Dear citizens,
Some of you may have already been affected, so we have put together some information for you below.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank all honest finders for handing in their finds!
Information for finders - What do you have to do if you have found something?
If you have found an item of value (worth more than €10.00), you must hand it in. You are even obliged to do so under the German Civil Code (BGB). A lost property report is recorded. The lost property, the place and time it was found and your personal details will be recorded.
The lost property office is obliged to keep lost property for at least 6 months. If the owner does not get in touch within this period, you as the finder are entitled to the found item. If you do not exercise this right or if the lost property was found in public buildings or on public transport, the municipality of Rüdersdorf bei Berlin itself becomes the owner of the items.
The German Civil Code (BGB) provides the following rights for you as the finder:
1. finder's fee:
If the finder comes forward and the item can be returned to him/her, you can claim a finder's fee from him/her. This is a statutory minimum claim of 5% of the value of the item. If the item is worth more than € 500.00, the finder's fee is calculated at 3% of the additional value.(§ 971 BGB).
2. ownership:
If the item cannot be returned to the owner within the statutory retention period(6 months from the date of notification - Section 973 BGB), you can claim ownership of the item and collect it from the Central Lost Property Office.
Fees: You must pay the administration and storage fees to the municipality of Rüdersdorf / lost property office.
If you relinquish the acquired property either from the outset or by not collecting it, this right is transferred to the municipality of Rüdersdorf bei Berlin(§ 976 BGB).
3. submission to the lost property office:
You will receive a printout of the lost property report as proof of the submission of the item, which you can use later to assert your rights. Exceptions to this rule are key finds for which no lost property rights can be asserted. In this case, it is sufficient to hand in the item with a reference to where and when it was found. Finds in public authorities or on their premises as well as in means of transport also only allow you to assert limited lost property rights(§ 978 BGB). Here, a claim to ownership is excluded and the finder's fee is halved if the item is worth more than €50.00.
Information in the event of loss:
What can you do if you have lost something?
In our experience, lost property is not handed in by the finder immediately, but usually one to four days after it is found at the lost property office. In the case of items sent from other authorities, the transmission time takes approx. 2 to 4 weeks.
Lost property is recorded and can be requested from the lost property office of the municipality of Rüdersdorf bei Berlin. The lost property must be kept by the lost property office for 6 months. After this period, the lost property will be destroyed or sold if necessary.
The BGB provides the following rights for you as the loser(s):
Lost property is stored for 6 months after notification of the find §§ 973 ff. BGB. Lost property with a value of no more than €10.00 does not have to be reported or handed over in accordance with the last sentence of Section 965 (2) BGB.
1. loss report
However, it is still worth asking, as we receive a number of these so-called minor finds. In this case, we will record your loss report in our loss register.
2. enquiry about the loss of your property and proof of ownership
If you enquire about the loss of your property (by telephone or e-mail)
, we can carry out a comparison directly with the lost property register/depository of the lost property office by providing the relevant details.
If your item is indeed there, you can collect it by appointment from the lost property office / trade office at Puschkinstraße 5, 15562 Rüdersdorf bei Berlin.
We would like to draw your attention to a few things:
The best proof that you are the actual owner is
- a corresponding purchase agreement or
- the operating instructions of the thing
- an identical duplicate key for keys.
Such proof is just as important as
- Your ID card (unless it is with the lost property)
to bring with you on collection.
Fees: You must pay the administration and storage fees to the municipality of Rüdersdorf/Fund Office.
If the finder of the item has claimed a finder's fee, this must also be paid.
4. collection by an authorised person
If you are unable to collect the item yourself, this can also be done by a person you have authorised. In addition to the above-mentioned items, this person must also
- a written power of attorney and the
- own identity card
bring along.
If you have any questions, please contact Mrs Vietz on 033638 / 85-124 or at gewerbeamt [at] ruedersdorf.de
Signed
Vietz
Clerk for trade/found office