Applicable to buyers/bidders and sellers
1.1 These Terms and Conditions (hereinafter referred to as "Terms") govern the sale of items at Hutchinson Scott Auctioneers (hereinafter referred to as "Auction House"), whether by auction, private sale, or other means. By participating in any sale, you agree to be bound by these Terms.
1.2 These Terms apply to all buyers, sellers, and third parties involved in any transaction conducted by the Auction House.
1.3 The Auction House sells as agents for the seller and, as such, is not responsible for any default by seller or buyer.
1.4 Any representation or statement by the Auction House in any catalogue as to ownership, attribution, genuineness, origin, date, age, provenance, condition or estimated selling price is a statement of opinion only, and the Auction House, their servants or agents hereby disclaim responsibility for the correctness of such opinions.
1.5 Hutchinson Scott Ltd, at its absolute discretion, has the right to refuse admission to its premises or attendance at its auctions by any person.
2.1 "Buyer" refers to the person, firm, or company placing the highest bid accepted by the Auction House at the auction or purchasing any item through a private sale, plus all applied commission charges.
2.2 "Seller" refers to the person, firm, or company offering items for sale through the Auction House, who, up until the item is sold to the Buyer or returned to the Seller, confirms their ownership of all goods consigned.
2.3 "Lot" refers to any item or group of items offered for sale.
2.4 "Hammer Price" refers to the highest bid accepted by the Auction House.
2.5 "Reserve Price" refers to the minimum price a Seller is willing to accept for a Lot.
2.6 "Sale Proceeds" refers to the net amount due to the seller being the hammer price of the lot sold, less commission at the agreed rate and any other amounts due to the Auction House from the seller.
3.1 The Auction House has the sole discretion to accept or reject any bid.
3.2 The Auction House reserves the right to withdraw, consolidate, or divide any Lot at any time before the sale.
3.3 The Auction House may cancel the sale or reoffer a Lot in the event of a dispute.
4.1 All bidders must register prior to the auction and provide valid identification and payment details.
4.2 The Auction House may refuse to accept any bid from any person at their sole discretion.
4.3 The highest bidder acknowledged by the Auction House at the fall of the hammer shall be the Buyer.
4.4 Bids may be placed in person, by telephone, in writing, or through online bidding platforms approved by the Auction House.
4.5 Bidders new to the salerooms will be required to complete a paddle registration form available at the Reception of the Auction House and will be required to present proof of identity, proof of address and details of a valid debit or credit card in their name, which details may be retained on file by the Auction House and used to secure payment for purchased lots. The Auction House will not accept bids from a bidder in the room who has not registered for a paddle number.
4.6 By participating in an auction, the bidder agrees to be bound by Hutchinson Scott Ltd.’s Terms and Conditions. Any buyer acting for any person who is not bidding shall be jointly and severally liable with that person for satisfaction of all arising obligations and liabilities, with the exception of the Auction House where they are acting on behalf of a commission or other bidders.
4.7 The bidding increments will be at the sole discretion of the Auction House but will mainly follow the table below:
| From | To | Increment |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 100 | 5 |
| 100 | 200 | 10 |
| 200 | 500 | 20 |
| 500 | 1,000 | London (20,50,80) |
| 1,000 | 1,500 | 50 |
| 1,500 | 3,000 | 100 |
| 3,000 | 10,000 | 200 |
| 10,000 | 20,000 | 500 |
| 20,000 | 30,000 | 1,000 |
| 30,000 | 50,000 | 2,000 |
| 50,000 | + | London (200,500,800) |
| Bidding Platform | Surcharge (plus VAT) |
|---|---|
| Hutchinson Scott Live (hutchinsonscott.co.uk) | 3% |
| the-saleroom.com | 5% |
| invaluable.com | 5% |
| Liveauctioneers.com | 5% |
| Drouot.com | 3% |
| Easyliveauction.com | 3% or £3 flat fee |
| Bidspirit.co.uk | 1% |
5.1 The majority of Lots are offered subject to a Reserve Price, which is confidential between the Auction House and the Seller.
5.2 The Auction House reserves the right to bid on behalf of the Seller up to the Reserve Price.
6.1 The Buyer must pay the full Hammer Price plus any applicable Buyer’s Premium and VAT within 7 days after the auction.
6.2 If payment is not received within the specified time, the Auction House reserves the right to cancel the sale and re-offer the Lot(s).
6.3 Title to the Lot will not pass to the Buyer until full payment has been received and cleared by the Auction House.
6.4 The only payment methods accepted are cash, card and bank transfer, all in Great British Pounds Sterling (GBP). Buyers are responsible for covering all costs associated with the chosen method of payment (bank charges).
7.1 The Buyer is responsible for the collection of purchased Lots within 14 days after the auction.
7.2 The Auction House can arrange for delivery or shipping of Lots at the Buyer’s expense, subject to prior arrangement.
7.3 If Lots are not collected within the specified time, the Auction House reserves the right to charge storage fees.
7.4 Lots may be cleared whilst the auction is in progress. However, this is subject to the Auction House receiving payment in full and the availability of porters/collection staff.
