Collection and Transport After You Win: Moving Vans, HGVs and Machinery

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Key points

• Plan and price collection before you bid. Email us the lot number and your postcode and we can obtain a no-obligation transport quotation while bidding is still open. Collection and transport remain your responsibility unless separately agreed.
• After you win we raise a manual invoice covering the hammer price, the buyer's premium, any applicable internet surcharge and all applicable VAT. Payment must be made in full by bank transfer within 24 hours of receiving the invoice.
• We do not take card payments. An export VAT deposit may be required where you are buying to export, and registration requirements vary by bidding platform.
• Payment to the vendor is ordinarily arranged within 24 hours of us receiving cleared buyer funds, and collection is authorised afterwards.
• Collection is by prior appointment with the vendor. Do not arrive without a confirmed collection time, and remember loading equipment and assistance are not guaranteed: establish before bidding who loads, with what, and at what cost.
• Storage provisions: a five-day grace period, storage charges from day six at the vendor's request, and a lot not paid for or collected within 20 days may be treated as abandoned with no refund. Check what applies to that sale.
• You must give accurate weights and dimensions, but the appointed transport operator remains responsible for the correct vehicle, route, permits and any abnormal-load notifications.
• The point at which risk passes is governed by our auction terms. Insure from that point, and check your haulier's liability, which may be limited by their contract, insurance terms or an applicable transport convention.
• Vehicle tax does not transfer to the buyer. Trade plates do not replace a valid MOT, roadworthiness or insurance, and may only be used under DVLA rules for permitted motor-trade purposes.

Quick answer

Price collection before you bid, not after you win. When you win a lot we raise a manual invoice covering the hammer price, the buyer's premium, any applicable internet surcharge and all applicable VAT, and payment must be made in full by bank transfer within 24 hours of receiving the invoice, in accordance with our auction terms. Goods are released once payment has cleared. The stock is still at the seller's site, so collection is by prior appointment with the vendor inside the removal deadline stated in that sale's terms. Email us the lot number and your postcode and we can obtain a no-obligation transport quotation while bidding is still open.

What happens after the hammer falls, and when can you collect?

You win the lot, we raise a manual invoice, and you settle it in full by bank transfer within 24 hours of receiving it. Payment to the vendor is ordinarily arranged within 24 hours of us receiving cleared buyer funds, and collection is authorised afterwards. Collection is then booked by prior appointment with the vendor, inside the removal deadline set out in that sale's terms.

1. The lot closes. Lots close at staggered published times, and where a valid bid is placed during a lot's final ten minutes that lot receives a ten-minute extension, so a lot can run past its originally published end time.
2. We invoice you. A manual invoice covering the hammer price, the buyer's premium and any applicable internet surcharge stated on that lot's Additional Fees tab, plus all applicable VAT.
3. You pay by bank transfer. In full, within 24 hours of receiving the invoice, in accordance with our auction terms. Allow for your bank's cut-off times, because nothing is released against a payment still in flight.
4. Funds clear and the vendor is paid. Payment to the vendor is ordinarily arranged within 24 hours of us receiving cleared buyer funds.
5. Collection is authorised. You or your haulier attend the vendor's premises at a confirmed appointment, inside the removal deadline.

The sequence is the same whether you have bought a tipper from our commercial vehicle auctions or a tracked excavator from a plant sale. What changes is the last step, and that is the one most buyers leave until they have committed.

On deposits: we do not take card payments, and there is no card-processing charge. Registration requirements vary by bidding platform, so check the platform you are bidding on. An export VAT deposit may be required where you are buying to export, equal to the VAT due on the lot, so if that applies to you it is a real cashflow line.

Nothing is released for collection until the bank transfer has cleared and the vendor has been paid.

Where do you collect from, and why is the lot still at the seller's site?

You collect from the seller's premises, not from a UAG holding yard. Stock never leaves the seller's site until it is sold and paid for, and the vendor is paid before anything moves. That protects the seller, and it shapes your planning: the address, the opening hours, the yard surface, the gate width and the loading kit all belong to the vendor, and your transport fits around them.

Collection is by prior appointment with the vendor, and you or your haulier must not arrive without a confirmed collection time. A vendor's yard is a working site, collection instructions are set by the vendor, and collection may be refused where no appointment has been made. So the practical questions are site questions, worth asking before you bid. Viewing is strictly by prior appointment and is strongly recommended, which is the moment to look at the access, not only the asset.

