Terms & Conditions

1. About these terms

These terms apply to visitors, registered users, buyers, dealers, businesses and private sellers using Antiques To Buy.

If you do not agree to these terms, you must not create an account, purchase a subscription, publish a listing or continue using the website.

2. The role of Antiques To Buy

Antiques To Buy provides a platform through which independent sellers may advertise antiques, art, vintage items, collectables and other suitable items. Buyers can browse listings and contact sellers directly.

Unless clearly stated otherwise:

• we are not the seller of any advertised item;
• we do not possess, inspect, test, value, certify or authenticate items;
• we do not guarantee that an item is genuine, accurately dated, lawfully owned or correctly described;
• we do not set the sale price or delivery charge;
• we do not process or hold payment for advertised items;
• we do not arrange packaging, insurance, collection or delivery;
• we do not charge commission when an item is sold; and
• we are not responsible for completing or enforcing a transaction between a buyer and seller.

Sellers are responsible for their listings and for the sale, supply and delivery of their items. Buyers must complete their own checks before agreeing to purchase.

3. Eligibility and registration

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account, purchase a seller subscription, list an item or enter into a transaction through the website.

Registration information must be accurate, current and complete. You must not use a false identity, impersonate another person or create an account for an unlawful, fraudulent or misleading purpose.

We may request information to verify your identity, contact details, business status, ownership of an item or right to use submitted content.

We may refuse or restrict an account where we reasonably believe that:

• false or misleading information has been supplied;
• the account presents a fraud, safety or legal risk;
• these terms have been breached;
• the account is being used to avoid an earlier restriction; or
• continued use could harm the website, its users or our reputation.

4. Account security

You are responsible for protecting your login details and for activity carried out through your account.

You must:

• use a secure password;
• keep your email address and account details current;
• not share your account with an unauthorised person;
• notify us if you suspect unauthorised access; and
• not permit another person to use your account to breach these terms.

5. Seller subscriptions

A seller subscription currently costs £15 per month or £150 per year.

An active subscription allows the seller to create a seller or dealer profile and publish an unlimited number of suitable listings, subject to these terms and reasonable technical or fair-use restrictions.

Antiques To Buy does not charge sales commission. Payment for an advertised item is agreed and handled directly between the buyer and seller.

5.1 Recurring subscription payments

Unless stated otherwise during purchase, subscriptions renew automatically at the end of each monthly or annual billing period.

Payments are collected using the payment details supplied through our payment provider. By purchasing a recurring subscription, you authorise recurring payments until the subscription is cancelled.

5.2 Cancelling a subscription

Sellers may cancel through any available subscription controls or by contacting Antiques To Buy through the website.

Cancellation prevents the next renewal. Unless otherwise agreed or legally required, the subscription will remain active until the end of the period already paid for.

Payments already made are not normally refunded simply because the seller stops using the service during a paid billing period. This does not affect any statutory rights that apply.

5.3 Failed payments and price changes

If payment fails, we may retry it, restrict seller features, hide listings or suspend the account until payment is made.

Subscription prices or included features may change. Existing subscribers will be given reasonable notice before a new price takes effect.

6. Rules for sellers

By publishing a listing, you confirm that:

• you own the item or have the owner’s permission and legal authority to sell it;
• the item may lawfully be advertised, sold, transferred, exported and delivered;
• the listing is accurate and not materially misleading;
• known damage, restoration, reproduction, alteration, missing parts and significant defects have been disclosed;
• photographs show the actual item unless clearly identified as reference images;
• you have the right to use all photographs, descriptions and submitted material;
• the item has been placed in a suitable category;
• the price and applicable delivery costs are clear; and
• you will comply with applicable laws, tax requirements and consumer obligations.

Listings must relate to antiques, art, vintage items, collectables, decorative items, architectural salvage or other items suitable for Antiques To Buy.

We may reject or remove an item that we consider unsuitable for the platform, even where the item is otherwise lawful.

6.1 Unlimited listings and fair use

Unlimited listings must be used reasonably. They must not be used to publish spam, duplicate advertisements, unrelated products or automatically generated low-quality listings.

6.2 Descriptions and authenticity

Sellers must take reasonable care when describing an item’s age, origin, maker, materials, condition, provenance and authenticity.

An item must not be described as authentic, original, rare or attributed to a particular artist, maker or period without a reasonable basis. Any uncertainty must be clearly disclosed.