7.5 Free storage of all purchased lots will be provided for five working days following the sale; thereafter, a storage and handling charge of £2.00 plus VAT per lot per day will be levied upon the buyer, as will all carriage charges incurred by the Auction House in having goods removed to storage.
7.6 Buyers may accept assistance from the Auction House's staff members during collection, but any loss or damage occurring to lots will be at the buyers’ risk.
7.7 No lots will be released to a third-party carrier without all cleared funds being received by the Auction House.
Current buyer's premium is 25% plus VAT (30% inclusive of VAT at 20%)
8.1 The Buyer agrees to pay a Buyer’s Premium on the Hammer Price of each Lot purchased, as stipulated by the Auction House at the time of sale.
8.2 VAT will be charged on the Buyer’s Premium as required by law.
8.3 On the hammer price of each lot purchased, there will be a Buyer's Premium at the rate of 25% + VAT (30% inclusive of VAT at 20%). However, some items, like books and unframed maps, are zero-rated for VAT; as a result, buyers of lots that only include books or unframed maps will not be required to pay VAT on the Buyer's Premium. All goods are sold under the Auctioneer's Margin Scheme unless otherwise specified. The VAT-inclusive premium value includes VAT, which is not displayed separately and is not eligible for input tax reimbursement. Motor Vehicles are subject to a reduced Buyer's Premium of 12.5% + VAT (15%) where applicable.
9.1 All Lots are sold "as is" with all faults and imperfections. The Auction House makes no warranty or representation as to the condition, quality, or authenticity of any Lot.
9.2 Buyers are strongly encouraged to inspect Lots prior to bidding.
9.3 Catalogue descriptions, online listings, and condition reports are provided as a guide only and do not constitute a representation or warranty.
9.4 Illustrations in the catalogue and any other illustrations provided are for identification only; colours and appearance may differ from the actual item(s) due to the limitations of printing or photography processes.
9.5 Neither the Auction House nor the seller, nor their servants and agents, are responsible for errors of description or the authenticity of any lot.
9.6 Certain property sold at auction may be subject to laws governing export from the country where it was purchased and import into another country. It is the buyer’s responsibility to be aware of these restrictions and obtain any relevant licenses.
9.7 While some lot descriptions include indicators of condition, the absence of such information does not suggest that a lot is free of flaws, restored, or altered. Prospective bidders must satisfy themselves with the condition of a lot before bidding. Our staff members can provide condition reports to those who are unable to visit our saleroom. Any condition report that is given is strictly the opinion of the Auction House and is not to be interpreted as a statement or fact of the lot's complete condition.
9.8 Prior to the sale, it is crucial for potential bidders to review the most recent edition of the catalogue in order to be informed of any changes that might impact the lots they plan to bid on.
9.9 All measurements and weights provided in lot descriptions should be considered approximate.
10.1 The Seller warrants to the Auction House and the Buyer that the Seller is the lawful owner of the Lot or has the authority to sell the Lot.
10.2 The Seller agrees to indemnify the Auction House, its employees, and the Buyer against any loss or damage resulting from a breach of this warranty.
11.1 The Auction House shall not be liable for any loss or damage to Lots while in its custody unless such loss or damage is due to the Auction House's negligence.
11.2 The Auction House shall not be liable for any indirect or consequential loss arising from the sale or purchase of any Lot.
11.3 The Auction House’s liability for any claim in relation to the sale of any Lot shall be limited to the Hammer Price of the Lot.
11.4 Where a member of the public causes damage to a lot (or part thereof) the Auction House reserve the right to:
11.5 Electrical Goods. Goods offered for sale which were once operated by electricity may not comply with statutory requirements and are offered for sale for display and historical research purposes only; these goods are not suitable for connection to the mains electricity supply. It is imperative that anyone wishing to use these goods for their original purpose have them checked by a qualified electrician prior to such use.
12.1 The Seller may withdraw a Lot from sale with the Auction House’s consent, subject to payment of any applicable fees.
12.2 The Auction House reserves the right to withdraw any Lot from sale without prior notice.
13.1 These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales.
13.2 Any disputes arising from these Terms or any sale conducted by the Auction House shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.
14.1 The Auction House will process personal data in accordance with its Privacy Policy and applicable data protection laws.
14.2 By participating in any sale, you consent to the processing of your personal data for the purposes of conducting the sale and any related activities.
15.1 The Auction House reserves the right to amend these Terms at any time. Any such amendments will be posted on the Auction House’s website and will take effect immediately.
15.2 It is the responsibility of the Buyer and Seller to review the Terms before participating in any sale.
16.1 If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.
17.1 These Terms constitute the entire agreement between the Auction House, the Buyer, and the Seller concerning the sale of Lots and supersede all prior agreements, understandings, and representations.
Hutchinson Scott Ltd reserve the right to amend any or all of their Terms and Conditions at any time.
These Terms are intended to provide clarity and fairness to all parties involved in the buying and selling process at the Auction House. If you have any questions or require further information, please contact Hutchinson Scott Auctioneers directly.