Help & Frequently Asked Questions

An internationally recognized industrial auction company that specializes in facilitating the sale of a wide range of manufacturing machinery and equipment. Our primary focus is to connect buyers and sellers in the industrial sector, helping both individuals and businesses efficiently acquire or dispose of the machinery they need.

When you participate in one of our auctions, there are two primary fees to be aware of: the Buyer's Premium and VAT.

1. Buyer's Premium: We charge a 15% Buyer's Premium on the hammer price (the winning bid amount).
2. VAT (Value Added Tax): Additionally, a 20% VAT is applied to the total price, which includes both the hammer price and the Buyer's Premium.

Example Calculation:

If you bid £1,000 at auction, here's a breakdown of the costs you would incur:

1. Hammer Price: £1,000
2. Buyer's Premium (15%): £1,000 x 0.15 = £150
3. Subtotal (Hammer Price + Buyer's Premium): £1,000 + £150 = £1,150
4. VAT (20% on Subtotal): £1,150 x 0.20 = £230

Total Cost: £1,000 (Hammer Price) + £150 (Buyer's Premium) + £230 (VAT) = £1,380

Therefore, if you place a winning bid of £1,000, your total payment will be £1,380.

We hope this clarifies the fee structure. Should you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact our support team.

We auction a wide range of industrial equipment, including but not limited to:

• Lathes
• Milling machines
• Welding equipment
• Injection molding machines
• Metalworking tools
• Woodworking machinery
• Material handling equipment
• Industrial Assets

And much more! Check our current listings for further insight or get in touch and we will be happy to help.

Getting started with Charter Auctions is a straightforward process. Here are the steps to register and participate in our industrial equipment auctions:

1. Create an Account: If you don't already have one, you'll need to create an account with Charter Auctions. Visit our website and click on the "Register" button. Fill in your personal information, including your name, contact details and acknowledge our terms and conditions.
   
2. Submit Your Registration: Once you've provided all the required information and agreed to the terms and conditions, click the "Create Account" button to create your account.
   
3. Account Created: Now that you have an account you are able to register for auctions. To do this, find the auction that you wish to register for, click on "Register for Auction" and then await approval.
   
4. Manual Verification At Charter Auctions, all registrations are checked manually during our office opening hours. This verification process ensures the security and integrity of our auctions. Please register well in advance of the auction's ending to avoid any last-minute inconveniences.

Once your registration is approved, you'll receive a confirmation email with your account details, and you'll be ready to start browsing our industrial equipment listings and placing bids. If you have any questions or need assistance during the registration process, our dedicated customer support team is here to help. We look forward to welcoming you to the Charter Auctions community and assisting you.

Activating your account is a simple process. Once you've registered, you will receive an activation link via email. Just click on the link, and your account will be confirmed and activated.

Please be aware that sometimes our activation emails might end up in your email's spam or junk folder. If you can't find the activation email in your inbox, be sure to check your junk folder. If you encounter any difficulties with activating your account, don't hesitate to reach out to our office. Our friendly staff are here to provide assistance and ensure your account is activated promptly.

Great! It's free and easy to sell with us.

If you are looking to sell an item with us, please fill out our Sell with Charter form

Don't worry if you've forgotten your username or password; it's a quick fix.

1. Head to the 'Login' section of the site and select 'Forgotten Username or Password?'
2. There you'll be able to enter the email address that you registered with, we’ll send you an email containing your username and a link which will enable you to reset your password.

If your still having issues then don't hesitate to email us at info@charterauctions.co.uk or fill out our contact form HERE

Once the final lot of an auction closes we being to generate the invoices. You will receive an email notifying you when your invoice is viewable under the 'My invoices' tab on your account. You may download your invoice or view it online from there.

Payment needs to be made via bank transfer within 72 hours of the invoices being generated. All bank details are on the footer section of your invoice.

If you wish to discuss other options please contact us.

Charter Auctions Banking Details
Lloyds Bank Plc
Account No. 35145160
Sort Code: 30-63-94
IBAN: GB79LOYD30639435145160,
BIC: LOYDGB21658
Lloyds Bank, 112 High St, Bromsgrove B61 8EZ

Sales tax is payable at the prevailing rate on all goods purchased. VAT is charged on both the hammer price and buyers premium. If goods are subsequently removed or exported out of the UK, VAT can be refunded on the hammer price providing sufficient proof of export is supplied. This only applies to goods that have left the UK within three months of the auction date.

As stated above, no item(s) purchased will be released until cleared funds have been received in full and within the given time constraints.

Once the lots have been paid for, you must arrange to collect your items with a member of our team for the given collection dates subject to the terms of the specified auction.

Please refer to each Sales individual Key Terms and Conditions in relation to Collection of Lots purchased.
Charter Auctions will have staff in attendance on site in order to release the item(s) and in the event that you instruct your own haulier to collect your item(s), please ensure they are aware of any specific removal conditions as set out in the terms and conditions.

