Lost Items in Your Tourist Accommodation: How to Manage Them, Return Them, and How Much to Charge

Chargers, passports, jewelry, clothes... guests constantly forget things. Here's how to set up an effective lost and found protocol, how much to charge for shipping, and what to do when no one claims.

It may seem trivial, but it's one of those operational topics that, if not clear, can take up your time, money, and sometimes even affect your reviews. Let's break it down.

Why This Matters More Than It Seems

If you manage a tourist accommodation with weekly turnover, you'll encounter forgotten items. And I'm not talking about once or twice a year, but roughly once every 4-5 stays. It's constant.

What seems like a minor issue has real consequences:

• Time lost: each forgotten item takes 15-30 minutes between messages, photos, searching for a box, going to the post office.
• Actual cost: if you handle the shipping yourself, it costs between 5 and 15 euros per package within Spain, more if international.
• Risk of negative review: if a guest asks for their passport and it takes three days to respond, you're likely to get a mediocre review.
• Legal issues if not managed properly: yes, there are regulations regarding lost items. I'll tell you about them.

What Guests Forget (Real Ranking)

Here's what appears most frequently:

Item	Frequency	Sentimental/Economic Value
Mobile chargers	Very high	Low
Clothes (socks, t-shirts, pajamas)	Very high	Low
Hygiene products	High	Very low
Headphones	High	Medium-high
Sunglasses	High	Medium
Books and Kindle	Medium	Medium
Children's toys	Medium	High (sentimental)
Documents (ID, passport)	Medium	Very high
Jewelry and watches	Low	Very high
Medication	Low	Critical

With this in mind, you can start creating a common-sense protocol.

Step-by-Step Protocol

1. Communication with the Cleaning Team

90% of forgotten items are found by the cleaner. You need to make it very clear what they should do:

• Always check: drawers, under the bed, inside the fridge, plugged chargers, bathroom (soaps, brushes, creams).
• Take a photo of each found item, with the date.
• Store everything in a labeled bag or box with: check-out date, guest's name, apartment.
• Notify you immediately via WhatsApp after cleaning.

If you don't establish this protocol, each cleaner will do different things, and you'll lose items.

2. Proactive Notification to the Guest

Here's the key that almost no one does: notify the guest yourself, don't wait for them to claim.

When the cleaner informs you, message the guest through the booking channel (Airbnb, Booking) or WhatsApp:

"Hello Marta, we found an iPhone charger and some socks in the room after your departure. Would you like us to send them to you or discard them? Shipping to Madrid would be about 8 euros."

This has two powerful effects:

1. The guest feels genuinely attended to (this really boosts your reviews).
2. You avoid the drama of "I left something in the apartment, help" three days later.

3. Shipping Cost: Who Pays What

My clear recommendation:

• Low-value items (charger, basic clothes, cheap sunglasses): ask if they want it sent. If yes, charge the full shipping cost. No exceptions.
• High-value items (documents, jewelry, expensive electronics): charge for shipping, and if they thank you a lot, decide whether to do a gesture.
• Dangerous or serious forgotten items (chronic medication): urgent shipping without hesitation. Cost is less relevant here.

How to charge:

• Bizum or bank transfer upfront before sending.
• If the guest is an Airbnb guest, you can use the additional charge feature (though it’s usually slow).
• Never send without charging beforehand. Based on personal and third-party experience, people promise to pay upon receipt and then disappear.

Indicative rates for 2024-2025:

Shipping	Approximate Cost
Regular national mail (under 2kg)	6-10 euros
Certified national mail	10-15 euros
MRW/SEUR 24h national	12-18 euros
International EU shipment	20-40 euros
International outside EU	40-80 euros (plus customs)

Always add 2-3 euros for "management" for your time. No one will object.

4. Custody Periods

Here's the legal part that almost no one knows.

According to the Civil Code (articles 615 and following), anyone who finds someone else's object must deliver it to the owner if known, or to the City Council if not. If no one claims it within two years, it becomes the property of the finder.

In practice, for tourist accommodation:

• You DO know the owner (you have their reservation, data, contact). So, you're obliged to try to return it.
• Reasonable custody period: 30 days is standard in the sector. Some managers go up to 60-90 days.
• After that period, if no response, you can discard or donate.

