Sign up

1 – Create an account

Click on the register button to create an account by filling out the online form.

2 – Register to bid on the auction

Choose the auctions you want to bid on and register for them, confirming you billing information

3 – You’ll receive an approval email

Once you have registered for the auction, you will receive an approval email to confirm that you have registered

4 – Log in and Bid

You can now log in and bid on that auction, or add lots to your Watch list and bid later.

You've Won, What's Next

At the end of an auction, you will receive notification via email of your invoice and can view this inside your account section.

Make Payment

Payment needs to be made via
1. Bank transfer within 48 hours of the auction ending.
Bank details are on the footer section of your invoice.

If you with to discuss other options which may include, please contact us.

2. Bankers Draft
3. Cash on collection of your lots  (Please contact office)

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

Fees
Remember there are no hidden extras in any of the Sales held by Charter; all you pay is the “hammer” price plus Buyers Premium plus VAT @ the current standard rate on the overall price. Each Sale has its own clear Key Terms relevant to that particular Sale.

Shipping

Once the lots have been paid for, you can come and collect.
Or if you require help with shipping.
Please contact us and we are more than happy to help you get quotes for decommissioning, Packing, Transport, freight or couriers.

How to Export?
All items purchased from other EC countries and outside the EC, 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 exported.
Please click the image below to download. Read and complete the Export document below.

 

Getting Started

We believe in building a trusted platform for both buyers and sellers. As part of this, we require credit card information upon registration for an auction. Please note the information is for verification purposes only, and your credit card will not be charged.

How to register and bid in an auction

Click on the register button at the top of the website and create an account, filling out out all your contact and billing information.

Please include Valid EU VAT number if you have one.

What do I need to create an account

Your registration provides us with your contact information, including the email address to send you an online bid confirmation.

Creating an account is free and easy. Once you are registered, you can create watch lists, alerts, check on items you have won or are bidding on, and other actions in your account, making it personal and easy to navigate.

Whats does "Pending approval" mean?

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

Your billing address and card details must be entered correctly for approval to be successful.
Please note your request to be approved for bidding in an auction is by the auction house’s discretion.

Helpful Auction Terms

Absentee Bid
A method of bidding for those who cannot or do not wish to attend an auction. Absentee bids are also called “left” or “order” bids. An absentee bid may be placed before an auction begins. View the short video below on how to leave an absentee bid.
Bid Increment 
The amount by which the auctioneer increases the bidding. For instance a £500 increment would mean an opening bid of £5,000, would then subsequent bids of £5,5500, 6,000, £6,500.  The auctioneer can vary at his/her 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 authorizing the auction house to act as agent on his or her behalf for sale.
Consignor Agreement
The contract between the auction house and consignor.
Fair Warning (During Live Auctions)
When an auctioneer announces “fair warning”, he/she is saying, “Bid now or I am closing the lot. This is your last chance.” If there are no bids forthcoming, the auctioneer’s hammer falls and the sale is complete for that lot.
Final Selling Price
Hammer Price/High Bid + Buyer’s Premium.
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.
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).

How to Collect your lots.

As stated above, no item(s) purchased will be released until cleared funds have been received in full and within the given time constraints.
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 please ensure they are aware of any specific removal conditions as set out in the terms and conditions.
Charter Auctions use recognised Hauliers / Removal contractors who have provided an excellent service, details of which can be available on request. See our services information for more details.
The safer way to send your goods to their destination
Once a major item of machinery has been sold it needs to be carefully dismantled, packed and shipped.
At Charter Auctions we understand the importance of getting the dismantling process right. So we work with leading engineering companies, freight forwarders and shippers to make sure this complex procedure is carried out safely, smoothly and effectively.
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

Types of Sale

Sale types are clearly displayed in the Sales Categories area of the website against the individual items for sale.
There are up to 4 different types of Sales that might be shown at any one time.
  1. Online Timed Auction Sale
  2. Live Public Auction Sale
  3. Online Tender Sale
  4. Negotiated Sale

Online Timed Only Auction is automated and takes place solely online. The bidding for each lot is opened at a predetermined level set by the auctioneer, usually at a set time and stays open over an extended period of hours or days. During this period of open bidding one will be able to see the current high bid on each lot. You may place a higher bid at a defined bidding increment you choose.

  1. Go to the auction you are interested in.
  2. Look for the ‘login to bid’ button under any item.
  3. Login. If you have not yet registered for an auction you will be prompted to register for the auction. Register to bid for the auction.
  4. Once you receive an email acknowledging bidder approval, revisit the lot to bid. If you have already registered for the auction then you will be directed back to the lot after you login to bid.

 

Live Public Auctions are open to individuals, traders and companies alike. You can attend the event and bid against other bidders, or you can bid over the internet. You can also place a Maximum bid (maximum amount you are prepared to pay), or increase your bids as you go. Either way you will know if you are the highest bidder. .
Successful online bidders will be contacted to arrange payment and collection within the specified timescale for the relevant Sale.
Prior to a Sale commencing you can login and preview the items coming up for sale, the preview time varies. The Sales will close all Lots at a predefined time specified on the website, however, certain Sales may have time extensions of 5-10 minutes added to each individual lot if a bid is placed on an item. i.e. Those Lots that do not receive a bid 5-10 minutes before the Sale is due to end, will automatically close at the Sale End time. Those lots which are having bids placed against will remain open for periods of 5-10 minutes until no bids are placed in the 5-10 minute periods. Please ensure you read the specific terms for each Sale.
Online Tender Sales work differently to auctions. The Sales are still open to anyone but are used for specialist or unusual items where the lot may have a significantly higher value to one particular person, but not to another. Tender Bids are also sealed. That means you bid the maximum amount you are prepared to pay and you don’t know if you have the winning bid until the end of the sale. You can increase your bid at any time during the Sale but you can’t withdraw it once it’s made.
Negotiated Sales are another type of sale made directly with potential buyers and are not part of an auction or tender process. Asset management companies hold databases of potential buyers around the world and will also market and advertise directly to companies or individuals who may be interested. Sales are negotiated by offering assets for sale subject to a specified price, and negotiating with interested parties on a one to one basis. The negotiated method of sale is generally used for individual high value assets and complete production facilities where major issues of decommissioning, removal, installation and potential grant aid may be involved. It is also useful where the seller is keen that a production plant or other asset should only be sold overseas or sold in a specific country or countries.