Terms & Conditions

1. About us and these terms

These Terms govern access to and use of the GCB Marketplace website, auction platform, Buy It Now, Make Offer, managed payment workflow, and related logistics/collection services made available by Guaranteed Car Buyers or the relevant GCB trading entity shown on the website.

By creating an account, listing a vehicle, placing a bid, making/accepting an offer, clicking Buy It Now, paying an invoice or otherwise using the Marketplace, you agree to these Terms.

Order of precedence in conflict: mandatory law, then written special condition for that transaction, then listing page, then these Terms.

2. Eligibility and account approval

Users must provide accurate registration details and may be subject to verification, KYC, AML and fraud-prevention checks. Unless GCB states otherwise in writing, buying is limited to approved trade/business buyers.

• Users are responsible for account security and all activity under their credentials.
• GCB may refuse registration, set account limits, or require a deposit.
• Duplicate accounts to avoid controls or restrictions are prohibited.

3. GCB's marketplace role

GCB provides platform operations, listing infrastructure, auction/offer tooling, payment workflow, user messaging, and managed collection where offered. Unless expressly stated, GCB is not the legal seller or vehicle manufacturer.

GCB may intervene to enforce payment, manage collection, investigate disputes/fraud, comply with law, and protect users/platform integrity.

4. Vehicle listings and seller warranties

Sellers warrant legal authority to sell and release the vehicle, and that listing information is accurate, complete and not misleading.

Sellers must disclose key condition, title and access constraints. Stolen/cloned/unlawful or unauthorised sales are prohibited.

Materially inaccurate listings may be amended/suspended/cancelled/relisted and may lead to recovery of losses where permitted by law.

5. Listing types and sale formats

Listings may run as reserve auction, no-reserve auction, Buy It Now, or Buy It Now with Make Offer. Reserve-not-met vehicles may be routed to Buy It Now, Make Offer, or other underwriter decisions.

Where Make Offer is enabled, counter rounds and tolerance may be capped/configured. Unless stated otherwise, operational assumption is up to two back-and-forth rounds.

6. Bidding rules

A bid is a legally significant purchase offer. Bids must be genuine and made by users with authority and ability to complete if successful.

GCB may reject/freeze/investigate fraudulent, collusive, manipulative or unauthorised bids. Shill bidding and price manipulation are prohibited.

Highest bid does not complete the sale until acceptance, payment and compliance conditions are satisfied.

7. Buy It Now and Make Offer

Buy It Now is secured by the first valid acceptance subject to verification, payment clearance, fraud screening and listing conditions.

Make Offer is non-binding until formally accepted via platform or writing. Accepted outcomes convert to agreed sale and start payment deadline.

8. Fees, VAT and other charges

At launch, no seller fee applies to private/trade sellers unless a separate agreement states otherwise. Buyer fees, VAT, delivery/transport and other lawful charges may apply and must be shown clearly before payment.

Buyer is responsible for full acquisition cost: vehicle price + buyer fee + VAT where applicable + delivery/logistics charges.

9. Invoicing, payment and cleared funds

Following successful auction or accepted Buy It Now/offer, buyer is invoiced and must pay in cleared funds within stated deadline (typically 24-48 hours).

If payment is late, incomplete, reversed, disputed or suspicious, GCB may restrict account access, cancel/relist transactions, route to backup buyer, and apply recovery measures where permitted.

10. Title, risk and sale completion

Legal title passes only when all sums are paid in cleared funds and release conditions are met. Risk passes at the point defined in listing/flow or, if not specified, on handover (subject to mandatory legal rights).

11. Managed collection, delivery and seller payout

Under managed collection, buyer pays first, seller provides availability/release details, and GCB coordinates transport. Collection windows are target windows unless expressly guaranteed.

Seller payout follows defined payout rules; under Option A it is released after the applicable collection/release milestone.

12. Vehicle condition and disclaimers

Vehicles may be damaged, non-running, salvage or trade-disposal stock. Unless expressly stated otherwise, vehicles are sold in actual described condition, subject to non-excludable statutory rights.

Buyers must perform due diligence. Misdescription disputes must be raised promptly within platform dispute windows with supporting evidence.

13. Prohibited conduct

Prohibited actions include platform misuse, bot/scraping abuse, harassment, payment-step bypass, unlawful content, identity concealment, and off-platform fee-avoidance contact.

14. Suspension, cancellation and termination

GCB may restrict, suspend, cancel or terminate accounts/listings/bids/offers/transactions to enforce Terms, manage risk, comply with law, and protect platform integrity.

15. Complaints handling

GCB maintains an internal complaints process covering platform service, payment handling, collection coordination, fees, account actions and user conduct impacting marketplace operations.

Complaints should include user/account details, listing/transaction reference, evidence and requested resolution.

16. Disputes between users

Buyer/seller disputes must first be raised through GCB with evidence. GCB may facilitate operational resolution steps and account-level decisions, but is not necessarily acting as court/arbitrator unless it is the contracting seller.

17. ADR and escalation

For unresolved consumer seller complaints, GCB should provide ADR signposting in line with UK ADR Regulations 2015, including provider details and whether GCB will participate.

Required placeholders before go-live: [ADR ENTITY NAME], [ADR ENTITY WEBSITE], [GCB WILL / WILL NOT PARTICIPATE].

18. Liability and exclusions

Nothing excludes liability where exclusion is unlawful (including fraud and death/personal injury caused by negligence). Subject to law, business liability limits and exclusions may apply as drafted and legally reviewed.

19. Indemnity

Business users indemnify GCB for losses arising from breach, unlawful conduct, title/finance defects, sanctions/tax issues, and misuse, except to the extent caused by GCB's own fault.

20. Data, privacy and recordings

Personal data is handled under Privacy Policy and applicable law. Calls/messages/platform/payment/collection events may be logged for quality, compliance, fraud prevention and dispute resolution.

21. Notices and electronic communications

Notices may be sent via email, in-platform alerts, SMS or WhatsApp where enabled, unless law requires otherwise.

22. Changes to platform and terms

GCB may update services, workflows, fees and Terms. Material updates should be communicated in advance where reasonably possible.

23. Governing law and jurisdiction

Governed by England and Wales law, subject to mandatory consumer law rights and forum rights where applicable.