Loading equipment and assistance at the vendor's site are not guaranteed. Before you bid, establish who is responsible for loading, what equipment is available, who will operate it, and whether any charge applies. A machine that has to be lifted at a yard with no crane or telehandler becomes a second logistics problem after you have already committed to buy it.

• Invoice raised. Who handles it: We do. What it means for your planning: Hammer price, buyer's premium, any applicable internet surcharge and VAT. Bank transfer only, no card payments.
• Payment cleared. Who handles it: You. What it means for your planning: In full within 24 hours of receiving the invoice. Nothing is released against uncleared funds.
• Vendor paid. Who handles it: We pay the vendor. What it means for your planning: Ordinarily within 24 hours of us receiving cleared buyer funds.
• Collection authorised. Who handles it: We confirm. What it means for your planning: Your haulier needs the release details and a confirmed appointment.
• Loading at the yard. Who handles it: Agreed in advance. What it means for your planning: Not guaranteed. Establish before bidding who loads, with what, and at what cost.
• Removal deadline. Who handles it: You. What it means for your planning: Stated in each sale's terms. Read it before you bid.

How long do you have to collect, and what happens if you miss the deadline?

Every sale states its own removal deadline, so check it before you bid rather than after you win. Under our terms a grace period of five days applies to collection, storage charges may be applied from day six at the vendor's request, and a lot that is not paid for or collected within 20 days may be treated as abandoned, with ownership transferring to us and no refund issued. Check the provisions applicable to that sale, because collection dates can be set per auction and per lot.

Storage is charged per lot per day, so it accumulates on every lot you have left behind rather than on the collection as a whole, and storage charges must be settled before any lot is released. Do not assume you can negotiate an extension once the deadline has passed: the vendor may be clearing the premises to a lease end, an administrator's timetable or a landlord's date, and the space may already be committed.

Leaving the transport booking until after you win is the most common reason buyers run out of time. Low-loaders and plant lorries get booked out, and specialist movers further out still. If collection will be tight, tell us before the auction ends.

How do you find out what transport will cost before you bid?

Email us the lot number and your delivery postcode and we can obtain a no-obligation transport quotation before the auction ends. Collection and transport remain your responsibility unless separately agreed, so you are free to arrange your own haulier instead. The point of asking early is that you get the transport figure while you are still deciding your maximum bid, so you bid on the delivered cost rather than the hammer price.

• Lot number and sale. So the weight, dimensions and location can be checked.
• Your delivery postcode. The full postcode, because rural and industrial estate addresses change the price.
• Whether you can offload. If you have no forklift, telehandler or hard standing at your end, say so now.
• Access limits at your yard. Narrow entrance, low bridge, weight restriction, height barrier, turning circle.
• Your timing. A firm date usually costs more than a flexible one, and back-loading on an existing run usually costs less.

Illustrative haulage figures only. Costs vary by sale, lot, weight, access, operator and date flexibility.

The pattern matters more than the numbers. Distance tends to move the price steadily, while weight tends to move it in steps, because a step change in weight can change the vehicle and the operator needed. Avoid fixed assumptions about how any particular lot will move: whether a van travels alongside other vehicles or on its own, and whether a heavy machine needs a dedicated low-loader, depends on the load, the route, what is available and the operator's own assessment.

Should you drive it away, trailer it yourself, or book a haulier?

Drive it away only if the vehicle is road legal and insured before it moves. Use your own trailer or plant lorry if you have the towing capacity, the licence and the loading kit. Book a haulier for anything heavy, unregistered, non-running or awkward, and for anything you cannot lawfully move on the road yourself. The right answer changes lot by lot, not buyer by buyer.

• Drive it away. When it makes sense: Road-legal van, truck or tractor unit, short to medium distance. What it needs: Insurance in force, tax arranged, a valid MOT where one is required, fuel, fluids, the right licence.
• Your own plant trailer. When it makes sense: Mini excavator, dumper, small workshop plant. What it needs: Towing entitlement, plated capacity, ramps, straps and chains.
• Your own beavertail. When it makes sense: Regular buyer moving mid-weight plant on your own schedule. What it needs: Operator licence where it applies, payload headroom, winch, lashing points.
• Third-party haulier. When it makes sense: One-off moves, long distance, non-runners, anything you cannot drive. What it needs: Confirmed appointment at both ends, release details, offloading arranged.
• Specialist heavy haulage. When it makes sense: Excavators, cranes, machine tools, anything over normal limits. What it needs: Suitable trailer, route planning, abnormal load notifications by the operator.
• Container for export. When it makes sense: Overseas buyers, groupage or full container loads. What it needs: Packing and lashing, container access, port booking, export documents.

