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Auctioneers are back once again holding outdoor auctions. Indoor auctions halted after the whole country was placed under Level 3 restrictions on Wednesday 7 October. The restrictions are due to operate for three weeks which would bring them to Tuesday 27 October. However, these dates are subject to review by the Government and could change. Auctioneers will be hoping that the restrictions are eased at that point.
There was some uncertainty about what exactly is or is not allowed under Level 3. Most auctioneers interpreted the rules as barring all organised indoor events, including auctions. Others believed it placed a ceiling of six on the numbers that could attend an indoor auction – which makes them impractical anyway.
Level 3 – and so too Level 4 – allows up to 15 people attend an outdoor event. Most auctioneers are planning to proceeding with outdoor sales on this basis. Should the country be placed under the toughest of restrictions (Level 5), no organised outdoor events are allowed.
We just got the contracts signed and the heavens opened
Meanwhile, auctioneers have been quick to adapt to Level 3. A number of auctions have been held or rescheduled to be held on the property for sale. Some auctioneers are holding auctions in a cattle mart premises.
At least one auctioneer held an auction in his own car park – which is large. “We just got the contracts signed and the heavens opened,” he said.
That makes the point that weather will start being an issue from here on for outdoor events, with temperatures dropping and plenty of showers.
Another auctioneer noted that restricting the attendance to 15 could be difficult: “How do you stop people turning up?”
For this reason auctioneers are insisting that anyone interested in a property registers with the auctioneer’s office well in advance of the sale event. This is to allow them meet their obligations to control numbers attending.
Auctioneers can continue to have meetings in their offices with clients but must limit the number of people in the room to six and the clients must be from the same household.
There is some concern that potential bidders may not be willing to cross the county boundary.
It’s likely that most potential buyers will regard travelling to view or bid on a farm as essential work travel
The rules state that for Level 3 people should stay in their own county except for “work, education and essential purposes”. It’s likely that most potential buyers will regard travelling to view or bid on a farm as essential work travel.
Finally, some auctioneers are concerned that sellers may decide to postpone a sale. A lot of farm sales were postponed and even cancelled during the lockdown of last spring. There was a sharp upturn in the number of properties put on the market once those first restrictions eased.
The problem now is that we’re coming to the natural end of the season so any postponing of sales would not be welcomed.
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