What we source
- Vehicles, including specification-sensitive and limited-allocation cars
- Industrial and specialist equipment
- Art, watches and collectibles
- Marine and aviation-adjacent assets, coordinated with licensed specialists where the transaction requires them
The one thing that matters: we are paid by you
What the work actually is
- Brief. Specification, budget, timeline, and what compromises are acceptable. Being precise here saves the most money.
- Sourcing. Identifying available assets matching the brief, including through channels that are not publicly listed.
- Verification. Provenance, ownership, condition, outstanding finance, service and accident history, and authenticity where relevant. Inspections by independent specialists appointed by us, not by the seller.
- Negotiation. On your behalf, with the leverage of being able to walk away and having a comparison set.
- Transaction coordination. Payment structuring, documentation, and title transfer.
- Logistics. Shipping, customs and delivery, coordinated with licensed freight and customs agents.
- Import and registration. Including the UK and UAE documentation chain. For vehicles moving between the two, see our guide to bringing a UAE-registered car to the UK.
Where buyers lose money
| Failure | How it happens |
|---|---|
| Seller-appointed inspection | The inspection is arranged and paid for by the party selling. Always appoint your own. |
| Undisclosed finance | An outstanding charge on the asset survives the sale. Standard checks catch it; nobody runs them. |
| Specification mismatch | Regional specifications differ materially. A car built for one market may not comply, or may lack equipment assumed to be standard. |
| Import cost surprise | Duty, VAT, compliance testing and modification costs land after purchase and can be very large. |
| Payment fraud | Amended bank details late in the process. Always re-verify through a channel that is not email. |
Fees
Either a fixed fee for a defined search, or an agreed percentage of the purchase price, set before the search begins. We disclose every cost. If we cannot find the asset within the brief, we say so and the engagement ends rather than drifting toward whatever is available.
Whose side we are on
Al Hisn Partners acts for the client and only the client. We are retained by you, we take instructions from you, and our fee is paid by you.
This is the entire point of using us rather than a dealer. Dealers are paid by the sale. We are paid by you, so we can tell you the asset is overpriced or wrong.
Common questions
Do you take commission from the seller?
Never. Our fee comes from the buyer only. An agent paid by both sides is representing neither, and in these markets the seller-side commission is often invisible to the buyer and substantial.
Who inspects the asset?
An independent specialist appointed and paid by us on your behalf, never the seller's inspector. This is the single most important control in the whole process.
Can you handle shipping and import?
Yes, coordinated with licensed freight forwarders and customs agents. We also handle the documentation chain, which for cross-border movements is usually the part that causes delay.
What if you cannot find what I want?
We tell you and the engagement ends. We do not drift toward whatever happens to be available, which is how buyers end up with something close to but not what they asked for.
Do you value assets?
No. We do not provide valuations for insurance or tax purposes and we do not advise on assets as investments. Where a formal valuation is required, an independent qualified valuer provides it.
Who pays you, and do you ever take a fee from the other side?
Our client pays us, and only our client. We do not accept a fee, commission, rebate or referral payment from a counterparty, or from any agent, provider, supplier or institution we introduce or work alongside. If one is offered, we decline it. This applies across every service we provide, without exception.