Trucks change the answer again. Driving-licence entitlement, tachograph obligations and operator-licensing requirements depend on the vehicle, the journey being undertaken and whether any exemption applies, so check the position for that specific vehicle and that specific trip rather than assuming a general rule. Our guide to buying HGVs and trucks at auction covers what to read in the listing first.

What do you need in place before you drive an auction vehicle away?

Insurance in force before the wheels turn, tax arranged, and a valid MOT where one is required. Trade plates do not replace the requirement for a valid MOT or for the vehicle to be roadworthy, except where a specific statutory exemption applies, and they do not replace insurance. Then the basics that strand people: fuel, oil, coolant, a battery with charge, tyres with air in them and a key that works. Check first whether driving away is even an option, because plenty of auction vehicles are unregistered for road use or are not roadworthy.

• Insurance. Cover in force from the moment the vehicle moves on a public road, in your name or your business's, with the registration on the policy. Trade plates do not provide insurance.
• Vehicle tax. Vehicle tax does not transfer to the buyer, so it does not come with the vehicle. You are responsible for arranging tax, or for lawful trade-plate use, before driving on a public road.
• MOT and roadworthiness. Check the MOT position against the registration before collection day. Trade plates are not a substitute for a valid MOT or for roadworthiness unless a specific statutory exemption applies.
• Trade plates. They may only be used in accordance with DVLA rules and for permitted motor-trade purposes. Know the conditions attached and carry the paperwork.
• Fuel and fluids. Vehicles that have stood on a yard for weeks are usually near empty, often flat, sometimes dry.
• Registration status. Some plant, ex-utility and specialist vehicles were never registered for road use. Ask before you bid.

Build these checks into the bid rather than the collection. Our guide to buying commercial vehicles and ex-fleet vans at auction covers reading a listing before you commit. On vehicles we may conduct a basic vehicle data check. This is not a title guarantee or substitute for the buyer's own enquiries, so carry out your own finance and title checks before bidding.

How do you move plant and machinery, and will the lorry get in at both ends?

Start with two numbers, weight and dimensions. They shape the trailer, the trailer shapes the price, and the dimensions decide whether the load may be abnormal. Then answer one question: does it start and drive onto the trailer, or does it need a winch or a crane? After that it is access, and access has to work at the seller's yard and at yours.

Weight and dimensions shape the trailer choice. Whether it starts and drives on decides how long loading takes.

A beavertail can suit mid-weight plant that drives up its own ramps. A low-loader takes tracked machines and heavier plant on a lower deck. A step-frame or extendable trailer handles long or tall items where headroom under bridges is the constraint. If the machine will not start the mover needs a winch, and if it cannot be winched safely it needs lifting, which is a different job with duties attached. Which of those applies to your lot is for the transport operator to determine, not for you to assume.

• Ground conditions. Soft ground and unmade yards stop artics before they reach the machine. Hard standing at both ends saves a wasted journey.
• Overhead obstructions. Power lines, gantries, canopies and door heights. A machine with a boom is taller loaded than it looks parked.
• Access at your end. Gate width, turning circle, weight restrictions on the approach, and whether a large artic can physically get in and back out.
• Attachments and loose parts. Buckets, forks and counterweights travel separately or bolted down, and they count towards the weight.

See the stock this applies to on our plant machinery auctions page, and our guide to buying used excavators and telehandlers at auction for assessing the machines themselves.

What are the rules on abnormal loads, lifting and load security?

Loads exceeding normal width, length or weight limits are abnormal loads, and moving them carries notification duties to the police, highway authorities and bridge or structure owners, with notice periods that vary by category. You must provide accurate weights and dimensions, but the appointed transport operator remains responsible for determining the correct vehicle, the route, any permits and any abnormal-load notifications. Loading and lifting must be planned and performed by competent parties using suitable equipment, with responsibility agreed in advance between you, the vendor and the haulier.

Your part is accurate information: real weight, real dimensions with any attachment fitted, and honest access at both ends. An operator who arrives to find the machine two tonnes heavier than described cannot lawfully take it, and your removal deadline is still running. Agree in writing, before collection day, who is lifting, who is providing the lifting equipment and who is operating it.

