Auction Rooms – Terms and Conditions
The buyer
The highest bidder acknowledged as such by the auctioneer will be the buyer. If any dispute arises, the auctioneer shall have absolute discretion to settle the matter. The auctioneer shall rule the bidding and no bid shall be retracted. The auctioneer reserves the right to refuse any bid, and to bid on behalf of the vendors for any lot and to withdraw, consolidate or divide any lot or lots. Purchases made on behalf of a third party are entirely the responsibility of the bidder.
All items successfully purchased in the sale will be invoiced within 24 hours and payment must be settled within 3 working days, and items collected or collection arranged; thereafter items will be stored and charged at a daily rate of £5 a day.
Registration
To assist the progress of the sale, all prospective buyers must register their name and address, provide proof of identity at reception and collect a bidding number before the sale commences. Should there be any doubt as to price or buyer, please draw the auctioneer’s attention to it immediately.
Buyer’s premium
A buyer’s premium of 20% at the standard rate of the hammer price is payable on each lot.
Vendor’s commission
Our standard vendor’s commission of 10% will be charged. Under certain conditions our commission rate can be negotiated prior to the sale only. In addition, each lot will be subject to a lotting fee of £3 plus VAT. Should any item fail to sell at the reserve price on the day of the auction it will be subject to a commission of 3% of the reserve price, subject to a minimum fee of £5.
Payments
Purchasers — our methods of payment are bank transfer, cash, debit card (in person only) or cheque supported by a banker’s reference. Credit card payments are not accepted. No goods will be released to buyers unknown to the auctioneers without adequate reference or before their cheques have cleared. Anyone who is unable to pay for their goods on the day of the sale must inform the Saleroom Manager as to when payment will be made.
Vendors — vendors will normally receive the proceeds of sale 14 working days after the sale. Where individual consigned lots have sold for £500 or above, Braintree and Bocking Auctions reserve the right to hold payment until we have been paid by the purchaser.
Attribution and condition of lots
Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of any statement as to authorship, attribution, origin, date, age, provenance and condition of any lot. Any such statement, whether made orally or in the catalogue, is an expression of opinion. Each buyer, by making a bid, acknowledges that they have satisfied themselves fully as to the attribution and condition of the lot. Written condition reports are available for all lots on request up to 24 hours prior to the sale; verbal condition reports will not be given.
Ownership and transfer of risk
Ownership of the lot(s) purchased will not pass to the buyer until the buyer has paid the auctioneers in full. Each lot shall be at the purchaser’s sole risk from the fall of the hammer and is sold with all faults and imperfections; a view day is available for each sale for prospective purchasers.
Commission and telephone bids
If instructed, the auctioneers will execute bids free of charge. Lots will always be purchased as cheaply as is allowed by other bids and reserves. In the event of identical bids the earliest will take precedence. A maximum limit must always be given; “buy” or unlimited bids will not be accepted. Requests for telephone bidding must be registered with the Saleroom Manager within one hour of the close of the view day.
Compliance
Any lot not paid for within one month of the purchase date shall be resold by public auction or private contract, and any deficiency arising, together with all expenses, shall be made good by the defaulter.
Reserves and estimates
Pre-sale estimates are the auctioneers’ opinion of what a lot is likely to realise; any lot may sell for less than the lower or more than the higher estimate. The auctioneers and vendors reserve the right to remove, place or alter a reserve on any lot at any time up until it is offered for sale.
Money laundering regulations
In order to comply with current anti-money laundering legislation we are unable to accept cash payments over £8,000. Any purchaser wishing to pay cash for any purchase over £1,000 may be asked for identification, e.g. passport or photo driving licence.
Rescission
If within seven days of receipt of an item the buyer notifies Braintree and Bocking Auctions in writing that in their view the lot is a deliberate forgery, and returns it in the same condition with written evidence (the burden of proof being on the buyer) which satisfies us of this in light of the catalogue entry, the sale will be rescinded and the purchase price refunded.
Reproductions
Owing to the large number of WW1, WW2 and other uniforms and accoutrements made for film, television and theatre, it is increasingly difficult to ascertain the authenticity of certain pieces. We catalogue all items as seen and offer no guarantee as to their authenticity — this applies to all categories in our sales. Items described as “pattern” or “in the style of” carry no guarantee of age or authenticity; all items are sold as seen and all sales are final.
Third-party liability
Every person on the auctioneers’ premises before, during or after a sale shall be deemed to be there at their own risk.
Questions about a lot, a commission bid or an entry? Email info@braintreeandbockingauctions.com or call 01376 618189.