Escrapalia

Escrapalia is the online auction platform of Surus Inversa SLU, a Madrid asset-management group that sells on behalf of client companies rather than trading stock of its own. Running since May 2012 from Pozuelo de Alarcón, it draws lots from three sources: large Spanish corporates clearing surplus and obsolete equipment, public administrations, and the country's main insolvency practices running liquidations. Goods stay on the seller's premises, so a lot's address is a yard or warehouse in Spain, most often around Madrid.

What you can buy

• Vehicles: fleet disposals — 24 ex-fleet Renault ZOE electric cars in Coslada when checked, each listed with VIN, mileage, battery health and next ITV date.
• Industrial and electrical equipment: one of the two biggest blocks — machine tools, production machinery, switchgear, sometimes whole plants.
• Art, antiques and one-offs: the other, and about a third of the live catalogue when checked — paintings, coin collections and watches from clearance estates.
• Warehouse and office: pallet racking and storage systems, office furniture, appliances, IT equipment.
• Property: a separate portal at inmuebles.escrapalia.com carries building and rustic land, houses, garages and industrial units.
• Scrap, marine and aviation: scrap metal, vessels and marine gear, aircraft components — standing categories, but only a handful of lots at any one time.

How the bidding works

Registration is free and asks for no bank details; register under the billing identity you want on the invoice. Most lots are timed ascending auctions with system-set increments and proxy bidding; a bid in the closing minute extends the lot by three minutes. Reserves are not published, showing only as reserve met or not met, though the lot's project manager will sometimes tell you the figure if you ask. Some lots carry a Buy It Now price; others take offers by direct negotiation, answered within 48 working hours. Bids are binding. Winners get an invoice within 24 hours and pay by bank transfer; Escrapalia then issues a collection order naming the site, hours and project manager. Access is not always open: the Renault fleet sale is restricted to companies and self-employed traders, and demands a signed declaration of professional use plus a €501 deposit per event.

What to check before you bid

Spanish VAT of 21% is added unless the goods are scrap, exempt or exported, and professionals can deduct it on these purchases. Buyer's premium is set per lot and printed in the listing — 10% on those ZOE cars, 15% on some direct-negotiation lots. Fixed extras matter more: the same vehicle lot carried €800 handling charges per car, €500 of it withheld until you photograph the seller's livery removed. Some events also charge a one-off participation fee that is explicitly non-refundable. Payment windows appear as 72 hours, three days or seven days on different pages, so follow the lot's conditions. Everything sells where is, as is, with no warranty unless the listing says the item was tested. Escrapalia arranges no transport; you bring your own loading gear and labour on collection day; rebooking costs €250 and after 10 days the lot counts as abandoned. Viewing days are offered. The interface has English and Portuguese versions, but lot descriptions and binding conditions are Spanish.