Universal Philatelic Auctions

SHIPPING COSTS
Standard sized auction lots will be shipped Loyalty POST-FREE if you are a NEW / regular bidder (5 out of 6
auctions), otherwise...

UK CLIENTS: (shipping costs regardless of weight):

• Invoices up to £50 : Post+Packing = £2
• Free shipping if you spend £50 or more

OVERSEAS CLIENTS:

• Invoices up to £50 GBP : Post+Packing = £3.50 GBP*
• Free shipping if you spend £50 GBP or more*

Insurance against loss in transit is FREE for the majority of countries. Exclusions include : South Africa,
Nigeria, India, Pakistan, Russia, Ukraine and former Russian republics.

*Lots described as HEAVY LOT (or similar) may be subject to additional shipping charges.

Universal Philatelic Auctions

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TERMS AND CONDITIONS

CONTACT US / SUBMIT BIDS
We are open weekdays from 9am to 1pm and
2pm to 5pm
Bids can be submitted as in one of the following
ways…
• Post/Mail - send to UPA (Admin), 4 The Old
Coalyard, West End, Northleach, Glos, GL54 3HE,
UK
• online at: www.upastampauctions.co.uk
• email: [email protected]
• Telephone: +44(0)1451 861111
• Fax: +44(0)1451 861297
Please Note - for the two weeks immediately
post-auction we are open as follows 11am to
1pm and 2pm to 4.30pm

THE UPA REDUCING ESTIMATE SYSTEM
• Each auction is a compilation of both high and
lower value material, with some of the high value
material owned by vendors and some by UPA.
My belief is that if an item is not selling, it is too
expensive. This formula permits us to offer the
Unique UPA Reducing Estimate System so that if
an item does not sell, it will be reoffered in the
next catalogue with the estimate reduced by
11%, and the item will be flagged to show that it
has been previously unsold.
• Each time that item does not sell, it will be
reoffered and the estimate will reduce by 11%,
then 12%, 13%, 14% etc. This allows items to find
their own market value, e.g…
• A lot is offered for the first time with an
estimate of £100, but it does not sell.
• The lot is reoffered in the next auction with an
estimate of £89, but it does not sell.
• The lot is reoffered in the next auction with an
estimate of £78, but it does not sell.
• Bids below 80% of estimate have no chance of
success.
• On the Friday after the closing date, we publish
the UNSOLDS list of all lots that may be
purchased at 80% of estimate.
• Lots that are previously unsold are denoted US
at the end of the description, e.g... US -
previously unsold US2 - previously unsold twice
US3 - previous unsold three times etc.
• Once a lot has been unsold five times or more
and if the estimate has fallen to £15 or less, that
lot drops into the BABS category (see below).

BABS: BAG A BARGAIN SYSTEM
• BABS lots are those items which have been
unsold 5 times or more (marked US5, US6 etc.)
and have estimates of £15 or less.
• BABS lots are denoted by (B) at the end of the
description.
• These lots start at 99p and you can bid any
amount you wish, at or above this level.
• Standard bid steps (tie-breaks) apply to BABS
lots so if you do not wish bid steps to apply to
BABS lots, please indicate this clearly on your bid
form.

BID AMOUNTS
• We do not accept BUY bids as this is unfair to
other bidders.
• If you are prepared to pay a multiple of the
estimate price for a particularly rare item please
enter your maximum price, but beware that
another bidder may also recognise special value
in the same item and bid accordingly. We
therefore recommend that you only enter the
maximum you are prepared to pay
• You can bid any amount you choose, subject to
the minimum amounts:
• Non-BABS lots: min bid 80% of estimate
• BABS lots: min bid 99p
• Conditional (either/or) bids are accepted -
please clearly denote this on your bid form.
• Bids steps (up to 3) can be used to increase
your bid in the event that equal bids are received
(the early bidder wins a tied bid). Bid step
increments are subject to your bid amount
• Please do not state bid an extra X% - please bid
in actual GBP amounts, or use bid steps.
• Bids must be placed in GBP.

ESTIMATES
• Estimates are based upon condition and current
market value.
• All estimates and catalogue prices are in £ GBP
and all catalogue prices are S.G. unless otherwise
stated.
• We will state where another catalogue is used
and if a foreign currency, we will show the value
in Pounds Sterling equivalent.
• All non BABS lots: bids below 80% estimate will
be respectfully declined.

