Train company lost property charges

Update (September 14 2018): Arriva Trains Wales have slightly changed their tune regarding the 10% charge:
❝

Our customers feedback is really important to us and following recent feedback on this issue we will now be changing our policy with immediate effect. In this instance we are happy to refund the percentage that was charged to the customer who brought this to our attention. We are happy to begin the process of reviewing the Lost Property policy with customer groups and rail industry regulatory bodies.
Tens of thousands of items are lost on the railway network every year. At Arriva Trains Wales, we charge the minimum amount possible and have done since the franchise began. In addition any unclaimed items that we receive are donated to charity or are recycled appropriately. It must be noted that our lost property service is a non-profit making service and all charges are used to support the cost of administrating the service.
To safely store, record and process all these items takes a considerable amount of resource and as such we, like other train operators in the UK, have a small handling and administration fee which is clearly outlined on our website and Passenger’s Charter. Lost property charges vary across the UK train operators and this is set out in the National Rail Conditions of Travel which states train operators can charge up to £30 per item.

❞

---

I was shocked to find out that Arriva Train Wales charges for lost property.

Hi Tim, you can view the Lost Property Charges here - https://t.co/1SRWSVlrfo. If you're looking to discuss this further please get in touch with our customer relations, the email is- customer.relations@arrivatrainswales.co.uk ^Joy pic.twitter.com/6fOCICRqbE

— Arriva Trains Wales (@ArrivaTW) September 13, 2018

That got me thinking. Was this an isolated incident or do other train companies charge for items?

This is what I found out.

Train companies that don't charge for lost properties

• Great Western Railway

Hi Thu. No we don't charge for lost property. -Rachel

— GWR Help (@GWRHelp) September 13, 2018

• Virgin (Network rail may charge a small fee for holding items if recovered at one of their stations)

We don't charge for lost property but Network Rail will charge a small fee for holding your items if they're recovered at one of their stations ^AL

— Virgin Trains (@VirginTrains) September 13, 2018

• ScotRail (Free if recovered at a station run by Scotrail.  Edinburgh Waverley or Glasgow Central are run by Network rail)

We don't usually, provided it's at one of our stations. Is there anything I can help with? ^AD

— ScotRail (@ScotRail) September 13, 2018

• Hull Trains

Hi there,

We don't charge for lost property - we would only charge for postage if you required that. If you've lost an item, call 01482 488909 and speak with the team!

-ZG

— Hull Trains (@Hull_Trains) September 14, 2018

• Transpennine Express

Hi, no we don't charge for lost properties ^LH

— TPE Customer Assist (@TPEassist) September 14, 2018

• C2C Rail

There are currently no charges

— c2c Rail (@c2c_Rail) September 14, 2018

• Northern

Hi there, Northern do not charge for lost property ^TW

— Northern (@northernassist) September 14, 2018

Train companies that charge for lost properties

• Arriva

Hi Tim, you can view the Lost Property Charges here - https://t.co/1SRWSVlrfo. If you're looking to discuss this further please get in touch with our customer relations, the email is- customer.relations@arrivatrainswales.co.uk ^Joy pic.twitter.com/6fOCICRqbE

— Arriva Trains Wales (@ArrivaTW) September 13, 2018

• Chiltern Railways

Hi there, and yes there are charges for storing lost items, full details of our Lost Property policy can be found here: https://t.co/7Xs8KfgWaE. BL

— Chiltern Railways (@chilternrailway) September 13, 2018

• London Northwestern Railway / West Midlands Railway

Hi, we do charge for the storage of lost property. Details can be found here

— London Northwestern Railway (@LNRailway) September 13, 2018

Ah yes. It got delayed on its way... https://t.co/GGCWhLMdkv

— London Northwestern Railway (@LNRailway) September 13, 2018

Correct, it is the same policy.

— London Northwestern Railway (@LNRailway) September 13, 2018

• Southeastern

All the details are here https://t.co/tUab5Aph5H ^RK

— Southeastern (@Se_Railway) September 13, 2018

• Greater Anglia (Charges: https://www.greateranglia.co.uk/travel-information/your-journey/lost-property)

Hi, yes we do. GA

— Greater Anglia (@greateranglia) September 14, 2018

• Transport for London (TFL)
  Fees: http://content.tfl.gov.uk/lost-property-fees-april-2016.pdf
• Southern
  Lost property handled by the excess baggage company that levies a fee for lost property: https://www.southernrailway.com/help-and-support/journey-problems/lost-property
• London North Eastern Railway (Lost baggage handled by Excess Baggage)
  

  Items found on-board are logged with station lost property offices. If an item is stored at one of the office, you would need to pay a fee to get it back. ^JC

  — London North Eastern Railway (@LNER) September 14, 2018

  The offices at Kings Cross and Edinburgh are managed by Excess Baggage, rather than ourselves. ^JC

  — London North Eastern Railway (@LNER) September 14, 2018

• Great Northern (Charges may be incurred depending on the value of the items)
  

  Hi there, a small fee may be payable when collecting your item; the fee depends on the item’s value. ^Jack

  — Great Northern (@GNRailUK) September 14, 2018

  I'm afraid we don't have this. ^Amy

  — Great Northern (@GNRailUK) September 14, 2018

Misc

• CrossCountry Trains (charges may be incurred depending on who runs the terminus station)

Any items left on board will be handed in at the terminus station in to the care of the station operator, for our trains that travel to the south west this would more than likely be a GWR managed station. ^Max — CrossCountry trains (@CrossCountryUK) September 13, 2018

If it's a service travelling to Scotland then yes it would normally be ScotRail. ^Max

— CrossCountry trains (@CrossCountryUK) September 13, 2018

• Grand Central Rail (Does not run any of the stations.  Charge-dependent on station
  

  There may be a charge depending on which company is holding your items. You can get further info by calling the number here >> https://t.co/SNf7Vs8LTt ^RS — Grand Central Rail (@GC_Rail) September 14, 2018

  We don't operate any stations sorry. You can find station lost property info here: https://t.co/NsylvJwEPG ^RS

  — Grand Central Rail (@GC_Rail) September 14, 2018

• Heathrow Express (Lost baggage handled by Heathrow or Network Rail)
  

  Hi there. We don’t personally charge for lost property as it is handled by either Heathrow Airport or Network Rail. They may charge to reclaim your property. Can I put you in touch with the relevant company? ^DE

  — Heathrow Express (@HeathrowExpress) September 14, 2018

• Gatwick Express
  Lost property handled by Excess Baggage Company or Gatwick airport, which levies a charge: https://www.gatwickexpress.com/help-and-support/journey-problems/lost-property