Frequently Asked Questions

You are inviting people to your premises therefore the minimum you need to supply is a safe environment. Electricity is also an advantage to enable Kivells to conduct and process the sale. Mobile signal is important particularly for online sales. Toilets and catering will be arranged by Kivells, unless a suitable onsite toilet is available.

A lot of the sales we manage are part dispersals. We can offer a number of options to include Timed Online Sales, with your lots on your premises, or your machinery could be part of a large collective. We are confident our Auction Service does include an option that will meet your needs.

Kivells will advise an appropriate heading with you for catalogue, advertising and social media purposes. Headings vary depending on the reason for any sale but they are recommended in order to give buyers confidence in the sale and to create the greatest possible interest.

Generally speaking the more factual information you can give to a lot the better. Think like a buyer. On major value lots/high interest items make, model, serial number, age, hours, mileage, MOT/test status etc will enable interested parties to do their research and bid with confidence. Other value adding information may include service records and monies spent on improvements. V5 forms are required prior to sale. Kivells also need to know if there are any issues with any lots. Kivells have produced a Machinery Description Guide and it is available to all our seller clients to assist you.

Most buyers recognise that not every lot can be cleaned and oiled. However major lots should be presented in a way that gives the buyer confidence that the lot is genuine. Power wash where you would normally do so. Do not paint or wash lots that may then suffer from red rust. If a repair is required then discuss the matter with Kivells.

It is not strictly necessary but you have intimate knowledge of your items for sale. You are in a unique position to help Kivells and thereby make the sale run smoothly and maximise the realisation. If you are unable to attend the viewing or sale then you should appoint a representative to liaise with Kivells.

Now sales are held throughout the week to avoid competing disposals and other factors that may reduce attendance. Traditionally sales have been held on a Saturday. It also depends on the method of sale.

A number of factors influence the number of lots sold per hour to include number of bidders, type and value of lots but it is normally somewhere between 70 – 130 lots per hour. To achieve the maximum realisation on lots in Live and Online sales, auctioneers slow down to cater for and encourage bids from online buyers. Auctioneers slow down for online bidders to allow for signal delay and speed of selling needs to be tempered.

Whilst bids are made once the sale is open typically the busiest time is in the last 3 hours before closure. High interest lots may run over the stated time as bidders place last minute bids and battle it out.

Kivells will advise on the best method of sale. Best method needs to take into account many factors to include type of machinery, maximising realisation, accepted/traditional approach, responsibilities, Health & Safety, clearance of lots, payment risk and timeframe etc. There may be instances where a multi method approach is recommended. Traditionally a live auction approach has been favored. It is still a popular method but now with a vital online element. Bringing together live and online bidders to bid against one another works to great effect. Over the last few years timed online sales have taken off and in many industrial sectors has taken over from all other methods of sale.

Kivells terms and conditions cover the seller, the buyer and Kivells. They are designed to protect the seller as far as possible under the law. Kivells strongly recommend that any seller should read the terms and conditions which are freely available on Kivells.com under the machinery drop down menu.

Kivells are active users of social media to include Facebook and YouTube and also monitoring tools such as Google analytics. Kivells monitor levels of interest in any advertised/linked lot on Kivells.com or YouTube etc and therefore can estimate the strength of any interest and manage marketing accordingly. The sale will benefit from social media.

Direction signs will be erected ahead of the sale for the viewing as will signs to the car park, accounts, toilets and the sale area. It is highly likely that Health & Safety signage will be necessary and these too will be put up ahead of the viewing opening.

If you as a seller instruct Kivells to state things like ‘good working order’, ‘runs well’ etc then we can tell the attendees. In the event the buyer comes back with an issue then you the seller may have to make good. If you are happy to stand close to the major lots and state that they are in good working order then that will encourage stronger bidding. You need to be factually correct

You are responsible prior to the lots being sold and on sale day Kivells will manage the security with you. Buyers are responsible for their lots from the fall of the hammer. Post sale day the buyers are responsible for their own lots but it would be sensible for security to be arranged.

Most of what you will uncover is likely to be saleable however there are strict regulations and legislation regarding chemicals, dated animal medicines, oils, asbestos, gas canisters etc. If in any doubt, please contact us.

Yes. Please find attached an advisory/discussion timeline with the dates. Give yourself ample time to complete this work safely and to meet any agreed timeframe.

Delaying the sale may have a detrimental effect on the level of interest and prices achieved. We suggest a meeting ASAP as we may be able to supply staff/a contractor to keep things on track. So yes, it is possible to delay the sale but as it has been advertised we need to fully understand the reasons why in order to help you make the right decision. Any additional costs, to make up time or due to the delay, will be agreed in advance.

Quite simply, notify us and tell them to contact Kivells. Please do not enter into any negotiations.

Yes feel free to do so. In fact it may be better that you introduce us to him ahead of your sale date so that we can talk him through the sale process.

