FAQs
Many of our vendors have similar questions when they have consigned their belongings to auction. Below is a list of questions and answers that are most frequent.
I brought in some lots for a valuation. What happens next?
You will have been given a receipt when you consigned your items with us. The number in the top right corner is the individual reference number for that consignment you can use if you need to contact us about anything. This receipt shows your contact details and lists all the items that are being entered into the sale. If there are changes to be made, contact us as soon as possible. Your receipt also shows your commission rate, but please remember there is a minimum commission charge of £5/£8 plus VAT per lot. Terms and conditions of the sale are listed on the back of your receipt. You can also view them HERE. Carriage charges should also have been discussed with you at this point. If we are collecting items from your home or another location, an additional fee may apply. If you are unsure of the charge, please call or email and we can check that for you.
Your items will now be moved into our cataloguing area, where they will be divided into lots. They will then be catalogued and photographed by our highly experienced cataloguing team.
I consigned my items a few weeks ago. When will I hear from you?
The auctions run approximately every four to six weeks, depending on the branch, so it may be a few weeks before you hear from us if you consigned items that are not being entered into a sale in the near future.
Each vendor will receive a letter up to fourteen days prior to the sale. If you have provided us with an email address, you will receive the letter electronically, otherwise we will post a copy to you. The auction dates are listed on our online calendar but you can also request a paper copy from the office. The pre-sale advice letter will show your contact details, the lots listed in numerical order by lot number, the estimates and the sale dates. If we have agreed reserves with you, they will also be listed. Please be aware that these are discretionary reserves which allow the auctioneer to use their discretion when selling the lots. If we have agreed to a fixed reserve with you, these will be shown on the letter with the word FIXED next to the amount. If there are any lots missing, it means they are being held back for a target auction where we are advertising for a specific group of buyers with the intention of reaching a better price for our vendors.
Where can I view the catalogue?
Once you have received your pre-sale advice letter, you will also be able to view the lots online. We advertise across a number of websites and social media outlets to reach a worldwide audience, allowing us to access buyers who would otherwise not be able to make it to the sale.
www.adampartridge.co.uk www.the-saleroom.com
Printed catalogues are no longer produced, but we can offer a basic printout for each sale day if requested.
I can’t come to the auction. Can I watch it online?.
Not everyone can make it to the auction room on sale day, but you can watch the auction live online on our website www.adampartridge.co.uk or www.the-saleroom.com
The auction has finished. How can I find out the prices of my lots?
Once the auction has finished, we will email the post-sale advice letter to you. This will include the lot number, description and hammer price. If you are unable to provide an email address, we will post a copy of the letter to you, and you are welcome to call following the sale, or you can check the hammer prices on our website. If there are any unsold lots, we can either reoffer the item or you can collect it, but we will contact you by telephone the week following the sale to discuss it with you.
When will I be sent the payment?
The statement and bank transfer will be processed 28 days following the auction, provided we have been paid by the buyer. If you have opted for a cheque payment, please be aware that there is an administration free of £10.00 plus VAT if we need to cancel and reissue the cheque, which will be deducted from the proceeds of the sale. On the rare occasion that we have not yet received the funds at the point of sending the transfer, we will send payment for your lots with the outstanding payment to follow as soon as we have been paid by the buyer. We will still be chasing the buyer and as soon as the payment has been received, we will then forward you the remaining payment along with a new statement.
What happens if a buyer doesn’t pay?
In the extremely rare case where we have taken legal action against a buyer and still not received funds, we will enter the lot into another sale at no extra cost unless you instruct us otherwise. The buyer will be banned from bidding on any future sales with us.
If you do have any further questions for us, please do not hesitate to contact us by telephone or email.
