Clear, sourced answers to the questions UK bidders ask most: how buying at auction works, what the fees really come to, how timed auctions close, which online bidding platform to use, and where police and unclaimed goods are sold. Every guide links to the platform rules, auction house terms and legislation it relies on, with the date we checked them.
Buyer's guides
- How to buy at a UK auction: a step-by-step guideRegistering, live and timed bidding, buyer's premium and VAT, condition reports, viewing, payment and collection, step by step.
- Auction fees explained: buyer’s premium, seller’s commission and VATBuyer's premium, seller's commission, VAT and online bidding surcharges, with real rates from named UK auction houses.
- Timed auction rules explained: extended bidding and the 10-minute and 3-minute rulesWhat the 10-minute and 3-minute rules mean, how extended bidding works on Easylive, the-saleroom and BidSpirit, and how to bid in a timed sale.
- Which UK online auction site should you use?The-saleroom, Easylive Auction and BidSpirit side by side: live and timed support, registration, how online fees work, and how many sales each carries.
- Police, bailiff and unclaimed-goods auctions in the UKWhere police and enforcement agents sell goods, the rules behind it, what courier "unclaimed goods" sales are, and a live list of upcoming sales.
Quick explainers from the blog
- What Is a Buyer’s Premium at Auction? UK GuideWhat is a buyer's premium at auction? The fee added on top of your hammer price, why it varies by house, and how to budget for it before you bid in the UK.
- Do You Pay VAT on Auction Purchases?Do you pay VAT on auction purchases? Usually only on the premium, not the hammer price — here's how the margin scheme, catalogue symbols and export rules work.
- What Is a Condition Report at Auction? UK GuideWhat is a condition report at auction? Our UK guide covers what it lists, how to request one, what 'sold as seen' means and the questions worth asking.
- How Do Absentee and Commission Bids Work?How do absentee and commission bids work? A UK guide to leaving a maximum bid, telephone bidding, online autobids, and how ties and increments are settled.
- What Is a Reserve Price at Auction? UK Buyer’s GuideWhat is a reserve price at auction? The plain answer, plus how reserves, estimates, no-reserve and £1-start sales change what you actually pay as a buyer.
- How Do Auction Estimates Work? A UK Buyer’s GuideHow do auction estimates work? Learn how UK houses set the guide range, why lots beat or miss it, and how to set a max bid that includes fees.
- Timed Auction vs Live Auction: A UK Buyer’s GuideTimed auction vs live auction, explained for UK buyers: how each format works, soft-close rules, buyer's premium and fees, and which one suits you.
- How to Bid at an Online Auction in the UKHow to bid at an online auction in the UK: register, pass ID and card checks, place a live or timed bid, then pay and collect. A plain, practical guide.
- How to Collect or Ship Items Bought at AuctionHow to collect or ship items bought at auction: collection deadlines, storage charges, couriers and packers, and what to sort out before you bid.
- What Is a Probate Auction? A UK Buyer’s GuideWhat is a probate auction? A plain-English guide to how executors sell estates at auction, the fees involved, what sells and where to find UK sales.
- What Is a House Clearance Auction? A UK Buyer’s GuideWhat is a house clearance auction? A plain-English guide to what sells, no-reserve lots, fees, how to bid and where to find these UK sales near you.
- How to Sell Items at Auction in the UKHow to sell items at auction in the UK: get a free valuation, agree the commission, set a reserve and consign your lot — a plain, practical guide.
Find a sale
Put the guides into practice: browse all upcoming UK auctions, see auctions this week, search the auction house directory, or look for auctions near you.