies on recognized exchanges) are identified.
3. Downstream Subsidiary Enumeration: Execute a reverse PSC search across the entire UK register to capture all operating and non-operating direct subsidiaries.
4. Tier-Two Cascading: Repeat the reverse search for each identified subsidiary to identify second-tier or third-tier operational vehicles.
5. Security and Encumbrance Audit: Run an independent company charge check against every entity within the identified tree. Registered debentures, fixed charges over real estate, or floating charges over group undertakings alter risk profiles for lenders and buyers.
6. Ongoing Regulatory Surveillance: Set up free company monitoring on the parent and key trading entities to receive real-time notifications of director changes, capital alterations, or statutory filings.
Practical due diligence scenario: Structuring security and contractual risk
Consider an institutional lender or real estate debt fund approached to provide refinancing secured against property assets held within the group. The borrowing request is submitted by C J O GROUP LTD as the top-level holding entity.
A credit team relying solely on standard documentation might draft loan agreements naming C J O GROUP LTD as the borrower, seeking a debenture over its balance sheet assets. However, an analysis of the corporate structure chart reveals that C J O GROUP LTD is a pure holding company incorporated in August 2024. The underlying real estate and operational value reside in asset-holding subsidiaries such as Fairfield Rents Limited, G & O Real Estate Limited, G & O Rents Limited, and Menetrier Investments Limited.
If the lender fails to identify the full downstream group:
- Structural Subordination: The lender's security over the holding company is structurally subordinated to direct creditors of the operating subsidiaries. In an enforcement scenario, operating creditors and charge-holders against Fairfield Rents Limited or G & O Real Estate Limited take priority over proceeds from those underlying property portfolios.
- Cross-Guarantee Omissions: Without a complete subsidiary schedule, loan documentation will fail to incorporate upstream guarantees and fixed charges from the entities that actually hold legal title to the property.
- Missed Second-Tier Entities: Fairfield Rents Limited controls two second-tier subsidiaries. If loan documentation does not mandate share pledges or negative pledges covering these sub-tier vehicles, assets can be transferred or encumbered beneath the lender's security perimeter.
By obtaining the full corporate org chart, banking solicitors can ensure that every asset-bearing subsidiary enters the facility agreement as an original guarantor, supported by qualifying cross-guarantees and fixed charges registered on form MR01 at Companies House.
Why corporate structure charts matter for transactional advisers
Mapping a holding company structure is not a theoretical exercise. It directly dictates legal liabilities, regulatory compliance, and commercial exposure:
- Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A): In a share sale of C J O GROUP LTD, buyer's counsel must verify title to shares across all 10 direct subsidiaries and the 2 second-tier entities. Missing a subsidiary can invalidate warranty schedules, misprice tax assets, or leave liabilities unaddressed in disclosure letters.
- Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and KYC Onboarding: Compliance departments cannot approve corporate accounts or execute legal engagements without documenting the complete chain of control between Mrs Ferdous Sultana Gossain, Mr Christopher John O'Dell, G & O Group Limited, and the target entity under regulation 28 of MLR 2017.
- Insolvency and Restructuring: When evaluating distressed exposures, insolvency practitioners must map intra-group receivables, corporate guarantees, and common directorships to assess potential ring-fencing or cross-liability exposure.
- Commercial Contracting: Counterparties negotiating high-value commercial leases or construction contracts must determine whether C J O GROUP LTD possesses tangible covenant strength or whether a parent company guarantee from G & O Group Limited is required.
How to get this complete structure as a chart
Corp Intel generates visual group mapping derived directly from the Register of Companies and the statutory PSC register. To obtain a fully mapped, dated PDF structure diagram illustrating all upstream controllers and downstream subsidiaries for this corporate tree, you can purchase the Corporate Org Chart for £25.
For corporate lawyers, lenders and risk professionals
Verifying corporate group structures is a standard pre-completion requirement across commercial acquisitions, banking facilities, and high-value supplier reviews. Overlooking an unlisted subsidiary or failing to trace an intermediate holding vehicle can compromise security structures, breach statutory KYC obligations, and expose advisers to substantial professional liability. Ordering a dated Corporate Org Chart delivers comprehensive upstream and downstream visibility within minutes, giving transaction teams clear, defensible evidence of legal ownership.
Frequently asked questions
What is C J O GROUP LTD's primary business activity?
According to its Companies House incorporation record, C J O GROUP LTD is registered under Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code 64209, designating the activities of financial services holding companies. It functions as an investment holding company holding direct shares in 10 operating and property entities.
How many subsidiaries does C J O GROUP LTD own?
Reverse PSC analysis indicates that C J O GROUP LTD holds 10 direct UK subsidiaries, each controlled at the 75% to 100% shareholding tier. In addition, one of its direct subsidiaries, Fairfield Rents Limited (02563991), controls 2 second-tier subsidiaries, resulting in an extended corporate group of at least 12 subsidiary entities.
Who is the ultimate beneficial owner of C J O GROUP LTD?
The ultimate beneficial ownership of C J O GROUP LTD is split between Mr Christopher John O'Dell and Mrs Ferdous Sultana Gossain. Both individuals hold between 25% and 50% of the shares, voting rights, and directorship appointment rights in the immediate corporate parent, G & O Group Limited (06133302). Mr Christopher John O'Dell also maintains a separate individual filing for significant influence or control over C J O GROUP LTD.
Can I find a company's subsidiaries directly on Companies House?
No. The public register provided by Companies House is structured strictly upwards. A company's filing record displays its directors and registered PSCs, but there is no native search query to display the companies that an entity owns downstream. Identifying subsidiaries requires a reverse PSC database search that identifies every entity that reports the parent as a corporate PSC.
Why are filed group accounts insufficient for subsidiary verification?
Statutory group accounts are historically backward-looking, frequently filed up to nine months after the financial year-end. Furthermore, small and medium-sized groups often qualify for consolidation exemptions under sections 398 and 400 of the Companies Act 2006, meaning subsidiary holdings may not be listed or updated. A reverse PSC search delivers real-time visibility based on current statutory filings.
What are the AML obligations when onboarding C J O GROUP LTD?
Under the Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds Regulations 2017, regulated entities cannot rely solely on the first tier of ownership. Compliance professionals must identify and verify all natural persons holding more than 25% ownership or control. For C J O GROUP LTD, this requires verifying the identity of both ultimate individual controllers, Mr Christopher John O'Dell and Mrs Ferdous Sultana Gossain.