Who pays for storage while a delivery order waits

While a cask sits in a seller's account, the warehouse bills the seller for storage. Once the warehouse stamps the delivery order to you, the cask is in your account and the warehouse bills you directly. Many warehouses bill a new owner for a year of storage in advance.

Two things follow from that.

A DO that waits costs someone money. Storage keeps running while a purchase waits for a signature or a missing document. It's one more reason to sign the day your DO arrives.

The changeover date isn't always written down. Warehouses don't always confirm the date a cask moved into your account, or the date your billing started. Ask for both in writing, and keep them with your stamped DO.

Insurance

Insurance at bonded warehouses varies. At some, owners have to opt in at an agreed value, and without that the warehouse's liability can be limited. Leakage is often excluded. Don't tell a client a cask is fully covered until you've read what the cover says.

Questions to ask the warehouse

• From what date is the cask in my account, and from when am I billed?
• What has been paid, and up to what date?
• What does the insurance cover, including leakage, and on what value?
• Do I need to opt in to insurance, and how?
• Which charges aren't included, such as regauges, samples, movements or transfer fees?

Questions to ask a seller

• Who is storage paid to, and is it paid up to date?
• Is any storage prepaid, and does the warehouse recognise it?
• Are there any charges outstanding on the cask?