Buying at auction

There are many ways of buying at auction – in fact it has never been easier. 

Viewing Day

Viewing days are held the day prior to the auction, where prospective buyers are welcome to inspect the pieces in person. An online illustrated catalogue is available on the website with full descriptions and guide prices, or via www.the-saleroom.com.

Registration

Anti-Money Laundering (AML) – Information for Bidders and Buyers

To comply with government legislation introduced in January 2020, auction houses are legally required to implement Anti-Money Laundering (AML) measures. At Adam Partridge Auctioneers, we carry out thorough Client Due Diligence (CDD) and Know Your Client (KYC) checks on buyers and sellers whose transactions exceed €10,000. This ensures compliance with the law and includes verifying the identity of all clients, both new and existing.

Identification Requirements

By law, we must verify the identity of all individuals buying or selling with us. This includes confirming the full name, date of birth, and permanent address of each individual.

For businesses purchasing or selling through us, we will also require company details, including proof of incorporation, information on directors, and the identities of any ultimate beneficial owners.

We will request two forms of identification from clients:

• One document from List A to confirm photographic identity.
• One document from List B to confirm proof of address.

List A – Photographic Evidence of Identity

• Current signed passport
• Full UK/EU photo card driving licence
• Valid ID card (e.g., HM Forces, police warrant, or government-issued card)
• Firearm or shotgun certificate
• Resident permit issued by the Home Office to EU nationals

List B – Evidence of Address

• Full UK/EU photo card driving licence (if not used in List A)
• Utility bill issued within the last three months (excluding mobile phone bills)
• Recent bank, building society, mortgage, or credit card statement
• Current house or motor insurance certificate
• Revenue & Customs tax notification
• Recent council tax bill

For Company Transactions:
We will require documentation verifying the business’s incorporation and details of directors and beneficial owners.

Data Protection

All personal information provided will be processed and stored in compliance with Data Protection Regulations. Your data will remain confidential, and you can find further details on how we handle your information in our Privacy Notice.

Ways of buying

Attend the Sale:

The traditional way of buying at auction is to attend the sale in person, and by doing so you will be able to enjoy the atmosphere and theatre of the live auction and give yourself the best chance of securing the items you are interested in. 

Leave a Commission/Absentee bid:

If you cannot attend the sale but would like to bid on a single or multiple items, we can bid on your behalf. This is known as a commission bid. You can register on our website and leave commission bids, fill in a commission bid form at the auction room with details of the lot number(s) you would like to bid on and your maximum bid. You can also email this information to us. Please contact the relevant branch to confirm the email address. The auctioneer will bid on your behalf, starting at the bottom end of the estimate until your bid is surpassed or you are successful.

Leave a bid online:

You can leave a bid through the online catalogue available on our website (no additional charges) or on www.the-saleroom.com (additional surcharge of 4.95% plus VAT of the hammer price).

We always execute the bids as cheaply as possible, depending on reserves and competitive bids.

Please note: No liability rests with Adam Partridge & Valuers and instructions to buy will not be accepted. 

Live Internet Bidding:

You can bid live from anywhere in the world via www.adampartridge.co.uk which has an additional charge of 2% plus VAT on top of the hammer price.

Register on our website and the live link will become available on the day.

You can also bid live via www.the-saleroom.com which has an additional charge of 4.95% plus VAT on top of the hammer price.

Simply register on the website and find Adam Partridge Auctioneers & Valuers and follow the necessary instructions. Please note: www.the-saleroom.com charge an additional fee for use of their online bidding platform. They are a third party and any issues regarding live online bidding should be discussed with them directly.

Telephone Bidding:

If you have an interest in an item(s) and are prepared to exceed the higher estimate, you can request to bid by telephone, providing that the lower estimate of the lot is greater than £300. Once you have registered your interest with us and have provided your contact details, a member of staff will call you a few minutes before your lot is offered, and will bid per your instructions, as if you were in the room yourself. It is recommended that you leave an alternative telephone number in case we are unable to get through to your primary number. You may also wish to leave a back-up bid. 

Buyer's Premium

A buyer’s premium of 20% plus VAT (Macclesfield and Liverpool) and 25% plus VAT (London and Devon) is charged on all lots purchased, meaning that the additional percentage will be added to the hammer price. Adam Partridge Auctioneers & Valuers continues to offer one of the lowest commission rates in the country.

Please note: www.the-saleroom.com charges an additional fee for use of their online bidding platform. It is imperative that prospective buyers are aware of all terms & conditions before bidding.

Adam Partridge Ltd also allows commission and live bidding through the website. There is an additional charge of 2% plus VAT for live bidding and 0% on all commission bids.

After The Sale

Payments

Once the auction has ended, we will email the invoices to all the successful buyers. When you receive the invoice, you can make payment using the payment link provided. Just click on the link, and you will be taken to the relevant payment page, where you can settle the invoice using your card. You can also pay by transfer, using the details shown on the invoice. We have different account details for each branch. As a last resort, you can call the office to make payment over the phone but please be aware that we have a small office, and it may take some time to get through.

We accept the following methods of payment:

• Bank Transfer (all bank charges are to be covered by the buyer)
• Payments via our website
• Debit Cards
• Credit Cards (AMEX not accepted and we can only accept payments on credit cards for payments less than £200)

Under no circumstances will credit be allowed.

All items purchased at auction must be paid for and collected by 5.30pm on the Friday of the week following the auction.

Collections

Once you have paid your invoice, you can book a contactless collection online or contact the branch by phone. All information will be listed in your payment confirmation email.

Items that remain uncollected will be moved to our storage facility and storage charges will be levied at the rate of £5 + VAT per lot per day plus interest of 4% of the hammer price per month backdated to the date of the auction.

Postage

Once you have paid your invoice, you will receive a payment confirmation email that will include a link for requesting a postage quote. Simply fill in the information required and we will get back to you as quickly as we can.  Please bear in mind that the porters will be busy with collections during the first week following the auction so it may be a few days before we can get the quote to you.

For our postage terms and prices, please visit https://www.adampartridge.co.uk/services/postage-shipping/

Please note that postage is not available from our Devon saleroom. 

Please note: if you have bid via www.the-saleroom.com or www.adampartridge.co.uk, owing to increased security measures, we will only dispatch parcels to the registered cardholders address. Any requests for parcels to be sent to an alternative address are at the discretion of Adam Partridge Auctioneers & Valuers.

Items are sent a minimum of a week following the sale and cannot be guaranteed for a specific date.

If we cannot post your lot owing to excessive size or weight, you are welcome to arrange collection by another carrier.