If you have lost something at Heathrow, search Smarte Carte UK's online database at lhr.lostandfoundsoftware.com, which can take 24 to 48 hours to update after an item is handed in. Reclaiming it typically costs nothing to £25 depending on what it is, plus postage if you want it posted rather than collected. Checked September 2026.
Who actually handles lost property at Heathrow
All lost property found in Heathrow's terminals is managed on the airport's behalf by Smarte Carte UK Ltd, not Heathrow directly. This matters because it explains why the process runs through a separate database and contact number rather than Heathrow's general customer service. Items are stored for three months from the date they were found or handed in, after which point they are typically disposed of.
Step by step: getting your item back
- Search the online database at lhr.lostandfoundsoftware.com for your item. Allow 24 to 48 hours after losing it for a handed-in item to appear, since staff need time to log it.
- If you find a match, use the online contact form on the database to start the claims process.
- Once your ownership is confirmed, you will be given a code.
- Go to mailmyproperty.com, enter your code, pay the applicable service fee, and specify where you want the item sent, or arrange collection.
What it costs to reclaim an item
| Fee | Example items |
|---|---|
| No charge | Some categories are returned free |
| £5 | Hats, gloves, scarves, glasses, umbrellas, books, educational materials, blankets, household goods |
| £15 | Keys, purses and wallets, Kindles and e-readers, games, memory sticks, ID cards, clothes |
| £25 | Laptops, cameras and video cameras, tablets, mobiles, passports, jackets, jewellery, suitcases and bags |
Postage and packing is added on top if you want the item posted to you rather than collecting it in person.
Where the lost property offices are
Heathrow's main lost property office is at the Heathrow Express station between Terminals 2 and 3, accessible via the escalator from the main concourse. Terminal 5 has its own separate lost property office, located near domestic arrivals on the ground floor. Terminals 3 and 4 do not have a standalone walk-in office in the same way, so the database and online claims process is the main route for items lost there.
Contacting Smarte Carte UK directly
- UK contact number: 0844 824 3115, charged at 7p per minute plus your network's access charge.
- International contact number: +44 (0)20 3761 1800.
- Online: lhr.lostandfoundsoftware.com.
What to do if you left something on the plane
If your item is still on the aircraft rather than lost somewhere in the terminal, Heathrow's lost property service does not cover it, since Smarte Carte only handles items found within the terminals. In that case you need to contact the airline you flew with directly, as cabin crew or ground handling staff are the ones who retrieve items left in the seat, overhead locker or pocket. If you are instead missing a bag after connecting through Heathrow, the same airline-first rule applies rather than the terminal lost property process.
Lost or delayed checked baggage is different
A missing item you were carrying, such as a phone or a jacket, goes through Smarte Carte's lost property process. A checked bag that has not arrived on the carousel is a different problem entirely and is handled by your airline, not lost property, since airlines are responsible for baggage from check-in to arrival. Speak to your airline's desk in the baggage reclaim hall if a checked bag is missing rather than searching the lost property database; see the guide to how long Heathrow baggage reclaim takes for what counts as a normal wait versus a genuinely missing bag. For an item you deliberately want to store rather than one you have lost, that is a different service covered in the Heathrow left luggage guide.
Why there is a fee at all, and why you may need ID
Smarte Carte operates lost property as a standalone service rather than as part of core airport operations, and the fees are how it funds the staff and storage needed to log, hold and match thousands of items a year. When you collect an item in person, expect to be asked for photo ID, since the service needs to confirm it is returning property to the person it actually belongs to rather than the first person who describes it. This is also why giving an accurate, specific description when you file a claim speeds things up, since staff are checking your account against the item before it is released.
Practical tips for a faster recovery
Search the database again after 48 hours if your item does not appear immediately, since the delay in logging items is normal rather than a sign it has not been found. Describe distinguishing features (a case colour, an engraving, a luggage tag) precisely when you search or submit a claim, since generic descriptions ("black phone", "blue bag") return a lot of near-misses. If you realise you have lost something before leaving the terminal, ask at any information desk immediately, since very recently mislaid items sometimes have not yet entered the formal three-month storage process and can be reunited faster.
The takeaway
Heathrow's lost property runs through Smarte Carte UK rather than the airport directly: search the online database, expect a 24 to 48 hour delay for new items, and budget up to £25 plus postage to get something back, with the main office between Terminals 2 and 3 and a separate one at Terminal 5.