Compare disposal proposals against the same closure brief
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Two disposal proposals can look different because they answer different briefs. Before comparing terms, check that each provider understood the same asset scope, business constraints and decision stage.
Use one current closure brief as the reference. If an earlier enquiry omitted a material fact, correct that through the proper process before treating the responses as comparable.
Compare what each proposal assumes
A useful comparison records the asset groups and locations covered, the continuing-use assumptions, the proposed service scope, exclusions, business responsibilities and timing dependencies. Include the actual terms and costs supplied, with their stated basis and conditions.
Do not replace missing information with a favourable guess. Write "not stated" and ask a defined question.
A fictional comparison finds that one proposal assumes an empty workshop, while another allows for continuing customer work. A headline comparison would miss that difference. The owner needs to correct the brief or ask how the first approach would change under the actual operating constraint.
Equipment still in use and access limits are common places where apparently similar enquiries conceal different facts.
Test each option against the closure work
Ask which tasks the business would still have to organise and which external answers the proposal depends on. A service exclusion may be perfectly clear and reasonable, but the closure plan still needs someone to handle that work.
Adviser scope and fees helps distinguish a quoted service from the wider project. Avoid judging an option only by a figure whose scope, assumptions or timing you have not understood.
Take legal, financial or contractual questions to the appropriate advisers. A proposal comparison should inform the decision; it should not claim to certify the correct tax treatment, authority or ability to meet obligations.
Record why the chosen approach fits
Once questions are answered, keep a short decision note explaining the actual requirements and the evidence considered. Preserve the proposal version and any clarification on which the decision relies.
If a provider revises an answer, make sure the comparison uses that current version. Do not combine the best parts of two different versions into an offer nobody made.
Ask UK Auction Group to explain its proposed disposal scope against the current brief, including what remains dependent on the business or other providers. The aim is a decision based on understood responsibilities and constraints.
Before giving formal instructions, confirm the actual agreed terms and authority through the appropriate route. A completed comparison sheet is useful evidence of the owner's reasoning, but it is not itself the service agreement or approval for a transaction.
Explore closure enquiries and records.
Sources
This guide is general information and education only. Legal, tax, employment and safety decisions may need a qualified adviser who knows your situation. Read the disclaimer.