The safer way to send your goods to their destination

We’re not just here to make a sale. Using our extensive industry contacts, we work with our buyers to appoint experienced dismantling contractors and shippers. This means all goods sold via Charter Auctions arrive at their destination in excellent condition, intact and ready for immediate reassembly and recommissioning.

Charter Auctions can also take on the role of Consignor of the goods, and we hold Approved Exporter Status from the UK HMRC, which allows us us to export goods from any of the 28 countries within the European Union

All items purchased from other European countries and outside the EU, must inform the Accounts department of this intention immediately after being notified of a successful purchase and will be dealt with accordingly.

Buyers from outside the EC must supply documentation evidence, i.e. Shipping Certificate, Original Bill of Loading, clearly stating these items have been exported.

If you require support with exporting goods then please refer to our services list HERE

Sales tax is payed on the hammer price and the buyer's premium on all goods purchased within the UK. For sales made out of the UK, please contact us to so that we may remove the VAT to avoid tax charges.

If you have accidentally placed a bid please promptly contact one of our team: Contact us

If you would like to view an item that has been listed at auction, contact us to arrange a time and date. Please note that viewing periods differ depending on the specific terms and conditions for each auction and that you may be required to wear PPE on site.

You can find out all of the relevant information for viewing days by clicking the Essential Information button when on an auction page.

Pending status indicates that your request for registration has been submitted but we have not yet processed you for bidding privileges. These steps are manual and occur during the auction houses’ regular business hours.

Your billing address details must be entered correctly for approval to be successful.

Please note your request to be approved for bidding in an auction is at our discretion.

Overtime bidding occurs if there is a bid placed on an item in the final 10 minutes of the sale. When the bid is placed the end time will extend by a further 10 minutes. Further bids will not extend the end time unless placed in the final 10 minutes.

Why do we use overtime bidding?

Our bidding software attempts to re-create the experience of a live auction room. With a fixed cut off time, the item is sold to the bidder who clicks the bid button last, whereas with overtime bidding the item is sold to the bidder who is willing to pay the highest amount.

If you are looking to purchase a specific item that is not in any of our listed auctions, marketplace or our private treaty pages, you can contact us to put a notice up on our Wanted Machinery page.

Certainly, once signed in head to "My Account" and select "My Settings". Here it's possible to change or update your personal information and preferences. You won't be able to update your email address. To do this, you'll need to email info@charterauctions.co.uk and request to update it; please include your username and previously linked email address so that we can locate your account, you may be asked further security questions to validate your identity.

Bid Increment 

The amount by which a lots price is increased upon bidding. For instance a £500 increment would mean an opening bid of £5,000 would be bid to £5,500, £6,000, £6,500. The auctioneer can vary the increment per lot at their discretion.

Bought-In (a.k.a. Passed)

If there are no bids on a lot, or if bidding does not reach the lowest possible selling price, the lot is “bought in,” meaning it is unsold and remains the property of the owner.

Buyer

The person who placed the highest bid on an item becomes the buyer, or new owner of that item when his/her bid is accepted by the auctioneer.

Buyer’s Premium

The percentage above the hammer price paid by the buyer to the auction house that is part of the total purchase price.

Cataloging

Every lot offered for sale is described by a description of the object and any known facts, such as the name of the maker and model, the time of its creation. This information is published in the auction catalog online.

Competing Bids

Before and during a sale, an auction house accepts competing bids for a lot from absentee bidders, phone bidders, online and in room bidders if all of these bidding methods are available.

Condition Report

A written description of the imperfections of an object (or lack thereof), particularly of characteristics that might affect value. This is essential information for prospective bidders.

Consignor (a.k.a. Seller)

The owner who is authorising the auction house to act as agent on his or her behalf for sale.

Consignor Agreement

The contract between the auction house and consignor.

Hammer Price

The highest bid accepted/the winning bid for a lot at auction/the price at which the auctioneer’s “hammer” falls. Note that this does not include the buyer’s premium.

Final Selling Price

Hammer Price/High Bid + Buyer’s Premium.

Lot

An individual object or group of objects offered for sale at auction as a unit.

Lot Number

Every lot in an auction is given a unique lot number. The lots are sold in numerical order.

Online Bidding

The option of bidding online in advance of an auction or in real time during an auction through a computer or mobile device.

Reserve Price

The reserve price is the lowest price which a seller is willing to accept for his or her property. At many auction houses, reserves must be set at or below the low estimate, and if bidding ends before the reserve is reached, the property will not be sold. An auction house may disclose the reserve; mark items which have reserves or keep the reserve confidential for the seller. Most auction houses keep the reserve confidential for the seller.

Starting Price

The starting price is the lowest price at which a lot can sell (unless a reserve price is specified).

If you require support with collecting goods then please refer to our services list HERE or get in touch with us to discuss collection.