Auctions and Auctioneers Across the UK

Your winning bid may be only part of the price. Read the catalogue, condition report and sale terms. Check buyer's premium, online bidding fees, VAT where applicable, delivery, collection deadlines and storage charges. Set a total spending limit that includes every charge. Do not assume an auction purchase is a bargain or that an untested item works.

• Antiques, art and collectables: paintings, ceramics, furniture, coins, stamps and memorabilia.
• Jewellery and watches: check descriptions, condition, authenticity information and any valuation or grading evidence.
• Vehicles: cars, motorcycles, vans and commercial vehicles. Check history, documents, condition and collection or transport arrangements.
• Household goods and retail returns: furniture, appliances, tools and clearance lots. Returns may be incomplete, damaged or untested.
• Machinery and business equipment: plant, agricultural equipment, workshop tools and business assets. Check removal, loading and safety requirements.
• Property and land: homes, commercial buildings and land. Get a solicitor to review the legal pack and establish finance before bidding. Check the auction method, deposit, reservation fees and completion deadlines. The guide price is not the final purchase cost.
• Police and government property: unclaimed items, recovered property that can lawfully be disposed of, forfeited assets and surplus goods. The legal basis varies. Not everything is stolen property, and a police-related sale does not guarantee an item's condition.

Use these official websites to explore auctions by subject:

• Bonhams

  Art, antiques, jewellery, watches and other specialist categories.

• Bonhams Cars

  Specialist motoring auctions.

• John Pye

  General goods, retail returns, business assets and vehicles. Check each lot’s location.

• Wilsons Auctions

  Vehicles, general assets and specialist sales, including police/government auctions. It operates in the UK and Ireland, so check the country and sale location.

• Wilsons police/government auctions

  Check the sale description, country and location.

• Auction House

  Residential and commercial property and land.

• The Saleroom

  Platform listing auctions from different auctioneers, particularly art, antiques and collectables.

• i-bidder

  Platform for general goods, vehicles, plant and business equipment.

The Saleroom and i-bidder are bidding platforms, not one auction house. Check the actual auctioneer, terms and location for each sale. Local and regional auctioneers also run specialist sales. Search by subject and town or county, then verify the firm's official details.

A lot is the item or group being sold. An estimate is an indication, not a guarantee of the selling price. A reserve is the minimum the seller will accept. The hammer price is the accepted winning bid before extra charges. Auctions may be in person, live online or timed online. Some timed sales extend when bids arrive near closing. Check registration, identification, deposit requirements and when a bid becomes binding. Never bid unless you intend and are able to pay.

Ask to view where possible and request more photographs or a condition report. Confirm whether testing is possible. Before bidding, ask about step-free access, parking, seating, hearing or communication support and collection assistance. Confirm delivery availability and costs. Large items may require professional movers.

Ask for written terms covering commission, VAT, photography, insurance, transport, reserve prices, unsold or withdrawal charges and when you will be paid. An estimate is not a promise. Make sure you own the item or have authority to sell it.

Rights depend on who is selling, what you buy and how the auction is run. Do not assume all auctions allow returns, or that all auction sales have no consumer protection. Online-only sales and public auctions can have different rules. If something goes wrong, contact the auctioneer promptly with the lot number, description, photographs and payment evidence. Keep the catalogue and terms. For independent consumer help, use Citizens Advice and select the relevant UK nation.

Free Letter and Complaint Support

Check the auctioneer's official contact details before paying. Independently confirm unexpected changes to bank details. Be wary of unsolicited messages offering a lot after an unsuccessful bid. A police-related claim or official-looking logo is not proof.

• Scams, Fraud and Suspicious Messages
• Using Estate Agents: Buying, Selling and Renting
• Pawnbrokers UK: Borrowing Against Jewellery and Valuables

Official provider websites are linked in the directory above. Further sources:

Sources checked 20 October 2026.

General information, not a recommendation to bid or personal legal/financial advice.