Havering Council requires auction premises to be registered with the Council. They need to be licensed.
The Greater London Council (General Powers) Act 1984 gives local authorities in London the power to licence premises (including stalls) where the sale of goods by competitive betting takes place.
The Council may set out conditions which auction houses must comply with, relating to matters such as public safety, fire prevention and lighting.
Fees
Contact Trading Standards to confirm the current fee.
Apply for an auction house licence
Notify us about an auction
General guidance notes
'Prescribed articles' means any plate, plated articles, linen, china, glass, books, prints, furniture, jewellery, articles of household or personal use or ornament or any musical or scientific instrument or apparatus
'Sale of goods by way of competitive bidding' means any sale of prescribed articles at which the persons present, or some of them are invited to buy articles by way of competitive bidding, references to selling goods by way of competitive bidding shall be construed so and 'competitive bidding' includes any mode of sale whereby prospective purchasers may be enabled to compete for the purchase of articles, whether by way of increasing bids or by the offer of articles to be bid for at successively decreasing prices or otherwise
'Stall' includes any stand, marquee, tent, vehicle (whether mobile or not) site or pitch from which prescribed articles are sold.
Requirement to register
Subject to a few special cases (see 'Exemptions' below) it is now an offence to sell or permit the sale of goods by way of competitive bidding:
- on premises in any London borough which are not registered under this part of the act
- on premises which are so registered, but in breach of a condition upon which they are so registered
- from a stall which is not registered under this part of this act with the borough council
- from a stall which is so registered, but in breach of a condition upon which it is registered
Application notes
Application should be made by either the occupier or the proposed occupier/user of the premises.
The attached application form should be used and should be accompanied by £310 registration fee.
The registration remains effective for as long as the occupier/proposed occupier remains the same.
No annual renewal is necessary.
Grounds for refusing registration
The Council may refuse to register certain premises if the premises (or stall) are considered unsuitable for conducting the sale of goods by competitive bidding or the application/occupier is considered unsuitable.
Exemptions
Exempt from registration are:
- any sales where no substantial part of the sale goods are brought onto the premises
- any sales wholly for the purpose of assisting the funds of a voluntary organisation
Note A - Please provide details of any convictions for offences in connection with the supply of goods or services or unfair trading practices
Note B - Please give details of whereabouts on the premises the sale will take place
Note C - Please give details of the person who will be conducting the sale if not the applicant
The application should be signed by an individual, or every partner for a partnership, or the company secretary for a limited company.