Lost property within the municipal area; reports of found and lost property

Lost Property Report – Information for Finders

Anyone who finds an item worth more than 10 euros is obliged to report the find immediately.

As a general rule, the lost property office of the local authority where the item was found, or any police station, is responsible for receiving reports of found property.

Upon receipt of the report of lost property, the circumstances relevant to determining the person entitled to receive it must be established ex officio and recorded in writing, in particular

• Date of the report,
• Date and place of discovery,
• Type of lost property,
• Name and address of the person who found the item,
• whether the item is being kept by the person who found it or has been handed in to the lost property office,
• whether the finder waives their rights arising from the find (Sections 971 to 975 of the Civil Code).

The finder is entitled to a finder’s fee. In accordance with Section 971 of the Civil Code, this amounts to 5 per cent of the value of the item for items worth up to 500 euros, plus an additional 3 per cent of the added value.

In principle, the finder acquires ownership of the item six months after reporting the find to the relevant authority, unless the finder has previously become aware of a person entitled to receive it or that person has registered their claim with the relevant authority. Once the period has expired, the finder will be notified that the lost property can be collected (subject to a storage or handling fee, where applicable). However, the finder must expect the former owner to assert a claim for unjust enrichment for a further three years. Official documents may not be transferred to the finder’s name.

Please note: Any items found on the (S-)Bahn or at the station must be handed in to Deutsche Bahn.

Find Request – Information for those who have lost items

If a lost item can be traced to its owner, the owner will be notified in writing (e.g. in the case of identity documents or bank cards).

The Lost Property Office provides information on lost property through, amongst other things, regular notices (e.g. noticeboards, local newsletters) or on the local authority’s website. A list of lost property is published here at regular intervals.

In some local authorities, you can also enquire about or report a lost item. To ensure your lost item can be identified beyond doubt, you should describe it as accurately as possible in your enquiry and state the circumstances of the loss (date, location).

Lost property handed in to the local authority’s lost property office is held for collection for six months. If the owner does not come forward, the finder usually acquires ownership of the lost property. If the finder has waived their right to ownership after the retention period has expired, the lost property is auctioned off or donated to charity.

Please note: Any items lost on the (S-)Bahn or at the station are held by Deutsche Bahn.

Auction of lost property

An auction of unclaimed lost property is held every year (March/April). The exact dates will be announced on the City of Kitzingen’s website at www.stadt-kitzingen.de.