Terms of use

Acceptance of these terms

By registering an account, placing a bid, or consigning a domain, you agree to these terms. If you do not agree, do not use the auction. We may update these terms from time to time; the version in force is the one published here, and the date at the top of this page tells you when it last changed.

Eligibility and verification

You must be at least 18 and able to enter a binding contract. You agree to register with accurate details and to keep them current. We verify the identity of every bidder before bids can be placed and may ask for supporting documents. We may decline, suspend, or close an account at our discretion, for example where we cannot verify identity or suspect fraud.

Bidding on your own domains, and bidding to inflate a price without intending to buy (shill bidding), are prohibited and will result in removal.

Bidding and binding offers

Every bid is a binding offer to buy the domain at that price. We use proxy bidding: you enter your maximum and we place the minimum increment needed on your behalf, up to that maximum. A bid placed in the closing moments may extend the auction to prevent sniping. When the hammer falls, the highest bid that meets any reserve wins, and a contract of sale is formed between the buyer and the seller. Winning bids cannot be retracted. The full mechanics are set out in our auction rules.

Reserves

Some domains carry a confidential reserve — the lowest price the seller will accept. If bidding does not reach the reserve, the domain goes unsold, no contract is formed, and nothing is owed by either side.

Payment and escrow

The winning bidder pays the hammer price within the payment window shown at checkout, normally three working days. Funds are held by an independent escrow provider and released to the seller only once the domain is confirmed in the buyer’s registrar account. Your money is never released before you have the name. How escrow works, step by step, is set out on our escrow page.

Transfer of the domain

Once funds clear escrow, the seller releases the domain and it is pushed through the registry into the buyer’s registrar account. The buyer is responsible for holding a suitable .uk registrar account to receive the name. Most transfers complete within 24 hours of payment clearing.

Fees

Buyer and seller charges are set out in full on our fees page. Sellers pay commission on the hammer price only when a domain sells; listing and valuation are free, and nothing is owed if a reserve is not met. There are no hidden charges.

Cancellations and non-payment

A sale concluded by the fall of the hammer is a binding contract. If a buyer fails to pay within the payment window, we may cancel the sale, suspend the account, and re-offer the domain. Where consumer cancellation rights apply by law, they are unaffected by these terms; note that goods bought at public auction may fall outside the usual online cancellation period.

Our role and liability

UK Domain Auctions is an auction house and escrow facilitator. We are not the registry and we are not your registrar. We check domains for clean ownership history but do not guarantee the future value of any domain, and nothing on the site is investment advice. To the fullest extent permitted by law, our liability for any claim connected with a sale is limited to the fees we charged on that sale. Nothing in these terms limits liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, for fraud, or for anything that cannot be limited under law.

Governing law

These terms are governed by the law of England and Wales, and any dispute is subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

Contact

Questions about these terms are welcome. Email hello@ukdomainauctions.co.uk and we will reply within one working day.