Storage auctions in the UK?

Froggitt

soolin wrote: »

Also of course the scam auctions in the UK attract high bids even when they sell a sealed box- there are threads all over the internet of people buying a sealed box for hundreds of pounds and finding a couple of low cost items in there.

Reminds me of when scam auctions used to have a unit on Oxford Street, maybe 25 years ago. The first few lots of decent stuff went to insiders at super bargain prices, and then he would say "Who will give me £20 for what Im thinking of now" and 100 hands would shoot up. Needless to say, they all got one!!!

paddyrg

It's TV, not real life. Everyone gets paid whether they make a 'profit' or not - all that counts is that it creates cheap TV you feel compelled to watch adverts for.

soolin

Dave Hester from the earlier series is getting quite vocal about the series I follow his rants on Facebook and he is getting really peeved.

For a set up TV programme the contributors certainly take it far too seriously!

bigbulldog

Have you seen how much Darrell Sheets,Barry and Hester are worth apart from Barry they made all there money buying storage lockers.

geg1700

does anyone know of london based auctions for royal mail lost property and other similar things?

Onetap

Come on, you optimistic souls, do get real.

The US programme is a fake. Wasn't it obvious? Search for "Dave Hester" or "storage wars fake".

I think the standard procedure (of cutting off the renters' locks at the time of the auction and not allowing close examination of the contents) is probably a requirement of some US laws. In the UK the lockers and their contents would be rummaged through, anything of value sold and the dross sold off to house clearers, gullible optimists or just skipped.

The programme was probably feeding off the publicity surrounding the discovery and sale of Vivian Maier's collection of photographs and prints of New York in the early '50s.

Froggitt

The underwater Bond Lotus was recently bought in a storage auction. Was valued or sold for £300k from memory.

FRANKOFILE

As I am retired I thought that bidding on unclaimed luggage would be a profitable hobby.
I saw the TV program Baggage Battles which was filmed at Greasby's in Tooting so I emailed them to find out when the next auction was on and whether the bags were unopened.
They replied informing me that ANYTHING of value is removed from the bag prior to the auction.
They also told me that the TV company planted some coins and jewellery in 2 cases before they were "FOUND" by the winning bidders.
So if you really want a second hand suitcase filled with dirty clothes, Greasby's is your place.

RFW

FRANKOFILE wrote: »

As I am retired I thought that bidding on unclaimed luggage would be a profitable hobby.
I saw the TV program Baggage Battles which was filmed at Greasby's in Tooting so I emailed them to find out when the next auction was on and whether the bags were unopened.
They replied informing me that ANYTHING of value is removed from the bag prior to the auction.
They also told me that the TV company planted some coins and jewellery in 2 cases before they were "FOUND" by the winning bidders.
So if you really want a second hand suitcase filled with dirty clothes, Greasby's is your place.

They mentioned in the programme that the bags are checked through before being sold on. Health & safety and other laws would prevent the sale of bags without anyone ever opening them.
It doesn't necessarily mean that you'll end up with a bad buy.

As for storage auctions there are some here that I've recently noticed. The goods are removed and shrink wrapped onto pallets and sold online (there've been some on Ebay and elsewhere).

There's also at least one auction programme, following buyers around, in production at the moment. There's possibly two, one is due on Channel 4 later this year.

googler

FRANKOFILE wrote: »

... Baggage Battles which was filmed at Greasby's in Tooting so I emailed them to find out when the next auction was on and whether the bags were unopened.
They replied informing me that ANYTHING of value is removed from the bag prior to the auction.
They also told me that the TV company planted some coins and jewellery in 2 cases before they were "FOUND" by the winning bidders.

Wow, what a surprise. A 'reality' programme, where the reality was staged.

So one week these Baggage or Storage bidders (ALWAYS the same core group) are at auctions in California, the next it's Vegas, the next is NY State .... and they make a profit? With all that travelling? C'mon.....