Important exceptions:

• Official documents (ID, passport, cards): NEVER discard. Take them to the National Police or the relevant consulate.
• Medication: can be taken to a SIGRE point (pharmacies).
• Very high-value items (jewelry, cash): better to hand over to the City Council or Police, and keep the receipt.

5. Clear Communication from the Start

Add a line to your welcome manual and your checkout saying something like:

"Check drawers, plugs, bathroom, and fridge carefully before leaving. If you forget something, we can send it to you at your expense. Unclaimed objects after 30 days will be discarded or donated."

This covers you and reduces forgetfulness by 30-40% just by reminding.

Difficult Situations and How to Manage Them

The guest says you've stolen something

It happens. Not common, but it does. Someone says "I’m missing 200 euros from the nightstand" or "my watch is gone".

What to do:

• Stay calm. Don't get emotionally involved.
• Ask for details: when was it last seen? Exactly where?
• Check the accommodation yourself or ask the cleaner to look again.
• If the cleaner already checked out and found nothing, you have your cleaning photo as proof (that's why always ask for photos of the empty apartment before the next entry).
• If the guest insists, tell them to file a report. 95% don't because they know they left it in a taxi or at the airport.

Related: you can read more about managing damages and deposits for the overall approach to these situations.

The guest gets angry about the shipping cost

"How can you charge me 12 euros to send my charger?"

Polite and firm response:

"I understand, the cost includes certified mail shipping plus packaging and management. If you prefer not to receive it, we will keep it for 30 days in case you change your mind or donate it to an NGO."

Don't give in. If you send a 5-euro charger for free, tomorrow you'll send free socks. Your operations will suffer.

The item is valuable and the guest is a foreigner

This is the most uncomfortable. An forgotten iPad and the guest is already in Germany.

• Charge the full shipping upfront, including insurance.
• Use tracked courier (never regular mail).
• Wrap very well and take photos before placing in the box.
• Keep the shipping receipt until the guest confirms receipt.

The guest never responds

You write, no reply. You write again after 15 days, silence. After 30 days, nothing.

• Document contact attempts (screenshots).
• After the period (30-60 days), you can discard or donate.
• If it’s official documentation, take it to the police without fail.

Organization System to Keep Your Sanity

If you have multiple properties, doing this without a system becomes chaos.

My minimal proposal:

1. One box or shelf per property, with labeled bags.
2. Spreadsheet or app with: date, property, guest, item, photo, status (notified / shipped / discarded).
3. Reminder at 30 days to review what to discard.
4. Photo of the item before discarding, just in case.

With 10 minutes a week reviewing this, you'll have the issue under control.

How Autoregistro Fits In

Autoregistro doesn't manage lost items (hopefully, but it doesn't), but it does take one of the heaviest tasks off your check-in: registering travelers in SES Hospedajes.

It costs 1 euro per month per property (less than a coffee). You send a link to the guest, they fill in their details, and the reports are sent automatically to SES. You stay free to focus on important things, like responding quickly to "I left my charger" messages.

If you want to learn more, check out how to send traveler reports to SES Hospedajes.

FAQ

Am I legally obliged to return forgotten items?

Yes. The Civil Code states that if you know the owner of a found object, you must try to return it. In your case, you know the guest, so you're obliged to attempt contact and return.

Can I charge for management time, not just shipping?

Yes, but moderation. Adding 2-3 euros for management to the shipping cost is common and no one will complain. Charging 20 euros for "management" causes problems and bad reviews.

What if I find cash?

Keep it, notify the guest immediately with a photo and exact amount, and return it via Bizum or bank transfer (never by mail). If no one claims it, the best is to hand it over to the City Council and keep the receipt.

And medication?

Notify the guest urgently as it may be important for their health. If they don't respond, don't throw it away: take it to a SIGRE point at any pharmacy. Never send medication by mail without explicit authorization.

How long should I keep objects before discarding?

The standard in the sector is 30 days. You can extend to 60 or 90 days if you have space. Official documents and very valuable items are never discarded; they are taken to the police or the City Council. Always document with photos what you discarded and when.