Notify Kivells who will then liaise with the buyer.

Yes, then they can be lotted either with the major item or immediately afterwards.

Kivells Standard Terms and Conditions are used in every sale and apply to the seller, the buyer and Kivells. The Notice to Purchasers are specific to the individual nature of your sale and are directed towards the buyers.

A first aid kit is bought to each sale by our personnel. Attendees are notified as to what to do in the event of an incident and some of our staff are trained in First Aid.

Our Notice to Purchasers states ‘The Buyer is responsible for the collection of their lots and any associated costs of transport. Assistance with loading by The Auctioneers, Seller or the storage facility is given without any liability to The Buyer or The Buyers removal contractor. Buyers are strongly advised to use their own suitably qualified and insured contractors’. So just remind the Buyer about this clause.

There are several things you need to do. 1) Alert Kivells about your concerns 2) Minimise any risk of sale attendees going into that area 3) Agree a plan with Kivells to keep the sale area and lots away from this area 4) Fence off the area and erect suitable notices eg Danger Keep Out 5) Place signs on the fencing forbidding access 6) Have someone patrol the area during the sale to stop people entering it.

Kivells undertake a Risk Assessment for every sale. Kivells have first aid kit at every sale. Kivells work with every seller to come up with a plan to minimise risk. Kivells have or can obtain and erect appropriate Notices. Kivells car parking and security staff wear identifying personal protective equipment. Kivells Standard Terms and Conditions together with the sale specific Notice to Purchasers remind all attendees about their responsibilities in this regard as do the Auctioneers. Kivells reserve the right to refuse permission to people to come into the sale. Car Parking is separate to the sales area.

Because in accepting non conflicting 3rd party entries you will increase interest in your sale, encourage greater attendance and benefit from a stronger realisation.

Yes - as seller that is your prerogative. Kivells advise however it can be self-defeating, it must be achievable. If lots are not being sold buyers will become wary of bidding and it may have a detrimental effect on the atmosphere and final result. Remember it is the overall result that counts not the individual price on a few lots.

Offers made in advance are often made to test the sellers resolve. With a well-advertised and high interest sale the chances are any offer made in advance will be bettered. In addition withdrawing/pre selling a lot can have a detrimental effect on a sale particularly if the attendees cannot be notified about the withdrawal in advance and the attendees ask why a lot is not available. In any event the offeror will often leave the bid with Kivells or attend in person. Our advice is that you have instructed Kivells so let us deal with it and remind you that if an interested party travels to the sale and the item has been withdrawn, you may be liable for expenses.

Kivells pay promptly. You will receive interim payment (s) and then a final settlement. All agreed costs are deducted in advance of the final settlement as the monies have been spent.

Yes, as it is your property. If you do so it may have a detrimental effect on the sale particularly if it is a major item that has been advertised. Remember also that you have instructed Kivells to sell this item so fees will be payable and interested parties may try to claim expenses.

Yes – all we need from you is your full VAT information and identification of what lots are not VAT applicable.

That is a common request and they can be permitted as long as they are properly supervised and all attendees in the immediate vicinity are made aware of what is happening and asked to move to a safe distance. Kivells Notice to Purchasers sets out the Buyers responsibilities in this regard.

As owner of the machinery and equipment your role is to ensure that all items for sale are laid out ready to be lotted; that all information required by Kivells to maximise the realisation and sell correctly is available; that the machinery is made safe prior to any viewing; that all keys are tagged and that the machinery is well presented.

We advise you to inform your insurer that the sale will be taking place. We need to see a copy of your insurance cover documentation. The ‘norm’ cover now is somewhere between £3 - £5million for Public Liability.

Ask them to stop and notify Kivells.

Under Kivells Terms and Conditions the buyer is responsible although they may employ a suitably qualified contractor. Should a 3rd party entry not sell then the Seller is responsible. Buyers and sellers are informed as to the times and dates when lots need to be offsite.

We assume here you are referring to portable electrical items. If our assumption is correct then we advise that there are regulations relating to the sale of such items. The regulations require that such items should be PAT tested. Our advice is that we can arrange for the tests to be undertaken ahead of the sale by a suitably qualified person /company and we will not make any charge for our time for arranging for this work to be done. The costs for the tests will probably be outweighed by the added value and the cost avoidance of otherwise probably having to scrap the items. The costs can be deducted from the sale revenue. Alternatively you can chose to arrange for this work to be done and supply the certificates. To comply with the regulations relating to untested items Kivells would have to cut the leads going into any plug.

Our advice is that there are regulations relating to the resale of upholstered furniture and unless they have fire retardant labels we are not permitted to sell them. Antique and part covered non domestic furniture can be sold but need to be seen by Kivells personnel for a final decision.

Through selling your assets you are effectively recycling some equipment that might otherwise be scrapped. Reuse or upcycling of existing equipment helps to reduce further manufacturing and the usage of increasingly scarce resources.