Auctions: questions and answers
How to register, how to bid and what happens when the auction ends.
For bidders
How do I take part in an auction?
Sign in, open a listing with an auction and press "Register for the auction", then enter your name as on your ID document and your phone number. The seller approves the request and you get an email with your bidder number, after which you can bid once the auction opens.
Does it cost anything, or is a deposit required?
No. Registering and bidding are free, and leiakv asks for no deposit. All you need is a leiakv account.
How long does approval take?
The listing's seller decides, not leiakv. We send the seller your request at once and remind them while it is waiting. You get an email as soon as there is a decision, and the listing page updates by itself. If the seller asks for corrections, you see their question on the listing page and can update your details.
The seller declined my request. Can I try again?
You cannot register again yourself. Replying to the rejection email reaches the seller who decided, and they can change the decision and approve you later. A rejection applies to that one auction only.
How much do I have to bid?
The first bid may equal the starting price; every later bid must beat the highest bid by at least the bid step, which the seller sets and the listing shows. Bids are whole euros, and the page always shows the lowest bid it will accept next.
Can I withdraw or change a bid?
No. A placed bid stands and appears in the public history at once. You also cannot raise your own leading bid; you can bid again only after someone outbids you. Check the amount before you confirm.
Why did the auction's end time change?
A bid in the last 5 minutes moves the end 5 minutes later, up to 2 hours past the original deadline. The number of extensions is shown on the listing, so keep the page open until the end is confirmed.
Who can see my name and details?
In the public bid history you are a bidder number only. Other approved bidders of the same auction additionally see your initials. Only the listing's seller sees your full name, phone and email. If you bid for a company, its name, registry code and basis of representation also reach the seller alone.
Do I have to stay on the page to win?
No. leiakv does not bid on your behalf, but you get an email the moment someone outbids you. The highest bid stands until the end unless it is outbid. Approved bidders also get a reminder 1 hour before the start and before the end.
What happens when the auction ends?
The highest bidder and the seller receive each other's contact details by email and agree on the sale between themselves, outside leiakv. If the listing had a reserve price that was not met, the seller still gets the bidder's contacts but the bidder does not get the seller's.
What is a reserve price?
Some auctions have a hidden reserve price the seller has set — the lowest amount they are willing to sell for. You never see that amount, only whether "The reserve price has been met" or "The reserve price has not been met yet". If the auction ends with the reserve met, nothing changes. If it was not met, you get an email saying the reserve was not reached and that the seller may contact you directly; you do not receive the seller's contact details in that case.
For sellers
Who can run an auction, and what does it cost?
Any seller leiakv has granted access to can run an auction — a private person or a company. An auction carries a flat fee, with no separate charge for the listing's duration, and vouchers apply. leiakv tells you the amount when it grants you access.
How do I get the right to run an auction?
To get approved, ask leiakv for access: write to us from the contact page and say whether you sell as a private person or for a company. For a company, the owner or an admin should ask.
How long can an auction run?
At most 28 days from start to end. A shorter auction is possible too.
Can I change the published deadline or cancel the auction?
The published start and end are what bidders act on, so you cannot change them yourself. To reschedule or cancel, write to support. On cancellation every registered bidder is notified. After the auction has ended you can remove it from the listing yourself and keep selling the property the usual way.
Can I set a reserve price?
Yes: a hidden floor you set above the starting price and at most 2 times it, which bidders never see, only whether it has been met. Once the auction has started you can only lower or remove it, never raise it.
What happens to the highest bid after the close?
The auction establishes the highest bid and sends you the bidder's contact details; you agree the rest of the sale, including the contract, with the bidder yourself. If a reserve price was not met, you still get the contact details and decide yourself whether to continue with that bidder — the bidder is not given yours.
How do I vet bidders?
For each request you see the bidder's name, phone, email and whether that email is verified on their leiakv account. For a company bid you also see the company name, registry code and basis of representation. leiakv does not check the registry code against the business register; that is yours to do. Before approving you can ask for corrections or decline, and a declined bidder can still be approved later.
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