S ince the departure of the UK from the European Union on 1 January 2021 there have been changes which affect both sellers and buyers.
We would like to reassure our clients that we are operating our auction and delivery services as normal and are fully equipped to ship both domestically and internationally, through our dedicated Wine & Spirits team.
Below is a summary of the current changes which may impact you as a client. We would kindly ask all sellers and buyers to take some time to familiarise themselves with these changes.
Selling at Sotheby’s
Please note that 20% UK VAT will no longer be applied to Sotheby’s sellers’ commissions in the case of EU consignors selling in London. Our European network of regional offices enable Sotheby’s to professionally arrange the collection and transport of vendors bottles, wherever they may be stored in the EU.
Buying at Sotheby’s
Buyers based in the EU (who would previously pay 20% UK VAT on buyer’s premium, overhead premium, shipping etc.) now have the additional option to receive a zero-rated invoice, removing all UK VAT.
For a breakdown of buyer VAT charges, please follow this link.
Expert advice
Several members of our highly knowledgeable and experienced Wine & Spirits team are currently training for the Level 2 Customs Practice & Procedure Award to ensure we are best placed to offer unrivalled customer service for our clients as we all adapt to these changes.
We understand that you will have questions and we are here to help at any time to make your experience at Sotheby’s as seamless as possible. Please find below the Wine & Spirits Department contacts:
· Administrator Wine & Spirits: Tom.Baxter@sothebys.com / +44 20 7293 5829
· Shipping Coordinator Wine & Spirits: Zofia.Dalkowska@sothebys.com / +44 20 7293 6961
· Specialist Trainee Spirits: Hugh.Machin@sothebys.com / +447966653291