Lost Property

[greghorne]

Is there a minimum period of time a business or company/establishment is meant to retain lost property before giving/selling it to someone else or charirty?

[Buenchico]

The rules vary.

The police dispose of 'non-recordable' found property after just 14 days:
http://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/news_info/fr eedom/policies_procedures/pdf/Non-Evidential%2 0Property.pdf

If something is found on a bus, the operator may dispose of it after one month:
http://www.statutelaw.gov.uk/content.aspx?LegT ype=All+Legislation&title=lost+property&search Enacted=0&extentMatchOnly=0&confersPower=0&bla nketAmendment=0&sortAlpha=0&TYPE=QS&PageNumber =1&NavFrom=0&parentActiveTextDocId=3068480&Act iveTextDocId=3068480&filesize=10061

'Found property' used to be referred to under the Railway Byelaws but I can't find any reference in the latest (2000) edition. However, the rail company I used to work for retained property for 3 months (which, I believe was the rule under previous byelaws) before disposing of it.

If you've got piles of found property sitting in a cupboard, you're probably safe to dispose of it after 3 months, as this seems to be the maximum time that any organisation hangs on to it.

Chris

[pink-kittens]

Where I worked we would keep it for 28 days then throw it away.

It doesn't go to charity shops nor does it get sold on or given to someone unless the someone who found it wants it

I found an almost new children's buggy once and it was never claimed. Came in very handy considering I was pregnant at the time