Transport for London's Public Carriage Office is responsible for licensing both London Taxis (the recognisable "Black" cab) and London's Private Hire Vehicles (typically ordinary saloon cars). Taxis can be hailed on the street whilst Private Hire Vehicles must be booked with the company concerned. Because of this difference, property found in Taxis is handled differently to property found in Private Hire Vehicles.

Taxi

Property found in a London Taxi is handed in at a London police station and forwarded to the TfL Lost Property Office. Property can take up to 5 working days to arrive at the Lost Property Office.

You can make a report of your loss at a London Police Station which will be forwarded to the TfL Lost Property Office.

You can also enquire at the TfL Lost Property Office whether your property has been found. If it can be positively identified, you can pay a restoration charge to have your property returned.

You can enquire whether your property has arrived at the Lost Property Office in one of the following three ways:

1. You can enquire in person by visiting the Lost Property Office (near Baker Street Underground Station) between the hours of 09:00 and 14:00, Monday to Friday with the exception of bank holidays.

2. You may make a telephone enquiry by telephoning 020 7918 2000 between 09.00 - 16.00, Mondays to Fridays excluding bank holidays.

3. You may make a written enquiry by either:

• Filling in a printed Enquiry form (available at London Underground stations and London Bus garages) and either posting or faxing it.
   
• Posting or faxing a letter.
• Completing the on-line form

The details that you need to provide are:

• Your name, address (and email address if you have one)
• Details of property lost - as much detail as you can provide
• Details of where and when the property was lost
• For mobile phones, it is essential that you supply details of the phone make and model, mobile phone service, and either the IMEI number of the phone or your SIM card number. Due to the quantity of mobile phones received, individual mobile phones cannot be identified without this information.

If we believe that we have received your property, we will write to advise you to make a further enquiry in person. We do not normally reply to you if we have not received your property - if you would like us to write to you to confirm that we have not received it, you will need to send us a stamped addressed envelope with your postal enquiry.

Postal enquiries should be sent to the following address:

TfL Lost Property Office
200 Baker Street
London NW1 5RZ

Fax enquiries should be sent to:
Fax: 020 7918 1028

If we can positively identify your property, it can be returned to you in person at Baker Street or by post. A restoration fee, award for the taxi driver and postage costs need to be paid in advance before your property can be restored to you. The following fees are payable:

Restoration fee: Depending upon property type and value
Award fee: Depending upon property type and value
Postcard notification: £0.20
Restoration post: Depending upon weight and size

Please make sure that you are given a receipt for any fees you pay.

Taxi First is a Trading Style of