BUYER’S PREMIUM - there isn’t one! The only
additional charges we apply are shipping for
invoices less than £50 GBP, and overseas shipping
of HEAVY lots. If you are a new client, you may
qualify for our Introductory Offer (£55 GBP
discount if you spend/win £75 GBP or more)
NB - Offer valid for NEW Collector clients aged
18+. Offer subject to status and restricted to one
per household.

VIEWING / SCAN REQUESTS
• Lots cannot be viewed in person, but we are
happy to provide scans, photocopies and verbal
condition reports of lots as required.
• There is no charge for this service but please
note that we cannot scan/photocopy hundreds of
items.
• We cannot guarantee to provide scans/
photocopies for requests made within 2 working
days of the closing date.
• We are unable to provide scans of Unsold Lots
immediately post-auction..

INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING
We are now required by law to attach a customs
declaration (detailing the contents and associated
value) to all parcels, for all destinations, including
those countries in the EU and failure to do so can
result in either postal services refusing to accept
incorrectly declared packages or a fine and/or
prosecution.

LIVE BIDDING
Live INTERNET BIDDING takes place at 5pm on the
Wednesday following the closing date and is for
lots with estimate/guide prices of £1000 GBP and
above.
You can still bid normally on these lots by post, so
that a live internet bidder will be bidding against
bids which are on the book.
Potential bidders need to register by 2pm at
www.easyliveauction.com
A list of LIVE INTERNET lots for this auction can be
found on page 4 below.

LATE SALES
• Unsold Lots are available to purchase at 80% of
estimate from the Friday evening following the
closing date. Go to: www.upalatesales.co.uk
• A list of Unsold Lots will also be published on our
auction website
• Unsold Lot orders can be made by phone from
the Monday morning following the auction closing
date

SHIPPING COSTS
Invoices up to £80 GBP: P+P = £4 GBP
Invoices over £80 GBP: P+P = £2 GBP
UK CLIENTS:
The majority of goods are shipped by Royal Mail.
More valuable items are shipped by Royal Mail
Special Delivery; the threshold for shipping by
Special Delivery is generally £500. Clients are
welcome to request shipping by a specific method
but please be aware that a surcharge may apply if
the request falls outside our normal procedures.
OVERSEAS CLIENTS:
The majority of goods are shipped by Royal Mail
Standard airmail. More valuable items are shipped
by Royal Mail Special Registered airmail; the
threshold for shipping by Registered airmail is
country dependent. Clients are welcome to
request shipping by a specific method when they
submit their bids, but please be aware that a
surcharge may apply. Insurance against loss in
transit is provided FREE for the majority of
countries. Exclusions include Ukraine, Russia,
Belarus and Crimea (including Sevastopol) Luhansk
and Donetsk.
Lots described in the auction catalogue as HEAVY
LOT (or similar) may be subject to additional
shipping charges for overseas bidders

SHIPPING
• Phase 1 : bidders who provide payment details
before the closing date, in bidder number order;
this can take up to a week.
• Phase 2 : bidders who respond to a Request For
Payment; please note there can sometimes be a
slight delay between payment and goods being
shipped.
• Phase 3 : Late Sales orders are processed and
shipped after completion of the above, so there
can sometimes be a slight delay between
payment and goods being shipped.
• Late/heavy lots can take longer to ship; please
allow extra time.

GUARANTEE & RETURNS POLICY
• All lots are guaranteed such that any lot may be
returned for a full refund. No Quibble. 1st class
mail (or standard air mail) is ok for most things
but we recommend that you get a proof of
posting from the post office in case the item were
to go missing. If you are returning goods in excess
of £250 we request that you return them by
Special Delivery (or Registered Airmail). Goods in
excess of £250 returned by 1st class mail (or
standard air mail) will be deemed to have been
returned at your own risk.
• Lots must be returned in the condition they
were received (in their entirety in their original
stockcards or packaging) within 30 days of
purchase. Returned lots may not be accepted by
UPA if they have been tampered with, e.g.
immersed in water, marked by an expert or
expert committee, or treated by any other
process, unless UPA’s express permission has first
been obtained in writing.
• We request that you state the reason for
returning any item. This does not affect our
guarantee, but it does help us in processing the
returned items.
• We are happy to either refund you for anything
returned to us, or if you prefer we can hold the
amount as a credit-note which you can use
towards your next auction invoice. Please specify.
• Please allow up to 30 days for your return to be
processed

