Lost & Found in London
London has no single lost property office. National Rail operators, the airports, Uber and private venues each run their own.
Lost and found in London: TfL, the railways, the airports and the police
London has no single lost property office. Transport for London runs the largest one, which moved to West Ham in 2023 after decades at Baker Street and a temporary stay in South Kensington, and it covers the Tube, buses, the Overground, the Elizabeth line, the DLR, trams and black cabs. National Rail operators, the airports, Uber and private venues each run their own. The police no longer act as a general lost property service. This page explains who holds what in London and how a free DokiFinder report searches across all of it.
Where to look first
Contact the venue: the pub, the hotel, the theatre, the gym, the restaurant. Note the time and your route home, because TfL and the rail operators will ask for the line, the direction and the stop. Lock a lost phone remotely, block the cards from a lost wallet and note the number of a lost passport. Then post a DokiFinder report so the search continues.
Transport for London: Tube, buses, Overground, Elizabeth line, DLR, trams and taxis
Items found on TfL services and in black cabs are sent to the TfL Lost Property Office, now based next to West Ham bus garage. You report a loss online with the line or route, the date, the time and a description, and the office contacts you if a matching item has been received. Items take a few days to arrive from stations and garages, so a report filed on the day is often matched the following week. Black cab drivers can hand finds to the Lost Property Office or to any police station in London.
National Rail and the airports
Items left on National Rail trains are held by the train operating company that ran the service, not by TfL, so note the operator and the time of your train. Each London airport runs its own lost property service for items left in the terminals, at security and in the lounges. Items left on board stay with the airline or its handling agent, and a bag that did not arrive is a baggage claim with the airline. Report to every party that could have the item.
The police and your documents
The Metropolitan Police does not run a general lost property service, so do not expect a police station to be holding a lost phone or wallet. Report a theft to the police to get a crime reference number for your insurer, and report a lost passport to HM Passport Office and, if you are visiting, to your embassy. A lost UK driving licence is replaced through the DVLA.
How DokiFinder helps in London
A lost report on DokiFinder is compared against found reports from individuals in London and from organizations that run their lost property desks on the platform. Matching uses the category, the place and distance, the dates, the description, the colour and the photos, and you are notified when a likely match appears. You prove ownership, agree the handover in a secure chat and confirm it with a one-time code; any reward is held securely until then. Reporting is free and available in 13 languages, which matters in a city where many of the people who find things and lose things do not share one.
Found something in London?
Hand it in at the venue or, for items found on public transport, to staff on the service. For anything else, post a found report on DokiFinder with the place and time and keep the identifying details private. Review the proof a claimant sends, hand the item over in a public place or use the shipping option, and confirm with the code to receive any reward the owner has offered.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the TfL lost property office?
Next to West Ham bus garage, where it moved in 2023. You report a loss online first; the office contacts you if a matching item has been received.
I left something on the Tube. What do I do?
Report it to TfL online with the line, direction, time and a description, and post a free DokiFinder report. Items take a few days to reach the Lost Property Office.
I left something on a National Rail train. Who has it?
The train operating company that ran your service. Note the operator and the time, and contact its lost property service directly.
Will a London police station have my lost item?
Usually not. The Metropolitan Police does not run a general lost property service. Report a theft for a crime reference number and a lost passport to HM Passport Office or your embassy.
I lost something at a London airport. Who has it?
Each airport runs its own lost property service for the terminals. Items left on the aircraft stay with the airline. A missing checked bag is a baggage claim with the airline.
How does DokiFinder help in London?
A free lost report is compared against found reports from individuals and organizations across London, you are notified of likely matches, and any reward you offer is held securely until the handover is confirmed.
About DokiFinder
DokiFinder is a lost-and-found recovery network for people and organizations. Owners report lost items for free; honest finders report what they found. AI-assisted matching compares the two, the owner's reward is held securely, finders are identity-verified, and the reward is released only after both sides confirm the handover. Available on the web in 13 languages. Reporting is free.