I am writing this to helpWarning for international sellers at MacDougall’s other sellers…
I am writing this to help other sellers avoid the situation I recently faced with MacDougall’s. After years of what I thought was a professional relationship, I was shocked by their lack of transparency and the aggressive pressure tactics used at the end.
My disillusionment began when my painting was 'sold' at auction, only for the house to remain silent for two months. I eventually had to contact them myself to find out what was happening, only to be told the buyer had never paid. When I questioned this, the management admitted in writing that they do not perform credit checks on bidders. This negligence left me completely unprotected as a seller.
Following this failure, they offered the painting to the second-highest bidder at a significantly lower price. I agreed to this reduced offer just to resolve the matter. However, at the final settlement, I was presented with a massive surprise: a bill for three years of storage and insurance—costs that were never clearly communicated as an accumulating debt until the very end.
When I requested a standard 'goodwill gesture' to compensate for their lack of communication and the failed sale, I didn't receive an apology. Instead, I was met with an ultimatum. I was threatened with immediate charges of £20 per week for storage plus 1% annual insurance if I didn't accept their terms and all deductions instantly.
It is clear to me now that they leveraged my situation. Knowing that the high costs and logistical hurdles of returning the painting to Europe left me with no realistic choice, they used this vulnerability to force an unfair settlement. This felt like blackmail in its purest form. They did not treat me as a client; they treated me as someone they could trap and exploit.
If you are an international seller, please be extremely cautious. Integrity and professional ethics seem to be secondary to fees at this house. Management has my details and all correspondence regarding this matter. I am prepared to provide proof of my identity and contract to the platform moderators if requested.