Knowledge centre
Confidentiality, personal data, cookies and protection against fraud.
Yes. We never publish or disclose the identity of a buyer or a consignor. Bidding histories are shown anonymously, and results are published as prices without names.
Read the full answerOnly those members of staff who need it to perform their function, under access controls that separate client-facing records from internal notes and compliance material. Independent specialists see the property, not your personal data.
Read the full answerWe hold the account, identity, transaction and correspondence records necessary to operate the sale and to meet our legal obligations. Anti-money-laundering and accounting records are retained for the statutory periods; other data is kept no longer than the purpose requires.
Read the full answerSubmit a request through the data request page in your account or by writing to us. We respond within one calendar month; where a statutory retention obligation prevents erasure of particular records, you are told which records and why.
Read the full answerWe use only the cookies necessary to operate the site, together with optional analytics and preference cookies. Optional cookies are set only with your consent, and your choice can be changed at any time from the cookie settings.
Read the full answerGenuine correspondence arrives from our authenticated domain and never asks you to send money to a bank account communicated by email alone. Our banking details do not change; if you receive a message saying that they have, do not act on it, and contact us through the site.
Read the full answerStop, make no payment, and write to us without delay through the contact page rather than by replying to the suspicious message. Keep the original message and any headers; they materially assist investigation.
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4 min read
A first purchase at auction is less daunting than it appears. This guide sets out the whole sequence in order, from reading a catalogue entry to collecting the property, and explains what is expected of a buyer at each stage.
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3 min read
Registration is the point at which an interested reader becomes an approved bidder. This guide explains the four stages, why each exists, and how long each is likely to take.
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3 min read
The mechanics of a timed online sale: how increments are set, how a maximum bid is executed on your behalf, what a reserve does, and why the closing time can move.
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