Auctioneer refuses $500 bid on a house

PHOTO: Auction. FILE

According to STUFF a Hamilton auctioneer refused to sell a property for $500 more because he said “I can’t make out my commission on that”.

But Lugtons auctioneer Campbell Turner was within his rights to refuse the bid, according to the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand (Reinz).

The Hyde Ave property went to auction on November 23, under Turner.

The final call was for $492,000, but when an agent on the phone with her bidder offered $500 more, taking the price to $492,500, Turner declined the bid because he could only calculate his commission in $1000 increments.

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“Thousands are good but $500s are no good,” he said.

The agent can be heard saying “you could have $500 more” as Turner makes his final calls before he responds, “yeah I could, but I won’t”.

The property sold for $492,000.

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The live auction video, which was posted to the Lugtons website, has since been removed.

**JOSEPH JOHNSON/STUFF**
**Auctioneers can nominate the sum by which bidding can be raised, and can refuse any bid. (File photo)**

Turner, real estate agent for the property Q Lu, and Lugtons head office did not respond to requests for comment.

Stuff understands Lu was unhappy with how the auction played out, and along with his bidder, sent a formal letter of complaint to the company earlier this week, and had been told not to speak with the media.

The company is understood to be investigating the incident.

A Reinz spokesperson said an auctioneer had the right to refuse a bid.