Refund Policy

1. Before you bid

Before bidding, you must read the Auction Terms & Conditions and review the listing carefully, including photographs, collection requirements, the buyer premium, any $200 pending cleaning hold and the facility's collection times.

Bidder accounts must contain accurate legal name and date of birth information. Winners must bring their original physical photo ID to every collection for the facility’s in-person check.

2. Auction items are sold as a job lot

Storage-unit contents are generally second-hand, unseen beyond the available listing information, and sold as a single job lot. Contents may be incomplete, damaged, of limited value or different from a bidder's expectations.

A change of mind, failure to inspect, or disappointment with the contents will not usually qualify for a refund.

3. Winning bids and buyer premiums

A winning bid is binding under the Auction Terms & Conditions. Once payment has been successfully processed, we do not ordinarily refund the winning bid or buyer premium simply because a bidder changes their mind, does not collect the goods, or is unhappy with the condition or value of the contents.

The fees disclosed before bidding and attached to that auction form part of the amount payable, as confirmed at checkout. A subsequent premium or fee increase does not change an existing published auction or winning purchase. The $200 pending cleaning hold is separate from the purchase payment.

4. Photo ID check at collection

Payment confirmation does not by itself authorise collection. The facility must sight the bidder's original physical photo ID at every collection and match the person, legal name and date of birth against the bidder account before access. Staff must not photocopy, photograph or upload the ID.

If there is a mismatch, collection is placed on hold and the bidder may contact Storage Auctions Australia to correct an innocent account error or request manual review. Auction contents must not be released while that review is unresolved.

5. Refund after unresolved identity mismatch

If a material mismatch between the bidder account and original photo ID cannot be resolved, Storage Auctions Australia may cancel the transaction and relist the auction.

In that situation, the winning-bid payment and buyer premium will be returned, less an administration fee equal to 25% of the winning bid and capped at a maximum of $25.00, to the extent permitted by law. An uncaptured $200 pending cleaning hold is released in full and is not used to pay the administration fee. Any legacy cleaning payment is refunded in full.

We may waive the administration fee for a genuine account error, a Platform issue, or another circumstance where applying the fee would be inappropriate.

6. $200 pending cleaning holds, releases and charges

For auctions created from 6 October 2026, the $200 pending cleaning hold is fixed at $200 AUD. Before collection, the buyer authorises a separate temporary $200 credit-card hold through Stripe. It is separate from the winning bid and buyer premium. The hold may appear as pending and reduce available credit; it is not an upfront payment or cash payment received or held by Storage Auctions Australia or the seller.

After collection, the seller inspects the unit. If it is completely cleared and left in the required condition, the seller approves release of the full hold. If reasonable cleaning or rubbish-removal costs arise from the buyer failing to meet the collection requirements, the seller records the reason, supporting photos and the amount to charge, up to $200. Stripe captures only the approved cleaning charge and releases the unused balance. The seller is responsible for the inspection and claim; Storage Auctions Australia facilitates the recorded release or charge through Stripe.

Card authorisations expire. The current expiry is shown in the collection workflow. If the hold expires before collection, the buyer must renew the $200 Stripe authorisation before access is provided. A cleaning charge must be processed while the authorisation remains valid; an expired hold cannot be charged. Your card issuer determines when a released pending hold disappears or available credit is restored.

For a disputed cleaning charge, contact the seller and Storage Auctions Australia support with the auction details and evidence. Nothing in these terms excludes your statutory rights or permits an unsupported cleaning charge. Previously completed auctions and legacy cleaning payments remain subject to their recorded amounts and applicable terms.

7. When another refund may be considered

A refund or payment reversal may be considered where there has been a duplicate payment, a technical payment error, an unauthorised transaction, a material listing error, or another issue that requires a remedy under applicable law.

Refund decisions depend on the particular circumstances. We may ask for evidence, including payment records, photographs, messages or other relevant information.

8. Problems with an auction, identity check or collection

For an identity-check issue, contact Storage Auctions Australia through our Contact page. For a physical collection or item-condition issue, first contact the storage facility using the details provided for the auction.

9. Australian Consumer Law

Nothing in this Refund Policy is intended to exclude, restrict or modify any rights or remedies that cannot lawfully be excluded under the Australian Consumer Law or other applicable law.

10. Policy changes

We may update this policy for future transactions and will publish its effective date. Material changes that adversely affect existing users will be notified at least 30 days in advance by email or a prominent account notice. Updates do not retrospectively reduce refund rights for existing transactions or override statutory rights. Future premium and fee changes follow section 6A of the Auction Terms & Conditions, including notice and protection for existing auctions.