As storage auctions gain in popularity, they begin to draw a wider audience than its usual clientele. Auctions are more crowded than ever, and it's becoming much more common for families to attend auctions together. In some cases, parents even allow their children to bid on units as a lesson in money management and responsibility.
While bringing your kids to a storage auction isn't illegal, some auctioneers, storage facilities and other bidders may frown upon it. Before choosing to bring your children to an auction, it's a good idea to understand the pros and cons.
Benefits of Bringing Children to Auctions:
- You don't have to worry about arranging childcare and can spend all day at the auction if necessary
- Your older children can help you clean out the unit and load merchandise
- Auctions give you an opportunity to teach your kids about responsibility or even help them make their own money with a small resale business
Drawbacks of Bringing Children to Auctions:
- Many storage facilities do not allow children on their premises due to liability concerns. Their insurance policies might not cover accidents, so they'd want to reduce the likelihood of accidents by forbidding children or requiring them to be closely watched.
- Many fellow bidders may disapprove of children at auctions because they can disrupt the proceedings.
- Younger children might slow you down and make if difficult to get your unit cleaned and all of the items loaded and removed from the unit.
- Auction hunting is often long, exhausting work. You'll be on your feet for several hours and may need to endure hot weather or other inconveniences that your children may not be prepared for.
It's best to check with the auctioneer in advance whenever possible to see if there will be any issues with bringing your kids to the auction. If in doubt, it might be a good idea to find someone to watch your children while you're bidding, at least the first few times you scope out a fresh auction. As you get more comfortable with the storage facility, auctioneers and fellow bidders, you might feel more comfortable bringing your entire family.
So, how do you feel about children being at storage auctions? Leave your interesting and creative responses in the comments section below.
I don’t think they should be allowed. Some parents watch their kids and some don’t. Cut out the confusion and don’t allow them at all.
As long as the children are quiet and behave appropriately I don’t have a problem with them being there. I do however have a problem with allowing them to place actual bids, as this could lead to confusion or problems should the child act out of turn or misunderstand their parents instructions. This is a business to many people, and it should be treated as such by all parties present even if they are only bidding on a unit as a hobby. It all boils down to the ability of the parents to control their children and keep them quiet during the auction process.