It happens to almost everyone eventually: the car pulls away and you realise your phone, wallet, laptop bag or passport is still on the back seat. The good news is that items left in licensed vehicles are often recovered. The part most people get wrong is contacting the wrong place first — and in London, where you left it depends on what kind of vehicle you were in.
First: work out which kind of vehicle it was
London has two separately licensed types of car for hire, and they handle lost property differently:
- A black cab (licensed taxi) — the one you hailed on the street or took from a rank.
- A minicab (private hire vehicle) — anything you booked in advance or through an app, from an operator.
If you're not sure of the difference, our black cab vs minicab guide explains it.
If you left something in a minicab or booked car
According to Transport for London, property found in private hire vehicles is held by the operator the journey was booked with, and the operator keeps a record of it. So contact the company you booked with directly — not TfL — and do it as soon as you can.
The best chance of getting an item back is while the driver is still on shift. Call or message straight away with:
- Your booking reference, or the name, phone number and email used to book
- The date, pickup time and route
- A clear description of the item — make, colour, case, anything distinctive
- Where in the car you were sitting, and whether it might be in the boot
If you booked with us, contact us as soon as possible with your booking reference and a description of the item.
If you left something in a black cab
TfL says property found in London taxis is handed in by the driver to a police station and then forwarded to TfL's Lost Property Office, and that items sent on from police stations can take up to seven days to arrive. You can report the loss through TfL's lost property service online.
Details that help match your report to the item:
- The date and time, plus where you were picked up and dropped off
- The cab's licence number if you noted it, or any receipt showing it
- A detailed description of what you lost
Because it can take several days for items to reach the Lost Property Office, don't assume it hasn't been found if nothing turns up on day one.
Lost your phone? Use it to find itself
If a phone is the missing item, use the device's own location service (Find My on Apple devices, Find My Device on Android) from another device straight away. If it shows the phone moving, that's useful information to give the operator — it helps confirm which vehicle it's in. Don't try to track down or confront a vehicle yourself; pass the information on and let the operator contact the driver.
Lost a passport, cards or keys
Some items need action whether or not they're found:
- Bank cards: freeze or cancel them in your banking app — most let you freeze a card instantly and unfreeze it if it turns up.
- Passport: if you're travelling soon, check the official GOV.UK guidance on reporting a lost passport, because a passport reported lost is cancelled and can't be used even if it's found later. Contact the operator first if there's a realistic chance of getting it back in time.
- Keys and ID: consider whether anything identifies your address alongside them.
How to make this less likely next time
- Do a quick seat-and-footwell check before you close the door — especially after a long airport transfer when you're tired.
- Keep phones in a pocket rather than on the seat.
- Pre-booked journeys have an advantage here: there's a record of exactly which car and driver you had, which makes tracing an item far quicker than trying to remember a cab's details. That's one of several reasons covered in our taxi safety tips.
If something else went wrong on the journey and you want to raise it formally, see how to complain about a taxi in the UK.
Frequently asked questions
Q: What do I do if I left my phone in a minicab? A: Contact the operator you booked with straight away, with your booking reference and a description of the phone. TfL says items found in private hire vehicles are held by the operator, not the Lost Property Office.
Q: Where does lost property from London black cabs go? A: TfL says drivers hand it in at a police station, from where it's forwarded to TfL's Lost Property Office. It can take up to seven days to arrive there.
Q: How do I find a taxi I left something in if I didn't book it? A: For a black cab, report it to TfL's lost property service with the date, time, pickup and drop-off points, and the cab's licence number if you have it.
Q: Can I contact the driver directly? A: Go through the operator you booked with. They have a record of the journey and can reach the driver who did it.
Q: What should I do if I left my passport in a taxi? A: Contact the operator or lost property service first if there's a realistic chance of recovery, then follow GOV.UK's guidance on lost passports — reporting it lost cancels it, even if it's found later.
Booking a journey soon? Get an estimate — every booking comes with a reference, which makes tracing anything left behind much quicker.