A relative asks to have a machine before closure
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A relative asks whether they can have a machine when the business closes. Start by recording the request, not by answering from memory about who owns it or what it is worth.
Identify the item clearly and ask what the relative proposes: a purchase, a gift, storage or temporary use. Those are different arrangements and need the appropriate legal, tax and ownership advice before a commitment.
Keep four entries separate
| Entry | What it means |
|---|---|
| Request | What the relative would like to happen |
| Evidence | Records about the asset and its current status |
| Advice | Questions for the relevant professionals |
| Instruction | The decision actually authorised, with conditions |
A request can be acknowledged without implying that the business has approved it. Give the family a clear route for the question rather than allowing repeated conversations at the premises to create different expectations.
Conflicting family memories may be relevant to the evidence search. A statement that the machine "was always Dad's" needs checking against the actual records and business structure.
Examine the effect on the closure
Would retaining or transferring the item affect work still to finish, another asset or the premises plan? Is it part of a proposal under review? Ask competent people about technical dependencies; do not assume it can simply be collected because it appears self-contained.
A fictional relative wants a small machine for a personal project. The business still uses it to complete a final customer job. Even if the eventual transfer could be agreed with advice, the timing remains a separate decision.
The owner's emotional attachment guide explores the personal reason for keeping equipment. This page concerns a proposed transaction or arrangement with another person, which must retain its own evidence and approval route.
Give a clear answer when the decision is made
Record who decided, in what capacity and what was agreed. Preserve any conditions about timing or further professional work. Do not treat a family meeting note as a substitute for documents the advisers require.
If the request remains unresolved, keep it in the pending wishes register. Explain that status to the relative so they do not arrange collection or assume possession.
Tell UK Auction Group the current authorised asset boundary. Mark the item as excluded, available or awaiting a specified decision according to the actual position. The sale brief should never depend on an auctioneer interpreting an informal family promise during a site visit.
Explore family and business partners.
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.