Each property is allocated a lot number highlighting the particular property/land being offered for sale

The vendor is the person/s or company offering a particular property/land (the lot) for sale. The vendors are our clients and we will always act in their best interest.

The purchaser is the successful bidder at the auction of a particular property/land (the lot).

An interested party/potential purchaser is any person/s who has expressed an interest in any particular property or area of land being offered for sale. Even though we act on behalf of the vendor by advertising their properties/land for sale, we will always endeavour to assist all interested parties by responding to all requests and enquiries to the best of our ability.

A holding fee is money that is held on account for bidders on any particular lot. If a bidder is unsuccessful, this payment will be returned to them. Only the holding fee of the winning bidder is kept and will form part of the 10% deposit.

Any purchaser registering to bid on the online platform will be requested to provide proof of identification to satisfy the AML regulations. These will include your date of birth, addresses for the last 3 years and either a passport, driving licence or National Insurance Number.

All bidding will take place online through our website.

Properties do sometimes sell prior to the auction, subject to the agreement of the vendor and still under auction conditions. All interested parties will be advised of this through updates on our website and EIG.

The action of removing a property from sale.

There are some circumstances where amendments are made to property descriptions prior to the auction, e.g. updated tenancy details or corrections that we are made aware of after the original description has been prepared. Any amendments/changes will be noted on the addendum for any particular lot prior to the auction and will be updated to the legal pack.

We highly recommend that you speak to a solicitor to review the legal pack for any property/land that you are interested in bidding on prior to the auction.

It is important that prior to bidding on any particular lot, you have all necessary funding in place. If you are not a cash buyer and will require finance to purchase any lot, please ensure that this is in place as it may be too late to acquire a mortgage after the auction has finished due to the quick turnaround between exchange and completion (generally 28 days).

These are unique conditions of sale provided by the vendor’s solicitor prior to the auction relating to a specific lot. These will vary on each lot and will be available within the legal pack. We highly recommend that all interested parties/buyers read the legal pack and obtain legal advice to understand all special conditions.

The deposit is the amount of money required from the successful bidder (10%, subject to a minimum) less the holding fee already provided (minimum £2,000) within 24 hours of the auction closing. This deposit can be transferred via BACS, debit or credit card.

This refers to the exchange of contracts between the vendor and purchaser on the fall of the virtual gavel and the sale becomes legally binding.

The responsibility for insurance can vary from property to property, but we always advise buyers to arrange cover as soon after exchange as possible to give themselves peace of mind should anything happen between exchange and completion.

The completion generally takes place on the date stated in the Special Conditions of sale (or earlier by agreement) where the new owner officially takes ownership of the property/land. We will be advised by the solicitor acting for the vendor once all monies have been received and completion has happened and at that point, we will be able to release the keys (if applicable) to the new owner/s.

This is the term used to describe buyers who are funding the purchase from their own resources and not having to look to banks or other funding sources. It must be stressed they are not arriving at an auction with suitcases of cash – as under the Money Laundering Regulations, auctioneers cannot accept amounts of cash in excess of £9,000 and most will not accept any amount of cash as a deposit.

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Energy Performance Certificates (EPC's) provide information regarding the energy use and typical energy costs of a particular property and recommend how to potentially save money by reducing energy use. EPC's must be in place before a property is marketed for sale or rent and provides an energy efficiency rating from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient) and are valid for 10 years.

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The guide price is a marketing figure, which highlights how much a property/land (the lot) may be worth to potential buyers. It does not necessarily advise the figure that the auction house may expect to sell the lot for and should not be considered as an estimate of the sale price – the sale price will be dependent on the amount of bidding and interest in the particular lot. Please Note: The guide price may change at any time prior to the auction and interested parties are advised to check on the guide price up to the commencement of the auction. RICS range

The reserve price is the lowest price that a vendor will sell their lot for. The price is a confidential figure agreed between the vendor and the auction house and the vendor is obliged to sell the lot once a bid reaches or exceeds the reserve price. The reserve price may change during the course of the marketing up until the auction if agreed by the vendor. The auction house reserves the right to reduce the reserve price during the auction (with the vendor’s consent) to a figure that equals the existing highest bid. Assuming there were no further bids, the highest bidder at that time would be declared the purchaser once the auction stops on that particular lot.

