Lost property

I lost something on a train or at a station. What should I do?

First, fill out our online lost property form.

Once we receive this, our centre for lost property will do their best to find your item. If we find it, we’ll contact you to arrange its return. We’ll usually do this within two weeks.

Keep in mind that some lost items are never found, and we’ll only get in touch with you if we do find your item. We also recommend completing online forms with other rail companies who operate from the stations you were travelling between.

How long will it take to find out if the item was found?

It can take up to two weeks to locate and match an item to you. Keep in mind that some lost items are never found, and we’ll only get in touch with you if we do find your item.

Where does my item go if it gets found?

Lost property items will be held at one of our stations before being delivered to the lost property centre located at London Victoria station.

How will I be contacted?

Should a possible match be found, a member of the lost property team will be in touch using the details you provided us on the lost property form.

How do I collect a found item?

We will contact you if we find a possible match. You can arrange to collect your item from our lost property centre at London Victoria station. You can also request for the item to be delivered for an additional charge or nominate a person to collect the item. Further details will be provided once the item has been found.

Is there a collection fee for found items?

We do not charge for items collected from one of our stations, however, there is a lost property management fee if the item is collected from the lost property centre. The cost will depend on the item found. Some examples of the fees are provided below:

Band A £20

Laptop Computers
Video Cameras
Kindles
Tablets (iPads etc)

Band B £10

Mobiles
Handheld Computers
Personal Organisers

Band C £5

Clothing Items
Jewellery Items
Watches
Cameras
Cycles
Suitcases
Rucksacks
Briefcases
Musical Instruments

Band D £3

Umbrellas
Gloves / Scarves / Hats
Spectacles
Keys
Reading Books
Prams / Pushchairs

My item has been found at a station but I'm unable to collect it, what should I do?

You can request for the item to be delivered to you for an additional charge. The fee will depend on the size and weight of the item. You can also select a nominated person to collect your item. You will need to provide them with a letter of authorisation and a copy of your ID. They will also need to bring photographic ID for verification.

How long are items stored for?

Items are stored for up to 90 days, after which they may be donated to charity or disposed of. This is because we have limited space to keep items indefinitely.

What should I do if I haven’t been contacted?

We will only contact you if we have found a possible match for the item you’ve reported as missing. This can take up to two weeks and please keep in mind that some lost items are never found.

Can I turn up to the Lost Property office if I haven't been contacted?

We recommend that you only visit the lost property office if we have contacted you to advise your item has been found, to save a wasted journey.

What happens if my item isn’t found?

We will continue to try and match your item for up to 90 days, although please keep in mind that some lost items are never found.

Are all found items kept or are some items disposed of?

We will dispose of any perishable items straight away. For example, food stuffs, as these usually become inedible after a short period of time.

I’ve lost my passport and need to use it imminently, what do I do?

If a passport is found it will be returned directly to HM Passport Office as per government guidance. If you have only just lost your passport, one of our team may be able to assist you.

I’ve lost my medicine that I need to take regularly, what do I do?

Perishables will usually be disposed of upon recovery. Although, if you have only just lost your medicine, one of our team may be able to assist you. Please also contact the Twitter team as we will all try to help.

I’ve lost cash, what do I do?

Where a found purse or wallet includes cash we will secure this in one of our tills at a ticket office. A receipt to the value of the cash will be put back into the wallet before being sent to our centre for lost property. Once the wallet has been collected by the owner the receipt can be taken to a ticket office to exchange for cash. We will need to verify proof of ownership and request photographic ID.

I’ve lost my credit/debit card or chequebook, what do I do?

We will contact the relevant bank for any credit/debit cards or chequebooks which have been found. The items will either be returned or destroyed as per the banks request.

I’ve lost my mobile phone, what do I do?

As with all items, you’ll need to fill out our online lost property form. When reporting a lost phone, we’ll need you to provide the IMEI number. This is because we have so many lost phones – IMEI numbers are the only effective way to match a phone with its owner. If you don’t know your IMEI number, your network operator will be able to tell you.

I’ve found a lost item, where can I hand it in?

If you see a lost item, please inform one of our members of staff who will send this to our centre for lost property.

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