Is private treaty slower than auction?
It can be. An auction has a fixed date and the sale is over within weeks. A private treaty sale continues until a buyer is found and a price agreed, which may be quicker if a buyer is already known, or slower if the market for that asset is thin. If you have a hard deadline, tell us. We may recommend a sale by auction with a reserve instead, or run private treaty for a set period and then auction.
This question comes up in
A negotiated direct sale for a single high value machine or a situation where an open auction is the wrong route.
Related questions
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- Auction or private treaty: which route to choose
Auction gives you a fixed date and an open market. Private treaty gives you a negotiated price and privacy. This guide sets out when each route suits, what you give up with each, and why many sales use both.
- What happens to unsold lots
Not every lot sells, but the site still has to be cleared. This guide covers why lots go unsold, private treaty after the sale, lowering or removing the reserve, a later sale, scrap and WEEE recycling, and what disposal costs.
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