At a glance
| What's sold | Insolvency estates: machines, workshop gear, furniture, vehicles |
| Lots located in | Germany (100%) |
| Who can bid | Consumers and businesses aged 18+; foreign buyers allowed |
| Buyer's premium | Usually 18%; set per auction |
| VAT on premium | Yes, 19% on hammer price and premium |
| Payment deadline | Due on award; in default 14 days after auction end |
| Pickup deadline | Fixed pickup days per auction; EUR 300 for a separate slot |
| Verdict | Professional but seller-friendly; read reserve and risk rules |
What's sold
HT mainly sells insolvency estates on behalf of administrators, banks and leasing companies. You will find machine tools, warehouse and office equipment, cars, vans, trucks and construction machines. A sale can be a single vehicle or more than 200 lots, mostly in eastern and southern Germany.
Who can bid
- Private buyers: You must be at least 18 and register as a consumer. HT may exclude consumers from new goods, with notice. Whether HT checks ID or asks consumers for a bidding deposit is not confirmed.
- Businesses: Register as a business (Unternehmer). EU businesses get a VAT-free invoice only with a verified VAT ID, and still pay a 19% deposit. Non-EU buyers pay the VAT as a deposit and get it back after sending stamped export papers.
Registration
- Open an account with email and password, and accept the terms (AGB) and privacy policy.
- Activate the account with the code you receive.
- Fill in full, correct details and choose business or consumer.
- Check the billing name carefully; invoices cannot be corrected afterwards.
- Wait for manual approval, which may take 1–2 days.
- Start bidding only once the email with your bidder number (Bieternummer) arrives.
Fees and real total cost
| Fee | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Buyer's premium (Aufgeld) | 18% | Found on 8 of 9 auctions; one showed none, so check each sale |
| VAT (MwSt.) | 19% | Charged on hammer price plus premium |
| Separate pickup slot | EUR 300 | Paid in advance, at HT's discretion; whether net or gross is not confirmed |
| Security deposit (Kaution) | Varies | Only where removal could damage the building; stated in the lot text |
| Handling, loading, payment, storage | Not confirmed | No such fees found in the terms |
| Late payment | Statutory interest | 5 points (consumers) or 9 points (businesses) above base rate, plus EUR 40 |
Worked example for a buyer in Germany:
| Step | Amount |
|---|---|
| Hammer price | EUR 1,000.00 |
| Premium 18% | EUR 180.00 (net EUR 1,180.00) |
| VAT 19% on EUR 1,180.00 | EUR 224.20 |
| Other fees | Not confirmed; dismantling and transport are your cost |
| Total paid | EUR 1,404.20, excluding transport, dismantling and any pickup slot |
How bidding works
- Sales are timed auctions (Termin-Auktion) that open 2–5 weeks before closing; lots end 1–2 minutes apart.
- A bid in the final 2 minutes adds 2 minutes to that lot, and this repeats until bidding stops.
- Whether maximum (proxy) bids exist is not confirmed; the bid history only hints at them.
- Increments are not published; observed steps were EUR 200 to EUR 500.
- The start price is called the minimum price (Mindestpreis), yet some lots are awarded under reserve (unter Vorbehalt) even above it, with no deadline for the seller's decision.
- Every bid is binding and cannot be withdrawn. If you back out, you are banned and must cover any loss on resale.
- Winners are told by email within 24 hours.
Watch out
- Risk of loss or damage passes to you with the award email, while goods stay on an insolvent site.
- Used goods carry no warranty, and catalogue details are not binding.
- Payment is by bank transfer only; no cash at pickup, and goods are released once HT confirms payment.
- Missing your pickup day can mean cancellation and a damages claim, not just storage fees.
- Independent reviews are almost absent; one unverified report mentions missing goods and short pickup windows.
Verdict: An established insolvency auctioneer with clear but seller-friendly terms. Budget about 40% above hammer, inspect lots in person and plan pickup before you bid.