Load security is where buyers moving their own kit get caught. Straps and chains have rated capacities, lashing points have limits, and a machine that shifts on a trailer is a prohibition notice and a real danger. Lifting equipment must be suitable, thoroughly examined and used by competent people. If you are new to towing plant, have the loading planned and watched by someone who is not.

Who carries the risk in transit, and what changes if you are exporting?

The point at which risk passes to you is governed by our applicable auction terms, so read them for the sale you are bidding in and arrange suitable insurance from that point rather than from arrival. Check what your haulier's liability actually covers: liability may be limited by the haulier's contract, their insurance terms or an applicable transport convention, and that is not the same as insuring the machine for its value. Exporting adds lead time and paperwork.

Ask your broker to note the asset from the point risk passes under the terms, and ask your haulier for their goods in transit limit per consignment. Above that limit, the gap is yours.

We are EORI registered. That does not mean we act as the exporter, the customs agent, the packer or the transport provider: our terms confirm we do not arrange shipping or export documentation. Export arrangements remain your responsibility and are subject to the destination, the type of asset, sanctions, export controls, customs documentation and port requirements. On an export sale the VAT is charged as a refundable deposit, the evidence period stated in our terms is 28 days from the date of invoice, and the refund is subject to acceptable proof of export and compliance with our auction terms. VAT on the buyer's premium is not refundable in any circumstances.

Tell us you are exporting before the sale so the documentation and the timings are set up while there is time. Port cut-offs catch people out, and the removal deadline at the vendor's yard does not move to suit the next sailing. If a container cannot get onto the seller's site the lot may need to go to a packing depot first, which is a second haulage leg, so ask about container access when you ask for the transport quotation.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Bidding first and pricing transport afterwards. Email us the lot number and your postcode while bidding is open, then bid on the delivered cost including the premium, the surcharge and VAT.
• Assuming you can drive it home. Many auction vehicles are unregistered for road use or not roadworthy, tax does not transfer with the vehicle, and insurance must be in force before it moves.
• Treating trade plates as a substitute for an MOT or insurance. They are neither, and they may only be used under DVLA rules for permitted motor-trade purposes.
• Guessing the weight and dimensions. The wrong vehicle turns up, the load may be abnormal, and the operator cannot lawfully take it.
• Assuming loading help will be there. Loading equipment and assistance are not guaranteed. Establish before bidding who loads, with what, and at what cost.
• Leaving the removal deadline to the last day. Hauliers get booked out, storage runs per lot per day, and a lot uncollected for 20 days may be treated as abandoned.

About this guide, and where to check the terms

Last reviewed 5 August 2026. This guide is general information for trade buyers and is not legal, tax or transport-compliance advice. The terms of the individual sale govern the lot, so check them before you bid, and take advice from your insurer, your haulier and your customs agent where the position matters.

• Auction terms and conditions. Payment, collection, storage, delivery, risk and export provisions in full: universalauctionsgroup.com/terms-and-conditions.
• Payment deadline. Bank transfer only, in full, within 24 hours of receiving the invoice: account and invoicing terms.
• Collection arrangements and storage provisions. Collection by prior appointment, the grace period, the daily storage charge per lot and the 20-day abandonment provision are set out in the auction terms.
• Transport quotations. We can obtain a no-obligation transport quotation on a lot. Send the lot number and your postcode: contact us.
• Export requirements. The VAT deposit, the evidence required and the 28-day period are in the auction terms.
• Current sales. Commercial vehicle auctions and plant machinery auctions.

Universal Auctions Group Ltd, registered in England and Wales, company number 14944658. Registered office: First Floor Office 3, Hornton Place, London W8 4LZ. Telephone +44 (0) 330 332 5232. Email info@universalauctions.group. Universal Auctions Group Ltd acts solely as auctioneer and agent for the vendor and is not a party to the contract of sale, which is formed between the vendor and the successful bidder. We do not offer delivery, and collection and transport remain the buyer's responsibility unless separately agreed.

Frequently asked questions

How do I pay for a lot I have won?

By bank transfer, in full, within 24 hours of receiving the invoice, in accordance with our auction terms. The invoice covers the hammer price, the buyer's premium and any applicable internet surcharge stated on that lot's Additional Fees tab, plus all applicable VAT. We do not accept cash, cheques or card payments. Goods are released for collection only once payment has cleared. Note that an export VAT deposit may be required where you are buying to export.

