Frequently Asked Questions

You do not need to register to view the hardcopy catalogue from the 12th or the online auction catalogue from the 18th, or to ask any questions/request further information. But you will need to register online to bid online, whether you are an existing client with us or no. The online registration is by auctioneer approval only, so if you are an existing client and even better if you know your paddle number, you will be approved quickly. New clients online will be approved quickly if all data fields are completed. If you are viewing in the saleroom, you can leave a bid with us, for us to bid for you, just like you did before! If you are new client, we will help you set up an online or traditional account and talk you through the processes.  If you decide to bid online yourself, then you will need to register online to bid.

Timed Online Auctions: are where the lots are catalogued in the same way as a traditional/live online auction. But there is a start and finish time allocated to each lot. The lots are not called by an auctioneer, but run automatically instead for the duration of the time allocated. Bidders can bid as early or as late as they like, with either single step bids or by bidding their maximum bid and letting the automated system bid gradually for them.

Beech Auctions is well known for holding large bustling traditional auctions and that’s what we love doing. We aren’t an auction house who likes running an online business, the busy auction day is where we get our buzz! But covid-19 has changed things for the time being, so during this time, we are offering some of our best lots, chosen by the auctioneer, via online timed auction and selling everything else in the room Thurs-Sat 10am-4pm under a Buy Now system. (lockdown restrictions depending)

If you don’t want to commit the time to keep watching a lot and raising your bid, if you are of the opinion that ‘ that’s what I will pay max and either I get it or I don’t’ or if you don’t trust yourself to not stop at your decided maximum bid, then it maybe that automated bidding is the best option for you! To leave a maximum bid, you can either do this with us at the saleroom via our bidding slips in the room, or if you are already known to us then via email, telephone, text, social media message etc, or you can register online to bid and place an automated maximum bid. Which ever way, as soon as you bid is placed, which is legal and binding,  we/our website will bid for you, via the next increment step until your maximum bid is reached. If you get outbid you will not win the lot, unless you increase your bid. If you have bid online, you will automatically be informed that you have been outbid, which gives you the chance to increase your bid, if there is sufficient time left and should you choose to do so.

For example: If a lot has a starting bid of say £50 with £5 bidding increment steps, then a bidder could bid £50 and wait to see if they are outbid, or bid a maximum of say £100, taking them in at £50 as the highest bidder, where their bid will only increase automatically if someone bids against them. If they are outbid at say £105, the system will automatically alert the client that they have been outbid and give the option to bid higher, should they choose & should time allow before the virtual hammer falls and the lot closes .

If a lot has a reserve say £50 and the starting bid is lower than reserve say £40, you bid at forty and nobody bids against you, you will not win the lot, unless the auctioneer decides or via conferring with the vendor decides to accept your bid. In these cases where the reserve has not been met, the saleroom will enter into negotiations on your behalf should you be happy to do so, at that time.

Yes! For each auction, there are early viewing days with a hardcopy catalogue and main viewing days with a full online catalogue, on top of our standard opening hours. Each auction catalogue will list the set viewing days and time available. The online catalogue also offers the facility to ask us a question. Our staff will do their best to assist you with further information, further condition reports, auctioneer’s expectations and even further images, should that be necessary.

Should covid- 19 restrictions change, then the auction will still go ahead, as the images, descriptions, condition reports and research documents will help to ensure that you are not buying a lemon!

If you win lots via bidding online, you will receive an email saying that you have won and that a member of staff will be in contact  soon in order to arrange payment and discuss collection options.

If you left bids with us, then a member of staff will call you asap to let you know and arrange payment and discuss collection options.

We accept, cash, debit & credit cards or bacs payments, but lots are not released to the client or any collecting third party until payment is confirmed. All won lots are subject to 15% commission no vat on the winning hammer price. see T&Cs

We are a realistic saleroom, in that if you are a private buyer/collector, you may be excited about your win, you may want to collect it asap! we offer evening collection slots as well as our normal opening hours!

We are also aware, that for trade it is not always possible to collect a won lot within restricted timescales. We appreciate, especially if you are running a business, that is isn’t always possible to pick up at a set day/time, due to other commitments or that it just isn’t financially viable to collect just one lot. We don’t get to store anything for free ourselves because we have to pay rent, so clients shouldn’t expect  to be able to store items for free either, so long as you pay on time, we will assist where we can. If you are fair to us, we will be fair to you…persistant abusers will be removed or worst still gingered!

All lots are ‘sold as seen’. Personal viewing or viewing by an agent of the lots is recommended, for the prospective bidder to make up their own mind as to whether they wish to bid or not. All lots are offered and described to the best of our ability, with these descriptions being for guidance only. |Each lot is sold via the lot number and title description & main image only.

Electrical items have all been tested for electrical safety. We do not get the opportunity to check every item as to whether it is fully functioning and suitable for purpose. We therefore, to be fair offer a full refund of hammer price and buyers commission for electrical items only, returned within 5 working days of the purchase/collection deadlines.

We cannot offer this for petrol or inanimate items, unless the management decides that they have been incorrectly described in their title, have been entered with deception intent or with a totally incorrect condition report.

At all times this is solely at the discretion of the management as all lots are legally sold as seen in our T&Cs