Sales by auction

[Peter Brydon]

This is not about any specific firms of auctioneers but about sales by auction generally.

As it has become the usual practice for auctioneers selling chattels to charge commission to both vendor and purchaser, the question of who is the client of the auctioneer arises and who should the auctioneer be acting in the best interests of ?

It makes me think of Matthew 6:24 , but my experience of local auction houses leads me to think that in fact a lot of local auction houses are actually acting in their own best interests and nobody else's.

Perhaps I am rather influenced by a recent experience when I was getting rid of some ( non military ) bits,of three lots, one lot sold for £12, the other two lots sold in the "timed " auction held immediately after the public auction sold in that but my part of the £12 is shown in an exchange of E mails from Auction House:

In the sale in question you had three lots, the one which sold and the two fishing tackle ones which did not


Hammer Price 12.00

Commission 2.16

Lotting Fees 10.80

Remaining Balance -0.96

After exchanging many E mails with the company as to how this could arise as I had paid two lotting fees for the other lots which did sell, I felt I was banging my head against a brick wall and put it all down to experience.

P.B.

[Phil2M]

So, IF I understand that correctly, you ended up owing them 96p?

[JerryBB]

Makes ebay sound great

[Peter Brydon]

Phil,

In a word "yes "

Peter

[Phil2M]

Shocking!

[Sonofacqms]

If only trading standards had a good look at some of these practices . . !

Rob

[bewley]

If you were made aware of all charges involved when placing your items for sale,
that is business, so get over it.
However, if you were not made aware, then that certainly is an issue which needs addressing.

[Peter Brydon]

Lotting fees were charged both for the initial auction and again when the unsold items were immediately put into the timed auction despite the the fact that the same description was used each time. As far as the amount of the lotting fees are concerned, as the Auction House pointed out to me in an E mail:


Good Morning Sir


I am sorry that the website has not been updated. I have now amended this. Since our sale on 16th November our commission has been as such;


15% plus VAT commission
Lotting fee


General £1.50 plus VAT


Antiques £3.00 plus VAT




So as I said in my first post I have put it down to experience so there is no need for me to " Man up", " Grow a set " or even " Get over it ".

The thread was to show the sort of thing that occurs in local Auction Houses.

P.B.