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Frequently answered questions

Have a problem? You might find the answer here. If not, contact us and we'll be happy to help.

How do I register?

Registering for your auction account is easy - just follow the five easy steps below: Registration diagram

Fields marked * must be filled in, you can also save your details and return later.

Once you submit your application, we'll need to check the ID you've submitted. We'll send you an email once this is complete - after that, you're ready to bid. Remember, you can’t have duplicate accounts: if you have an existing account which you can’t access, please get in touch.

How much does it cost to register?

An auction account costs £70 (+ VAT) for 1 year’s subscription.

Duplicate accounts may be charged the annual fee and not be authorised to bid, so do make sure you haven’t registered already.

What identification do I need?

We need to see some identification to confirm who you are. You can now do this online – look out for an email request from us, which contains a link to upload your documents.

If you are a sole trader, the ID we require is:
  • Driving licence photocard

and one of the following bills/statements:

  • Current utility bill in your name (e.g. electricity, phone bill)
  • Council tax bill
  • Bank, credit card or Inland Revenue statement
If you are a Ltd company, we require the ID listed above and one of the following:
  • Business bank statement dated in the last 3 months
  • VAT Registration Certificate
  • Certificate of Incorporation (if a Ltd company)
  • Company letterhead with director details

If you are not a director or proprietor, we require a letter of authority signed by a director, both partners or the proprietor.

If you have any questions, please feel free to get in touch.

How do I change my personal details?

If you need to change your personal details, you can do this within the ‘Account’ pages. You’ll need to resubmit proof of identity which corresponds with the personal data change (your new address, for example).

Am I eligible to register?

Yes, so long as you aren’t registered already. Anyone can register on our auction, but please note that all items sold on the auction are trade sales, suitable for members of the motor trade only. All registrations are submitted on a trade basis.

What is a salvage vehicle?

Most vehicles on our auction have been subject to an insurance claim. That could mean they’ve been stolen, been involved in a collision or natural disaster.

When a vehicle is damaged, it’s assessed by a qualified inspector who decides whether it’s repaired or written off based on the cost of repair. Insurance write-offs are thoroughly inspected and categorised before they reach us. We’re always upfront about write-off categories and share as much detail as we can about vehicle damage.

Here’s what the categories mean:

Category N vehicles have been written off by the insurer as it was uneconomical to repair, but these have not suffered structural damage. The vehicle's structural frame or chassis did not suffer any damage. There may be other things to consider, such as whether parts are easily available.

Category S vehicles have suffered structural damage and been written off by the insurer as it was uneconomical to repair. This damage could be to any part of the vehicle's structural frame, including the chassis.

Category B are not sold by SYNETIQ. These vehicles can’t be repaired safely but can be ‘broken down’ into useable parts before the shell is crushed. You can find parts from breaking vehicles here.

Category A vehicles are crushed and scrapped with no parts are removed. A typical Cat A vehicle may have been on fire or significantly damaged.

There are two more categories you might see in our auction. These vehicles aren’t insurance write-offs and are HPI clear, which means they have no record of being damaged.

Category X vehicles are unrecorded on HPI and may be dealer disposal, stolen recovered, police seizure and/or have light damage.

Category U means no damage has been recorded by an insurance company - these vehicles may be private entry, or the driver may not have been covered by their insurance.

How do I use the auction features?

We’ve designed tools and features to help you get the best out of our auction. You’ll need to be signed in to access them. Read on for more on how they work:

Watch

Never lose a listing again… Use the 'Watch' page to keep track of vehicles which interest you most. Just click the ‘watch’ button, which can be found within each listing or when viewing pages of vehicles. You can watch as many as you like; vehicles you bid on are added automatically.

Account

This section contains all the personal information we have about you. You can change details and upload documentation here, and also reset your password.

Won

All the vehicles you’ve previously won are kept here, helping you keep track of your purchase history.

Bids

Your bid history, containing all the listings you have bid on, whether you won or lost.

What is auto-extend?

When a bid is placed within the last 60 seconds of the auction, the auction ending time will be extended by 15 seconds. This continues every time another bid is made, until the bidding is complete.

What is proxy bidding?

When you set a proxy bid, you agree the highest price you’re willing to pay for a listing. We’ll automatically bid for you in £10 increments, until bidding reaches your maximum bid. If you are outbid, you can choose to increase your proxy bid before the auction listing ends.

Who sells on the auction?

Our auction has a wide range of vehicles from some of the largest salvage agents in the UK, offering you the best choice available.

The locations and opening hours of each seller can be found here.

How do I pay for a vehicle?

When you win a listing, please wait to receive an invoice via email, which contains our bank details. Please make a bank transfer to the account details shown within 72 hours. The funds must have cleared before you can collect your vehicle.

Your vehicle/listing will be stored for free for 4 days, the seller will charge £15 (+ VAT) per day after that. The seller will also charge a late payment fee of £40 (+ VAT) if you don’t pay for your vehicle within 72 hours.

How do I collect a vehicle?

We want to make buying from us as easy as possible. If you buy a vehicle from SYNETIQ, you can pay for us to deliver it anywhere in the UK. This service is only available on SYNETIQ vehicles and does not include any other agent. Fees are applicable.

Check out our Delivery Estimate Calculator for an idea of how much delivery will cost. Select the SYNETIQ site where your vehicle is located and enter your postcode.

Your payment must have cleared before we can let you collect your vehicle. When doing so, please check the closing time for vehicle collections at the site.

What do I need to bring when I collect a vehicle?

To collect a vehicle from a SYNETIQ site you must bring:

  • Photo ID
  • Your auction confirmation email OR printed PDF invoice
  • High visibility vest/jacket
  • Safety boots

High visibility vests are available to buy for £5.00 from all of our sites. These are non-returnable or refundable due to COVID-19 guidelines.

What if I have an issue with a vehicle?

We want you to be happy when you buy from us. It’s important that you know what to expect when you purchase a salvage vehicle – that’s why we do our best to describe each vehicles’ condition as accurately as possible.

Removal of the item from the site is your statement that you are happy with your purchase. This applies whether you collect the salvage personally or appoint a third party to collect on your behalf. No refunds or compensation will be discussed after this time.

If you do have an issue with a vehicle, please let us know so we can investigate the problem. If you choose to refuse a vehicle, you will need a valid reason such as:

  • Additional, undisclosed damage
  • Missing parts
  • Incorrect mileage (if the mileage has been stated)
  • Wrong model, year or fuel type

Will my vehicle come with a logbook (V5)?

If we have a V5 for a vehicle, this will be noted in the description. If not stated, no V5 will be supplied with the vehicle.

Cat S vehicles are never supplied with a V5, so you’ll need to apply for a replacement logbook from the DVLA.