Straight answers for security business owners.

A typical sale runs from three to nine months. The first month covers the initial conversation, information gathering, and valuation. Buyer approaches and interest tend to happen in months two and three. Meetings, offers, and heads of terms usually sit in months three to five. Due diligence and legal completion take another two to four months. Businesses with clean management accounts, current accreditation, and a well-documented monitoring contract book tend to move faster. The pace is set by you.

It depends on the revenue mix. Manned guarding operations typically sell for around 3x to 8x adjusted EBITDA, with most well-run firms in the 3.5x to 6.5x range, because margins are thin and earnings are labour-dependent. Integrated electronic security businesses command more, commonly 6x to 10x EBITDA, while monitoring and Alarm Receiving Centre books are often valued at 30x to 45x monthly recurring revenue. Strong recurring monitoring revenue, NSI Gold or SSAIB accreditation, BS 7858 vetting, and low owner dependency push you towards the upper end. We provide a free, confidential valuation that reflects your specific business rather than a generic formula. Multiple ranges are practitioner guidance from DealFlowAgent, 2026, not guaranteed values.

We maintain an active register of qualified buyers including PE-backed security platforms, national security groups, regional trade buyers looking to grow geographically, and individual acquirers entering the sector. Our buyer network is actively asking for security opportunities, so demand is genuine. When your business goes to market we approach only buyers whose stated criteria fit your profile, typically eight to ten pre-vetted parties, and you control which of them see information and in what order. That creates competition without broadcasting the sale.

Yes. Confidentiality is the foundation of the process, not a feature on top. We use anonymised teasers when approaching buyers, stage information disclosure, and put NDAs in place before any identifying details are shared. Your operatives, control room staff, customers, suppliers, and competitors will not be told you are exploring a sale unless you choose to tell them.

Our initial conversation is free and confidential. We work on a competitive fee structure that is always agreed in writing before any commitment. In most transactions the buyer contributes to or covers the fee, not the seller, so you can explore a sale at little or no cost to yourself.

Not until you choose to. During the process we use anonymised profiles so buyers cannot identify your business. Once a preferred buyer is under NDA and a deal is taking shape, you decide when and how to tell your team. In our experience, announcing a sale once a buyer is confirmed and a handover plan is in place is far less disruptive than speculating in advance. Clean, TUPE-transferable contracts make that transition smoother.

Buyers price accreditation heavily because it underpins tender eligibility, insurance, and self-certification. SIA Approved Contractor Scheme status is a baseline for serious manned guarding work. NSI Gold, and SSAIB certification, signal robust systems and inspection and matter most for CCTV, intruder alarm, access control and monitoring. BS 7858 staff vetting is a standard expectation for corporate and public sector buyers, and operating to the EN 50131, 50132, 50136 and 50518 standards marks a compliant, monitored operation. Unaccredited businesses typically attract a discount to cover re-certification.

Yes, but expect the valuation to reflect the risk. If the business cannot function without you answering the alarm line, managing rotas, or holding the key client relationships, acquirers will discount their offer to cover the cost of replacing you. A business where the work carries on without the owner commands a higher multiple. If you are still central to operations, there are practical steps you can take over six to twelve months to reduce that dependency before you go to market.

Active and consolidating. The UK private security guarding market is worth around £9bn a year across roughly 6,460 businesses, with a further £2.1bn or so in electronic security systems. In 2025, 70% of UK fire and security deals were private-equity backed, up from 57% the year before. Buyers are paying a premium for recurring monitoring revenue and accreditation, and structural demand drivers, Martyn's Law, the PSTN switch-off on 31 January 2027, and the BADR rate rising to 18% from 6 April 2026, are all sharpening timing for well-prepared sellers.

You will hear back within one working day with a short, confidential conversation arranged at a time that suits you. The first call typically lasts around thirty minutes and is simply about understanding your business and what you are considering. There is no pressure, no obligation, and nothing you say commits you to a sale. If it makes sense to go further, we will explain the next steps clearly before anything else happens.