Where do I collect the lot from?

From the seller's premises. Stock never leaves the vendor's site until it is sold and paid for, so collection is arranged at their yard, on their opening hours, using their access, and the collection instructions are set by the vendor. Collection is by prior appointment and may be refused if no appointment has been made. Loading equipment and assistance are not guaranteed, so before you bid establish who is responsible for loading, what equipment is available, who will operate it and whether any charge applies.

How long do I have to collect after paying?

Each sale states its own removal deadline, so read it before you bid. Under our terms a grace period of five days applies, storage charges may be applied from day six at the vendor's request, and a lot not paid for or collected within 20 days may be treated as abandoned, with ownership transferring to us and no refund issued. Storage is charged per lot per day and must be settled before any lot is released. Check the provisions applicable to that sale, because collection dates can be set per auction and per lot.

Can you quote me for transport before I bid?

Yes. Email us the lot number and your delivery postcode and we can obtain a no-obligation transport quotation before the auction ends, so you know the figure while you are still setting your maximum bid. Collection and transport remain your responsibility unless separately agreed, so you are free to use your own haulier. Tell us whether you can offload at your end and flag any access limits, because a narrow entrance, a low bridge or soft ground changes the vehicle needed.

Can I drive an auction vehicle away myself?

Only if it is road legal and insured before it moves. Vehicle tax does not transfer to the buyer, so you are responsible for arranging tax or lawful trade-plate use before driving on a public road. Trade plates do not replace the requirement for a valid MOT or for the vehicle to be roadworthy, except where a specific statutory exemption applies, and they do not replace insurance: they may only be used in accordance with DVLA rules and for permitted motor-trade purposes. Many auction vehicles are unregistered for road use or are not roadworthy, so read the listing and ask before you bid.

What licence and tachograph rules apply if I collect an HGV?

It depends on the vehicle, the journey and whether any exemption applies. Driving-licence entitlement, tachograph obligations and operator-licensing requirements all vary with the vehicle category, its weight, what it is being used for and the nature of the trip, so check the position for that specific vehicle and journey rather than assuming a general rule. Where you are unsure, move it on a transporter instead.

Who is responsible for choosing the right transport and handling abnormal loads?

You must provide accurate weights and dimensions, including any attachment fitted. The appointed transport operator remains responsible for determining the correct vehicle, the route, any permits and any abnormal-load notifications. Loading and lifting must be planned and performed by competent parties using suitable equipment, with responsibility agreed in advance between you, the vendor and the haulier.

Who carries the risk in transit?

The point at which risk passes to you is governed by our applicable auction terms, so read them for the sale you are bidding in and arrange suitable insurance from that point rather than from arrival. Check what your haulier's liability covers as well: it may be limited by the haulier's contract, their insurance terms or an applicable transport convention, and that is not the same as insuring the asset for its value. Ask for their goods in transit limit per consignment.

What changes if I am exporting the lot?

Lead time and paperwork. We are EORI registered, but that does not mean we act as the exporter, the customs agent, the packer or the transport provider, and our terms confirm we do not arrange shipping or export documentation. Export arrangements remain your responsibility and are subject to the destination, the type of asset, sanctions, export controls, customs documentation and port requirements. The VAT is charged as a refundable deposit, the evidence period stated in our terms is 28 days from the date of invoice, and the refund is subject to acceptable proof of export and compliance with our auction terms. VAT on the buyer's premium is not refundable.

Sources and references

1. Lifting equipment at work (LOLER) · HSE, 2026 https://www.hse.gov.uk/work-equipment-machinery/loler.htm
2. Load securing: vehicle operator guidance · DVSA / GOV.UK, 2026 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/load-securing-vehicle-operator-guidance
3. Get an EORI number · GOV.UK, 2026 https://www.gov.uk/eori
4. Universal Auctions Group terms and conditions · Universal Auctions Group Ltd, 2026 https://www.universalauctionsgroup.com/terms-and-conditions

We run timed online, trade-only auctions of commercial vehicles, plant and business assets you can bid on from anywhere, with stock staying on the seller's site until it is sold and paid for. Email us the lot number and your postcode before the auction ends and we can obtain a no-obligation transport quotation. Collection and transport remain the buyer's responsibility unless separately agreed.

View current commercial vehicle auctions

Universal Auctions Group · EORI registered and export-ready · no seller fees, UK-wide collection. This article is general information for trade buyers and sellers and is not financial, tax or legal advice.