The legal pack is prepared by the solicitor acting on behalf of the vendor/s. Every property being offered for sale will have a legal pack and the property will not be offered for sale without one in place. The legal pack will contain relevant information about the particular lot to allow interested purchasers to undertake their own due diligence. Generally, the minimum information included in the pack will be the contract with a special condition of sale attached, title documents (office copies), Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) and may also include property searches, planning documents (applications, consents), property information forms, fixtures and fittings lists and any other additional documentation relating to the lot. The legal pack for each lot will be available to be downloaded via a link to a specific lot on our website. We highly recommend interested parties to obtain a copy of the legal pack and to seek legal advice prior to bidding.

Not necessarily, it depends. Many properties offered at auction are mortgageable and could be moved into straightaway, but others may have issues or require works and not suitable for mortgage lending. We will always endeavour to describe properties accurately and advise interested parties to view properties and to inspect the legal packs in advance of the auction. All interested parties/buyers are advised to complete all necessary due diligence prior to bidding and if there are any concerns about the condition of the property, you should consider having a survey undertaken. We will endeavour to arrange access for this purpose, but will be at your own cost.

An overage clause (sometimes referred to as 'clawback') may be included in a property or land sale contract is the means through which a seller may be entitled to receive further funds after the sale has completed. It is used in situations where the property/land value can significantly increase value after a 'trigger event' such as the granting of planning permission for a new use or where additional dwellings are approved.

Reasons to choose auction include the speed and certainty that it offers; there is no faster way to sell and success rates through to completion are far higher than through estate agents. Other attractions are that it delivers a legally binding sale with contracts exchanged on the fall of the hammer, so neither party can pull out of the sale or try to renegotiate the price. The competitive bidding process aims to drive the price up so the property achieves its best possible price on the day too. No, you do not need to do this, this will usually work against you and could taint the property too. Properties that are entered into auction without any prior marketing by estate agents will normally achieve a better sale price; this is because they are fresh to the market, will not have been damaged by any potential over pricing, or sales that have failed to proceed. If your property suits sale by auction, then make auction your first choice.

An entry fee is a charge paid by the seller to the auctions team. This cost is to cover the cost of entering the property into the catalogue, the extensive marketing and promotion during the run up to the auction, right through to the auction day itself. It is usually paid when you instruct the team to sell your property, but on occasions and with prior agreement it may be settled from deposit monies on exchange of contracts.

Reasons to choose auction include the speed and certainty that it offers; there is no faster way to sell and success rates through to completion are far higher than through estate agents. Other attractions are that it delivers a legally binding sale with contracts exchanged on the fall of the hammer, so neither party can pull out of the sale or try to renegotiate the price. The competitive bidding process aims to drive the price up so the property achieves its best possible price on the day too.

You will certainly need a solicitor and need to appoint one as soon as you enter a property into auction. It is better to choose a solicitor who has auctions experience because special expertise is required. Your appointed solicitor will be responsible for creating the legal pack without delay and will handle the conveyancing of the sale after exchange through to completion.

Yes, it can and this is one of the best reasons to choose auction. Complete our free auction valuation form or speak to your local auctions team as soon as you can. We will usually be able to enter the property within a few days and with luck our next upcoming auction will be just around the corner. If your property is priced at a keen and attractive level, we can virtually guarantee you a quick sale.

No, it doesn’t! If your property is right for auction, you should expect to sell it at the same or higher price than you would achieve through an estate agent. Not all properties suit auction however, and this is why some people think that they may get less money for their property. Always take the auction teams advice as to what would be your best method of sale for your property.

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Many vendors will consider pre-auction offers and if you are really interested in purchasing prior to auction, please contact us and we will discuss your offer with the vendor. Please note: A pre-auction offer should be your very best offer and should be made after inspecting the legal pack. If agreed, the purchase will take place under auction conditions. Not all vendors will consider pre-auction offers as they require them to be sold publicly and open and transparent e.g. public bodies and Local Authorities.