6.3 Business and private sellers

Sellers must accurately identify whether they are acting as a business, dealer or private seller.

Someone acting in the course of a trade, profession or business must not present themselves as a private seller to avoid consumer obligations.

Business sellers are responsible for supplying all information required by law, including their business identity, contact details, total price, delivery arrangements and applicable cancellation rights.

6.4 Availability

Sellers must promptly remove or update listings for items that are sold, withdrawn or no longer available.

6.5 International sellers

International sellers may join provided that they can arrange delivery or shipping to buyers in the United Kingdom.

International sellers must explain delivery options, costs, expected timescales and any known customs or import charges before agreeing a sale.

7. Prohibited and restricted listings

You must not advertise, offer or sell anything that is illegal, stolen, unsafe, fraudulent or prohibited by these terms.

Prohibited or restricted listings include:

• stolen goods or property obtained through fraud or criminal activity;
• counterfeit goods, forged signatures, fake certificates or deliberately misrepresented reproductions;
• firearms, ammunition, explosives or prohibited firearm components;
• prohibited knives, offensive weapons or items whose sale, possession or delivery is unlawful;
• controlled drugs, poisons or unlawful substances;
• human remains or items whose sale is prohibited;
• protected wildlife, ivory or animal products without the registrations, exemptions or documentation required by law;
• unlawfully acquired or exported cultural property, archaeological objects or treasure;
• current passports, driving licences, payment cards or personal identification documents;
• items that infringe intellectual property rights;
• items subject to sanctions, export restrictions or trade controls;
• dangerous, recalled or unsafe products;
• unlawful obscene material;
• items promoting terrorism, hatred or criminal activity; and
• anything else we reasonably consider unlawful, unsafe or unsuitable for the platform.

The age of an item or its description as an antique does not automatically make its possession or sale lawful.

8. Photographs and uploaded content

You retain ownership of original photographs, descriptions and other content you upload.

By submitting content, you grant Antiques To Buy a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free licence to store, reproduce, resize, format, display and promote that content for operating and marketing the platform.

Listings may appear through Antiques To Buy, search engines, social media, newsletters and other marketing channels. We do not guarantee a particular number of views, enquiries, search positions or sales.

You confirm that uploaded content:

• belongs to you or is used with permission;
• does not infringe another person’s rights;
• does not contain malicious code;
• is not unlawful, defamatory or misleading; and
• does not disclose confidential or personal information without permission.

9. Buyer responsibilities

Before purchasing, buyers should:

• read the full description and examine the photographs;
• ask about condition, dimensions, provenance, authenticity, restoration and defects;
• confirm whether the seller is a business or private seller;
• confirm the full price, delivery cost, payment method and returns arrangements;
• request additional photographs or an inspection where appropriate;
• use a secure and traceable payment method;
• check the seller’s identity and ownership of the item where appropriate;
• seek independent advice for valuable or specialist items; and
• check that the item may lawfully be purchased, possessed, imported or exported.

Listing information is generally supplied by sellers. Antiques To Buy does not guarantee that every listing is complete, accurate or current.

10. Agreements, payment and delivery

A contract to purchase an item is formed directly between the buyer and seller.

The buyer and seller must agree:

• the final purchase price and payment method;
• whether a deposit is required;
• collection or delivery arrangements;
• packaging and transit insurance;
• responsibility for loss or damage in transit;
• the expected delivery date; and
• cancellation and return arrangements, subject to applicable legal rights.

Antiques To Buy does not receive item payments, hold deposits, transfer ownership, book couriers or confirm that either party has completed their obligations.

Delivery problems, loss, damage and non-delivery must be raised directly with the seller and any relevant courier or payment provider.

11. Fraud prevention

Users should be cautious where:

• payment is requested to an unrelated person or account;
• a seller refuses reasonable identity or ownership checks;
• the price is substantially below the likely market value;
• urgent payment is demanded without a reasonable explanation;
• gift cards, cryptocurrency or another difficult-to-recover payment method is requested;
• a buyer claims to have overpaid and asks for the difference to be returned; or
• a link is sent requesting login, payment or banking information.

We may investigate reported activity, remove listings, restrict accounts or suspend accounts where fraud or misuse is reasonably suspected.

12. Consumer rights, cancellations and returns

Nothing in these terms limits statutory rights that cannot legally be limited or excluded.

12.1 Business sellers

Consumers purchasing from a business seller may have statutory rights concerning the description, quality, condition and fitness of the goods.