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
• Please remember that UPA is an auction, not an
Approvals Service.
• All bids are confidential and will not be
disclosed to third parties.
• The auctioneer reserves the right to refuse bids
from clients regularly treating UPA as an
Approvals Service.
• The auctioneer’s decision is final.
• Placing a bid is acceptance of these terms. This
does not affect your NO QUIBBLE full refund
guarantee

REALISATIONS
A list of prices realised is published on our
website immediately after invoices have been
issued and a printed list of realisation is included
with the next catalogue.

EXTENSIONS FOR CERTIFICATES POLICY
• Please note : items described as "as is" are not
eligible for certificate/extension requests.
• Requests for extension time to obtain a
certificate must be made in writing not less than
48 hours before the auction closing time.
• The name of the proposed expert or expert
committee must be provided for our approval.
• The reason for requesting an extension must be
stated.
• Requests for extensions are on the basis of
authenticity, not condition unless specifically
approved by UPA.
• Extensions are for single items/sets only value in
excess of £100.
• Requests for extensions for items already
bearing a certificate will not be accepted unless
specifically approved by UPA.
• UPA will submit the item(s) for expertisation
unless specifically agreed otherwise.
• Items will not be submitted until payment has
been received, unless specifically approved by
UPA.
• The purchaser pays for the certificate. If the
item is not authenticated, UPA will pay for the
certificate.
• Any item described as having faults may not be
returned if other faults are mentioned on the
certificate of authenticity.
NB - Your statutory rights and UPA 30 day total
guarantee are not affected

DATA PROTECTION POLICY
In line with GDPR, we would like to reassure all
our clients of how we use your personal data:
• UPA keeps essential information for auction
purposes and for contact, which may include
email addresses, postal addresses and telephone
numbers.
• UPA keeps essential financial information for
HMRC purposes.
• UPA keeps auction expenditure information for
a period of time once a client has ceased bidding
or has passed away. Often this information assists
requests for probate.
• We NEVER share or sell your data to third
parties for commercial gain.
• You are always in control of what data UPA
holds. If you would like to view this information,
you may request it from UPA head office.
• PRIVACY POLICY – Details can be found on our
website – www.upastampauctions.co.uk

PAYMENT
• If your invoice says FOR INFORMATION ONLY,
we have already received payment instructions
from you, your goods will be shipped shortly
• Lots are shipped after payment in full.
• PAYMENT IS DUE WITHIN 14 DAYS OF
INVOICES BEING ISSUED.
We accept payment by the following methods:
(no surcharges apply)
• Visa / Mastercard (we do not accept American
Express or Diners Club)
• We do not accept card payments for goods that
are not shipped under our own transit insurance
• We reserve the right to delay shipping goods for
card payments with a high fraud screening score.
In such circumstances we reserve the right to
request payment by alternative means.
• Cheques (payable to UPA) drawn on a UK
Sterling account (please allow 7 days to clear)
• Cheques (payable to UPA) drawn on a $ USD
account from mainland banks only (please allow
28 days for cheques to clear)
NB - the minimum value foreign currency cheque
we can now accept is $50 USD, we are happy to
hold any surplus amount as a credit note for
future purchases
Bank transfer (net of bank charges) to account:
Bank: Santander UK plc
Account Name: N W P J Ltd T/A Omniphil
Andrew S McGavin
BIC: ABBYGB2LXXX
IBAN: GB84 ABBY 0901 5004 8968 15
Sort Code: 090150
Account Number: 04896815
• PayPal - submit payment in GBP British Pounds
to [email protected]
PLEASE REMEMBER TO QUOTE YOUR INVOICE
NUMBER WHEN MAKING PAYMENT (TOP RIGHT
OF YOUR INVOICE). (Failure to do so may delay
despatch of your goods)

INSTALMENTS:
• Payment over two, three or four monthly
instalments is available to clients with invoices in
excess of £60.
• There is no extra charge for this service but lots
are only despatched upon completion of payment
or subject to status (i.e. long established UPA
client).
• Please make this request when placing your bids

Universal Philatelic Auctions

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