Questions about selling and buying art

Fees

Art sale fees come from up to three places: the advisor, the auction house and, on some works, the artist's resale right.

What do art advisors charge?

Art advisors charge a commission on the price of a work, an hourly or day rate, a project fee or a retainer. Published commission figures run from about 5% to 20%, and the percentage usually falls as the price rises. What art advisors charge

What does Whitebank Fine Art charge?

Our fees to sellers are typically 0%, because we are paid out of the reduced seller's rates we negotiate with the auction house. On rare occasions we charge a 2.5% to 10% commission where a sale is complex. A valuation is free, and for buyers, terms are agreed before any work starts. What art advisors charge

What fees do auction houses charge sellers in the UK?

A seller's commission, usually a percentage of the hammer price with VAT added, is the main one. Depending on the house and the agreement, you may also pay for insurance, photography and cataloguing, shipping and storage, and a fee if the work fails to sell or is withdrawn. Auction fees explained

What is the buyer's premium?

The buyer's premium is a charge the auction house adds to the hammer price and collects from the buyer, and VAT may be added to it. It does not come out of the seller's money. Auction fees explained

Can I negotiate the seller's commission?

Yes. Published rates are a starting point, and houses regularly reduce commission for works they want. Auction fees explained

Who pays the artist's resale right in the UK?

The seller is liable in law, together with the auction house or dealer, though many salerooms charge it to the buyer. Auction fees explained

Timelines

Selling at auction normally takes one to three months, and a private sale usually takes two to six weeks.

How long does it take to sell art at auction?

Auction is bound to the sale calendar, and normally takes one to three months from consignment to payment. It takes longer if the right specialist sale is further out. Selling at auction

How long does a private art sale take?

A private sale usually completes within two to six weeks, depending on the work and on who wants it. Funds always clear before the work moves. Private sales

When am I paid after an auction?

You are paid once the buyer has paid in cleared funds, commonly around a month after the sale. The consignment agreement should state the date. Auction fees explained

Valuations

A first valuation can be made from photographs, and ours is free with no obligation to sell.

Is an art valuation free?

Ours is, and it carries no obligation to proceed. Most auction houses also give a free estimate for work they think they could sell. Art valuation

What should I send for an art valuation?

A photograph and a few details are enough to begin. Send images of the front and reverse, the signature or edition marking if there is one, approximate dimensions, and any paperwork that came with the work. Art valuation

Is an online art valuation reliable?

As a first view, yes, if a person who knows the market is working from clear photographs and from what comparable works have actually sold for. Photographs cannot settle everything, because condition can look different in person and they do not prove who made a work. Art valuation

Pest Control certificates

A Banksy needs a Pest Control certificate to sell through an auction house or dealer, and only Pest Control can issue one.

What is Pest Control?

Pest Control is the only body authorised to authenticate Banksy's work, and has been since 2008. No gallery, dealer, auction house or independent expert can authenticate a Banksy. Banksy authentication

How do I get a Pest Control certificate?

Apply through the authentication form on Pest Control's own website, with the history of the print and clear images of it. It publishes no turnaround time, and several months is common. Selling a Banksy

How much does a Pest Control certificate cost?

When we checked in November 2026, Pest Control charged £100 plus VAT to process a screenprint and £150 plus VAT for an original, with no charge if the work is found to be a fake. Selling a Banksy

Can I sell a Banksy print without a certificate?

Not through an auction house or a dealer, because they will not handle a Banksy without one. Apply for the certificate before you try to sell. Banksy authentication

Reserves

A reserve is the confidential minimum price for a lot, and an unsold result stays on the public record.

What is a reserve price?

The reserve price is the confidential minimum below which a work will not be sold. Seller and auction house agree it before the sale, and it is normally set at or below the low estimate. Auction fees explained

What happens if my painting does not reach its reserve?

It is bought in. You keep the work, may pay an unsold fee, and the unsold result becomes public. Auction fees explained

Buying at auction

Buying at auction safely means doing your checks before you bid, because UK law gives auction buyers fewer rights.

How do I buy a print at auction safely?

Confirm the edition and the authentication, see the condition report and the sheet out of its frame, compare recent results for the same edition, read the conditions of sale, and set a limit that includes every charge. How to buy art at auction

Can I return a work I bought at auction?

Usually not. The right to cancel does not apply to a public auction, and lots are sold as they stand. Your main protection is any authenticity guarantee in the conditions of sale. How to buy art at auction

Choosing a route

The right way to sell depends on the work, because each route trades time, cost and certainty differently.

Should I use an art advisor or go directly to an auction house?

Use an advisor when a work could go to more than one saleroom or to a private buyer, or when its paperwork raises questions. Go direct when the work is of modest value, or when you already know the right saleroom and will compare terms yourself. Art advisor or auction house?

Should I sell my painting at auction or privately?

Auction suits a work that is fresh to the market and that more than one buyer is likely to want. A private sale suits an owner who wants discretion, a known price or a quicker result, and a work that has been offered before. How to sell art

Is Whitebank Fine Art an auction house?

No. We are an independent art advisory and gallery, and we do not hold sales. We help sellers choose a saleroom and negotiate its terms. Art advisor