Is there any way of finding out who the seller is if a property is due at auction?

[SparklyReindeerShit]

Basically, the house we love is going to auction shortly and the auction house are not being helpful. We would like to put in an offer before the auction but the auction house are stalling us, won't talk to the seller etc even though they keep telling us we can do this and they will help, they are not.
So, is there any way we can talk to the seller themselves? Ask them directly?

Yes. Go on to the Land Registry website (make sure you use the official .gov one!).

Register with your details, type in address and pay £4 and you will have the details of the owner.

However this may not work if say the owner is dead (probate sale) as the deceased owner will still be registered. You won't be able to find the details of the Executors of the estate.

A note on auctions. If the owner has put it into auction, it is likely they will let it proceed, whatever your offer. Sadly.

Auction house fees are expensive at around 10% of sale price. This is payable whether the sale proceeds or not. So it's not in the owners interest to sell to you before.

The auction house get such high fees for driving interest. On the day of the auction they generally take details of several under bidders in case the auction winner fails to proceed.

Thank you all. Really appreciate that. Gutting as if we could get the 'guide price' we could afford it but I'm guessing it'll go way above if it goes to auction
Oh well not meant to be

Most properties go close to the guide price ( even on homes under the hammer) apart from obviously underpriced London flats

Reputable auction houses do accurate guide prices and generally will not allow a reserve of more than the lower figure of guide price

Don't write it off before the auction! If you can get your finances in place to proceed, worth going along. Imagine if you found out afterwards it had gone for the guide price or not sold.

MrsF are you sure it's 10%?!

Rarely 10% for property but charges will be in auction catalogue including what needs to be paid by buyer, just check auction terms and read the legal pack very carefully

At property auctions the fee is around 1.5% .

Most vendors won't sell prior to the auction unless they think you have offered a very good price for it.

Depends, as some properties go to auction if they've not sold on the open market. OP, do you know if this is the case?