Lost Property Log

Who this is for

One numbered line per item handed in. Where it was found, what it is, who brought it to the desk, which box or shelf it went into, and — when someone comes for it — who took it away and how long it had been waiting.

Leisure centres, schools, halls, hotels, pubs, transport operators, festivals and any front desk that ends up holding other people's belongings.

What this helps you track

• A reference number that can be quoted on the phone and written on the bag
• Where and when the item was found, and by whom
• A description good enough to match against a caller's description
• The shelf, box or locker the item is actually in
• Who claimed it, when, and how many days it was held

How to use it

1. Write the premises and where lost property is kept at the top of the sheet.
2. Give every item a reference as it arrives and write the same reference on the label attached to it.
3. Describe the item plainly — colour, make, size, distinguishing marks — but leave out anything that would identify the owner.
4. Record where it was found and who handed it in, so a query can be traced back to a person.
5. When it is claimed, fill in who took it and the date; the days-held figure works itself out on screen and in the workbook.
6. Follow your own retention and disposal rules for anything unclaimed, and write the disposal in the notes.

Formats

• Printable PDF (A4 and US Letter)
• Fillable PDF with form fields
• Fill in online, saved in your browser
• Excel / Google Sheets workbook

The printable is laid out inside a box that fits both A4 and US Letter, so the two files are identical and neither one is scaled. The fillable PDF has real form fields. The workbook uses plain formulas only — SUM, IF, COUNTIF and the like — so it opens in Excel, LibreOffice and Google Sheets without anything breaking, and every calculated cell is grey so you can see which figures it worked out.

How to print

Download the A4 or US Letter file to match the paper in your printer, open it in a PDF reader and print at 100% — not "fit to page", which shrinks the writing space. Both files leave a 14 mm margin, which clears the unprintable edge on home printers. To print the online version with your entries in it, use the Print this sheet button, which prints only the sheet and none of the page around it. More on printing.

Questions

How long should unclaimed property be kept?

That is set by your own policy and by the rules where you are, so no period is suggested here. The days-held column shows you what is oldest; what happens next is your decision to write down.

Should I record the finder's contact details?

Only if your own policy says so and the finder agrees. Handling other people's details brings obligations that differ by country — check the rules where you are before you build a habit of collecting them.

What proof should someone give before I hand an item over?

Whatever your policy requires. Many places ask the claimant to describe the item before it is shown to them, and note in the claimed column how identity was established.

What about valuables, documents or anything that looks suspicious?

Log it the same way, store it somewhere secure and follow your own escalation procedure. The log is a record, not a decision about what should be done.