Buying at Southgate Auction Rooms
How do I bid at the Auction (in room)?
Anyone wishing to bid in the Rooms must first register and obtain a Paddle Number by leaving a £30 cash refundable deposit. We only accept bids from Paddle holders.
When bidding, be very clear on the Lot number(s) upon which you wish to bid. The Auctioneer states the Lot number and a brief description prior to it being sold. When you hear the Lot number in which you are interested, make known your interest to the Auctioneer by raising your paddle. If the Auctioneer does not happen to spot you – call out “here”.
When you successfully buy a Lot, the Auctioneer will say ‘sold’, state the hammer price and bring the hammer down.
Bidding by email
Pre-bids can be made by email to southgateauctions@gmail.com
Your email must contain your full name, address, telephone number, the lot numbers for the items you wish to bid on and the maximum amount you would like to bid on each item.
If you wish to bid please ensure that we receive the bids no later than 12.00 (noon) on the day of the auction to allow us the administrative time to process the bids before the Auction starts.
Bidding online
It is possible to place pre-bids and also watch & bid on the auction live at the-saleroom.com
Bidding by phone
To bid on items by phone please contact us on 020 8886 7888.
What happens if I wish to bid but cannot attend the Auction?
We have members of staff that can bid on your behalf.
Pre-bids can be made by email, telephone, or at the desk where we have simple pre-bid/commission forms to tell us the maximum amount that you are prepared to spend on each Lot.
Bids can be emailed to; southgateauctions@gmail.com
Your email must contain your full name, address & telephone number.
If you do wish to bid, please ensure that we receive the bids no later than 12.00 (noon) on the day of the auction to allow us the administrative time to process the bids before the Auction starts.
It is also possible to watch & bid on the auction live at the-saleroom.com
Commission bids are the maximum amount up to which the auctioneer may bid on your behalf (exclusive of Buyer’s premium and VAT). They will be executed at the lowest possible price, having regard to any reserve and competing bids. If Buyers submit identical commission bids, the Auctioneers will give preference to the first bid received. Commission bids may be left in person, by telephone, or by email. All bids submitted are regarded as an acknowledgment that the bidder has read and accepts the terms and conditions of sale and will submit any specific personal details requested to verify their intention and ability to comply with those conditions. Southgate Auctions strongly advises viewing onsite in person or through an agent and stresses that any descriptions, condition reports, and images supplied to the absentee bidder are an opinion provided by this firm and do not guarantee the condition, age, or any other characteristics of the Lot in question. Execution of commission bids is a free service undertaken subject to other commitments at the time of the Sale and we cannot accept liability in an individual instance for failing to execute a written bid or for errors and omissions in connection with it, arising from circumstances beyond our reasonable control.
It is your responsibility to ascertain whether you have been successful and to pay for & collect Lots purchased by 5.00pm Tuesday following the Sale.
Can I bring children to the Auction rooms?
Children under the control of a responsible adult are allowed during viewing but must leave the building before the Auction starts.
When I’ve made my purchases, what do I do?
Having kept a note of the Lot number(s), you should visit the office to either pay in full or make part payment. If you pay in full you can either collect your Lots then or return the following day to collect them.
Is there a delivery service?
There is a “Man with van” type service offered for local deliveries, rates for deliveries must be arranged between the Buyer & the delivery team which is independent of the Auction House. Items must be paid for in full, prior to delivery, cash on delivery is not acceptable. We must stress that the onus on arranging the removal of bought items rests with the Buyer.
What is a Watchlist?
If you find an item you’re interested in, click on “Add to Watchlist.” You will be prompted to register with your email address. This serves as a helpful reminder of what caught your attention before you got sidetracked!
You will receive an email if there are any changes to the lot, updated details, or new photos. Additionally, you’ll get an email announcing “Showtime!” about an hour before the event begins, and a few days after the sale, you will receive an email with the final prices achieved.
What does A/F mean?
A/F stands for “As Found.” This is to alert potential buyers to ensure they are happy with the lots’ condition before bidding.
What is a condition report?
A condition report is offered as an indication of any issues visible to the naked eye. As none of our staff members are professional conservators or restorers, buyers must satisfy themselves regarding the condition. The condition report does not form part of any contract between Southgate Auction Rooms and the buyer, and all lots are offered “as is” per our Terms of Business on our website.
Purchased items
All items purchased must be paid for and collected by 5pm on the following Tuesday.
Viewings
We are open for viewing all day Saturday and the Monday morning of the auction:
Saturday: 9am – 4pm
Monday: 9am – 1pm
Methods of payment
We accept cash, debit/credit cards or bank transfers.
We do not accept banker’s drafts or cheques.
Buyers premium
Buyers Premium is 20% + VAT on the hammer price for bids made in person at the Rooms, by email, telephone, or for pre-bids left at the desk.
If you bought an item from us for £200, our commission would be £40 (20%) + VAT of £8, so you would pay £200 + £48 = £248
Bidding via the-saleroom.com is another option, it does cost about an extra 6% on the hammer, but many customers feel it worth the extra to use their live bidding facility and to leave their pre-bids with a trusted 3rd party.
Please note that in the rare case that lots are marked with an asterisk (*) in the catalogue, it denotes that VAT is payable on the total hammer price.
Free weekly catalogue
Subscribe to our newsletter and get our free catalogue sent to your inbox every week.
"*" indicates required fields