
HELP CENTRE
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about bidding, winning, collecting storage-unit contents and selling units through Storage Auctions Australia.
Buying
For bidders
Bids, fees, winning, collection and automatic bidding.
SellingFor sellers & facilities
Listings, debt reporting, collection and payouts.
Bidder help
For bidders
What am I bidding on?+
Storage-unit auctions are sold as a job lot. Your bid is for the contents of the unit as a whole, not individual items. Unless the auction states otherwise, items are sold as is, where is, based on the listing, photographs and information supplied by the seller.
Who is responsible for selling the contents of a storage unit?+
The storage facility or seller is responsible for the decision and legal authority to sell or dispose of the unit contents. Storage Auctions Australia provides the online auction marketplace and does not determine whether a seller is legally entitled to sell particular goods.
Are there fees in addition to my winning bid?+
Yes. A 17.5% buyer's premium is added to the winning bid. An auction may also require a separate cleaning deposit. The amounts payable are shown before payment so you can see the total.
What is the cleaning deposit?+
The cleaning deposit helps ensure the unit is completely cleared and left in the required condition. After collection, the facility records the outcome. Depending on the condition of the unit, the deposit may be refunded, partially retained or retained in accordance with the auction terms.
Can I bid on any auction?+
You need an eligible bidder account and must comply with the platform and auction requirements. A facility cannot bid on its own auctions. Always check the location, collection requirements and auction-specific terms before bidding.
Can I remove or cancel a bid?+
No. A bid is a commitment to purchase if you win. Take care when entering both normal bids and maximum bids. If you believe there has been a genuine account or technical problem, contact us promptly, but do not assume a bid can be withdrawn.
What happens when I win an auction?+
The winning bidder is shown the result in their account and receives the relevant payment and collection instructions. Complete payment through the platform, follow any identity-verification requirements, and use the collection details shown for that auction.
How long do I have to collect the contents?+
Collection requirements can vary. The applicable collection period and available collection windows are shown for the auction. Successful bidders should arrange collection promptly and follow the facility's instructions rather than assuming a standard 72-hour period applies to every auction.
Can I get a refund if I change my mind or do not like the contents?+
Storage-unit auctions are generally final sales of a job lot on an as-is, where-is basis. A change of mind or discovering that an item is worth less than expected does not normally create a right to a refund. Your statutory rights under Australian law are not excluded.
What if I do not want all the items in the unit?+
Winning the auction means taking responsibility for the entire job lot. You must remove or appropriately dispose of all contents in accordance with the facility's collection requirements. Leaving unwanted goods behind can affect your cleaning deposit.
What should I do with personal items I find?+
Documents, photographs and other obviously personal items should not simply be discarded. Contact the selling facility and follow its instructions for returning or handling them.
Why can an auction disappear before it closes?+
A seller may be entitled to cancel an auction before completion, including where the storage customer resolves the matter or the facility can no longer proceed with the sale. If an auction is cancelled, it is no longer available for bidding.
What does a soft close mean?+
Storage Auctions Australia uses anti-sniping. If a qualifying bid is placed near the scheduled closing time, the auction close is automatically extended by 2 minutes. Further qualifying late bids can extend it again. This gives other bidders a fair opportunity to respond instead of allowing a last-second bid to end the auction immediately.
What is maximum or automatic bidding?+
You can set the maximum amount you are prepared to pay. The system then bids for you only as required to keep you in front, up to that maximum. Your maximum is not automatically offered as the current bid.
What happens when two bidders use maximum bidding?+
The bidding engine compares the competing maximums and advances the current bid according to the auction's bidding rules. The bidder with the stronger maximum remains ahead unless another valid bid overtakes it. Because competing maximums can be close together, the displayed bid can move by more than one normal increment.
Can I change my maximum bid?+
You can increase your maximum bid while the auction remains open. A maximum bid already relied upon by the bidding system cannot simply be reduced to undo bidding that has occurred.
What if the description, photos or contents do not seem right?+
If you notice a concern before bidding, do not bid until you are comfortable with the listing. If you have won and identify a material issue at collection, raise it with the facility before removing the goods and contact Storage Auctions Australia if platform support is required.
Seller help
For sellers & facilities
Who is legally responsible for the decision to sell a unit?+
The seller/facility is responsible for ensuring it has the legal right to sell or dispose of the unit contents and for complying with applicable legislation, agreements, notices and procedures. Storage Auctions Australia provides the auction platform; it does not replace the facility's legal compliance process.
What information should I include in an auction?+
Provide clear photographs, an accurate description, unit size and access information, collection availability and any relevant auction terms. The optional Appears to contain list can help bidders understand visible contents. Do not make guarantees about items you have not verified.
Can I hide the unit number?+
Yes. The seller can choose whether the physical unit number is displayed publicly. When it is hidden, Storage Auctions Australia retains the real unit number internally while bidders see that the unit number has been withheld by the seller.
What is the outstanding tenant debt field for?+
Outstanding tenant debt is an internal seller field and is not displayed to bidders. It feeds the seller performance reporting so facilities can compare the amount owing on auctioned units with completed auction sale values and monitor debt recovery performance.
What happens when my auction closes?+
The platform finalises the auction according to its bidding and reserve rules. Sold auctions then move through winner payment, any required identity checks, collection and cleaning-deposit processing before the facility payout becomes eligible.
When do I receive the auction proceeds?+
Seller payouts are not simply released at the instant bidding closes. The successful bidder must pay, collection must be completed, the cleaning-deposit outcome must be finalised and the facility's payout account must be ready. Eligible funds are then processed to the configured Stripe Connect payout destination.
Is there a seller's premium?+
Storage Auctions Australia's current auction checkout uses a 17.5% buyer's premium. Do not rely on fee structures from other auction platforms. Any applicable seller pricing or commercial terms are the terms agreed with Storage Auctions Australia.
Can I cancel an auction?+
Facilities can cancel an auction where permitted by the platform and their legal process. Once bids or other auction activity exist, cancellation should only be used for a legitimate reason. The platform records the cancellation and can notify affected bidders.
How does the cleaning-deposit decision work?+
After the successful bidder collects the unit, the facility completes the collection/handover process and records the unit condition. The cleaning deposit can then be refunded, partially retained or retained as supported by the circumstances and platform workflow.
What if I have a problem with an auction or winning bidder?+
Use the seller account to check the auction, payment, identity and collection status first. For anything that cannot be resolved through the normal workflow, contact our support team and include the auction number, facility name and unit reference.
Still have a question?
If the answer is not here, send our support team the auction number, facility or unit reference where relevant.
Contact supportAuction terms