The free window is shorter than you think
Three to seven days after payment clears is typical. That sounds generous until you remember the title has to be processed, the carrier has to be booked and the carrier has to have a truck on your corridor. The window is counted from the sale, not from the day you got organised.
Book transport before you need it
The right moment to request a transport quote is before you bid, and the right moment to book is the day you win. Carriers are scheduled a week out in normal conditions and considerably further at the start of the year.
What collection requires
- Proof of payment in full, not just the deposit
- Photo ID matching the name on the invoice
- A release or gate pass issued by the house
- Written authorisation if a carrier is collecting on your behalf
- Your own insurance in force from the moment of release
Abandonment is a real risk
Storage charges accrue daily and, after enough of them, houses have mechanisms to recover costs — including reselling the lot. Nobody wants to use them, and a phone call explaining a delay almost always buys more room than silence does.
From the auction floor
See how this works on a real lot.
Every listing carries its inspection report, its full specification and its bid history. Read one before you decide what it is worth to you.