Many purchases completed at a distance may also include a legal right to cancel. Exceptions may apply depending on the item and circumstances.

Business sellers are responsible for:

• providing legally required information before the sale;
• explaining cancellation and return rights;
• supplying goods that comply with the contract;
• processing applicable cancellations, returns, repairs, replacements and refunds; and
• complying with consumer protection law.

A business seller’s own returns policy does not remove or reduce a consumer’s statutory rights.

12.2 Private sellers

Different rights normally apply when buying from a genuine private seller. A private seller must still have the right to sell the item and must not materially misdescribe it or make fraudulent representations.

12.3 Arranging a return

Cancellation requests, returns, refunds, repairs and other remedies must be discussed directly with the seller. Items must not be returned to Antiques To Buy.

13. User communications

You must not use the website to:

• send spam or unrelated advertising;
• harass, threaten or abuse another person;
• send fraudulent payment requests or malicious links;
• collect personal information for unrelated purposes;
• publish defamatory or knowingly false statements;
• impersonate Antiques To Buy or another user;
• attempt to access another account without permission; or
• encourage unlawful activity.

14. Reports and disputes

Antiques To Buy is not responsible for resolving disputes between buyers and sellers and is not obliged to mediate.

However, we may investigate reported listings, remove content, restrict accounts or suspend accounts where we reasonably believe these terms have been breached.

You may report activity involving:

• stolen or counterfeit goods;
• fraud or attempted fraud;
• prohibited or unsafe items;
• intellectual property infringement;
• materially misleading descriptions;
• harassment or abusive conduct; or
• another apparent breach of these terms.

Reports should include the listing address and enough information for us to review the matter. A report does not guarantee removal of a listing or account.

Disputes concerning payments, delivery, condition, returns or refunds must normally be resolved directly between the buyer and seller.

15. Intellectual property

The Antiques To Buy website, branding, layout, software, database and original content are protected by intellectual property law.

Without written permission, you must not:

• copy or republish substantial parts of the website;
• scrape or systematically extract listings or user information;
• use automation to interfere with or overload the website;
• create a competing database using website content;
• remove ownership notices or branding; or
• use our name or branding in a way that suggests an official partnership or endorsement.

16. Website availability and third-party services

We aim to keep the website available and operating correctly but do not guarantee uninterrupted or error-free access.

We may restrict or change the website for maintenance, security, legal, operational or commercial reasons.

Links to seller websites, payment providers, couriers, social networks and other third-party services are provided for convenience. We do not control and are not responsible for their content, security, availability, products or practices.

17. Suspension and termination

We may remove content, restrict functionality or suspend an account where:

• these terms have been breached;
• the account presents a fraud, security, legal or safety risk;
• subscription payments are overdue;
• duplicate, misleading or unsuitable listings are repeatedly submitted;
• the website is used for spam, scraping or unauthorised automation;
• continued access could harm another user or the website; or
• the service is being used in a way it was not intended.

18. Our responsibility

Nothing in these terms excludes liability where doing so would be unlawful, including liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation.

Subject to the above, Antiques To Buy is not responsible for:

• the ownership, legality, authenticity, condition, provenance, quality or value of an item;
• errors or misleading information supplied by sellers;
• a user failing to complete a transaction;
• payment disputes, deposits, chargebacks or unpaid amounts;
• loss, theft or damage during packaging, collection or delivery;
• returns, refunds, repairs, replacements or warranties;
• the conduct or identity of another user;
• loss caused by failing to complete reasonable checks;
• customs delays, taxes, duties or restrictions; or
• indirect or unforeseeable losses arising from a transaction.

We do not provide formal valuations, authenticity guarantees, legal advice, tax advice or professional opinions about advertised items.

19. Changes to these terms

We may update these terms to reflect changes to the website, subscriptions, services, legislation or our operations.

Updated terms will be published here with a revised date. Material changes may also be notified through the website or by email.

20. General provisions and governing law

If any provision is found to be unlawful or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue to apply.

These terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales. Consumers living elsewhere in the United Kingdom may also benefit from mandatory local rights and may be entitled to bring proceedings in the courts where they live.

21. Contacting Antiques To Buy

Questions, account enquiries and listing reports may be submitted through the contact options available on the Antiques To Buy website.

Enquiries about a particular item should normally be sent directly to the seller shown on the listing.