The legal packs will be available to all prospective buyers via the website. To access them, simply click the link on the property details page which will take you to the Auction Passport system. When you first use the system, you will need to register by providing your name and email address. Once you have done this, you should receive notification of updates to the legal pack as and when additional documents are added.

Most auction teams set up a schedule of open house viewings for their auction lots. You should be able to find out the official open house dates from the property details, if they are not showing then please contact the auctions team to find out whether the property can be viewed. Some properties that do not require key access, such as land and development sites, can normally be viewed during daylight hours at your own risk. On occasions, some properties are offered for sale without internal viewing being available. Speak with the auctions team regarding these and they will do their best to assist. An Open House Viewing is an opportunity for anyone interested in the property to attend, look around and fully inspect it before the auction. The property will be opened by a member of the auctions team, who will then be on hand to answer any questions you may have. We usually run open house sessions for 3 weeks or more prior to the auction as this gives the optimum opportunity for people to attend. It is important to note the timing of the open house viewing and arrive at the advertised start time. This will allow you adequate time to view the property, as the team member will need to leave promptly at the end time to arrive at their next appointment. Viewings are conducted entirely at your own risk, and the auctions team cannot be held liable for loss or injury caused while viewing or accessing any property. Due to the nature of some properties, electricity may not be turned on therefore viewing times are restricted. Viewers will also have to bring their own lighting/ladders if wanting to inspect cupboards, cellars, and roof spaces. Potential purchasers will be able to book viewings through our website or contact us by telephone. We will request a full name, address, telephone number and email address. We will contact all interested parties advising about legal packs availability and to advise of any changes to a particular lot or changes to viewings. Please note: All viewings will be accompanied by ourselves but some properties may not be able to be viewed – some tenanted properties or some properties deemed unsafe for viewing. We will advise on our website.

Due diligence means that you have done your homework on a property that you are interested in bidding on. You need to do this before placing a bid as there will be no turning back if it is successful. This includes checks on the property itself, its condition, remedial works required, location, design, and suitability. Also, due diligence refers to vetting of the legal pack including title documents, searches, special conditions of sale and other related papers. Many buyers will engage the services of a solicitor to check the legal pack and advise on their findings; also, a buyer may seek advice from surveyors, engineers, architects etc. regarding the property or land as well.

Some properties will be offered with a requirement for the purchaser to also pay a Buyer’s Premium to the auction room at the time of exchange. This is not on all properties, but details for this will be shown in the property details where applicable.

Disbursements is the collective name given to additional charges incurred by the purchaser as part of the sales contract. These could include cost of searches, legal fees, additional documentation and supplements. They will become payable on completion. Please refer to the Special Conditions of Sale or your solicitor for more details.

A survey isn’t compulsory, but if you are unsure about the structure or condition of the property then you might wish to instruct a surveyor, an engineer, or your builder for advice. Remember that contracts are exchanged on the fall of the gavel, so if you are wishing to bid then you need to complete due diligence prior to the auction. Consult with the auctions team if you have concerns, they may be able to assist and suggest a specialist that can help. A survey will be necessary if you require a mortgage to purchase a property. The mortgage provider/company will request access from ourselves and we will do our very best to accommodate these requests.

Yes, you can buy an unsold property after auction but you might need to act quickly. Interested buyers in the auction will be invited to make post auction offers after the sale has finished. If this comes in at or above reserve, then the auctioneer will be able to authorise exchange of contracts under auction rules. After auction day, unsold lots will be pitched to the auctions team database of buyers as well as those who have previously expressed an interest in the property or downloaded the legal pack. If a property that you are interested in fails to sell at auction, we do recommend that put in an early offer to the auction team with the aim of agreeing a purchase under auction conditions. Any lot that doesn’t achieve the reserve price will be marked as unsold. An unsold property will be available to be purchased after the auction, but still under auction conditions.