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Acceptable fee for returning lost item?

4K views 63 replies 35 participants last post by  Phatboy 
#1 ·
I have had numerous items left in my car and I’m thinking about charging a fee for
expedited return. Is it fair and acceptable asking for a return fee? If so, what is an appropriate fee?

I have been given $200 for the retrieval of a ring (value $5,000) lost underneath the back seat of my vehicle. It takes several phone calls to organise a pick-up and then time out of my day for the exchange. Previous lost items have been: 2 x set of keys, 3 x wallets, 1 x umbrella (I got 2 free passes to an NRL game), 1 x reading glasses, 1 x office ID card, 1 x university ID card.
 
#5 ·
#7 ·
You should display good customer service. Return the item at a time and location convenient to the passenger.

No really just drop it to the police station. Had a guy leave his phone I drove 7 or 8 mins to return it, said he could give me 20 bucks for it but need a lift to local shops to get to ATM. Turned down the offer and low and behold got a ping 2 minutes later from his location. Likely trip to and from the shops would have cost him more than a 20
 
#8 ·
If it is a mobile phone which is a common lost item I usually ask for $50 if they are a fair distance away. Basically the cost of a return Uber ride.

I tell the pax the standard process is to take the item to the nearest Police station. If they want me to deliver the item it will be $50.

Then when I see them, depend on how polite they have been, I tell them to keep the money but instead leave me a 5 star review and comment.
 
#9 ·
Drop it at nearest police station and contact uber. They will do the rest of the job. I have done it few times. If it’s a wallet, drop it ASAP so you avoid the annoying questions from the police.
Is it ethical to charge for returning an item?
If I were a rider and you ask me for money to return my phone, I would seriously report you to Uber or the police.
 
#10 ·
Pax do not see it as YOU that returns the phone, rather a FUber driver. They could not care less about lost earnings for the driver and EXPECT the phone returned ASAP. They just consider it a service that they expect from FUber.

There is no loyalty to us from pax. Returning the phone for free just builds loyalty to FUber. Drop it off anywhere but with the pax unless they OFFER a cash reward. Hopefully far away from the pax so another driver gets a return trip to where you drop it - and then MAYBE the pax will appreciate that a drivers time IS money in this game.
 
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#11 ·
Dumb pax left item, then pax needs to coff up return fee.
Rider app has $20 recommended return fee.
If they won’t pay,
Take to cops or Uber glh
Stuff them. , your time is money
 
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#12 ·
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The Uber rider app is not as helpful as it could be and is rather confused and confusing when it comes to the $20 return fee.

When the rider first reports a missing item, they are advised nothing about a return fee.

It is only if the rider has difficulty contacting the driver that they are asked if they would like to offer the driver $20.

That system hardly provides an incentive for drivers to respond promptly to enquiries from riders about lost items.

But then there is a final information page (to which most riders would probably never reach) that advises riders that they may be charged a $20 return fee and obtain a receipt for the payment. This page says nothing about the fee being applied only if the rider offered to pay it.

I think drivers who return items and don't receive at least $20 for doing so should request Uber to collect the $20 fee for them including in cases where the rider has not offered to pay the $20.
 
#14 ·
Asking for money to return an item is extortion and a dick move by the driver. However you should still be paid for your time so we should get the $20 fee regardless of circumstances, so like automatically get compensated once we return item, not if the rider has trouble contacting the driver.
 
#15 ·
You are right. Drivers should not be in a situation where they are asking for money to return an item. The paxhole should be offering it upfront and thanking us for looking after their valued items before it is returned.

It will not happen. So some drivers ask for money. I get that. I just do not return the item - I drop it off elsewhere unless its quiet and I am nearby.
 
#24 ·
Sounds fair to me, if we provide a courier service then it is only right that we should be paid accordingly.
That is unless it was our fault that the pax left something in our car.
People see Uber as this massive mega billion-dollar conglomerate so for Uber to return their stuff is no big deal.
If people realised how Uber treat their drivers (partners) I am sure they would be happy to compensate us for our time.
And, if Uber really cared about the pax, they would be happy to pay us for the time it takes us to return the item.
Other companies refer to this as "a gesture of goodwill" Uber have absolutely no concept of this, and sadly, it looks like they never will.
 
#22 ·
Any driver who refuses to return the lost item unless there is payment should get booted off the system.

But if you give pax the option of a drop off to the nearest police station at a time of your convenience or pay a reasonable compensation for a timely personalised service to return an item that involves a drive of reasonable time and length then most will be happy to go for the latter.
 
#23 ·
In the past I have messaged the pax and give them 2 or 3 options for lost items.
If it is a wallet or phone, I ask them if they want to collect it from the GLH at Burwood or the closest Police station from where I am currently?
If it is not a wallet or phone, they can collect it from GLH or I can post it to them COD or wait until I am in their suburb again.
So far 1 phone to the police, 1 wallet returned to the pax at Double Bay from City as he offered $40 and actually gave me and insisted I accept $50 when I arrived at his place. One pax left an expensive jacket and took the COD postage option and got it the next day as I could not guarantee when I would be in her suburb next.
 
#25 ·
I have had numerous items left in my car and I'm thinking about charging a fee for
expedited return. Is it fair and acceptable asking for a return fee? If so, what is an appropriate fee?

I have been given $200 for the retrieval of a ring (value $5,000) lost underneath the back seat of my vehicle. It takes several phone calls to organise a pick-up and then time out of my day for the exchange. Previous lost items have been: 2 x set of keys, 3 x wallets, 1 x umbrella (I got 2 free passes to an NRL game), 1 x reading glasses, 1 x office ID card, 1 x university ID card.
Pretty sure there'll be a law against holding peoples items at ransom. You're not a lost and found hawker business either.

Once a taxi driver returned an item of mine and he charged me the fee it took for him to drive from his place to meet me as if he had a passenger. He offered to print me a receipt too. You could do something like that.

Ethics fall into play too - just be a good human and return something without expecting a massive fee in return.
 
#27 ·
I found someones drivers license under the front seat about 2 weeks after they had been in my car. I put it in an envelope and dropped it in the rider's mailbox when I drove back through their suburb a few days later. I received a 1* shortly after and will never know if it was related. I had the card on me when I was at the RMS Service Centre - should have handed it over to them.

One time, I returned a phone to a guy who lived 2 minutes from my house. He gave me $20. On Another occasion, I drove 10 minutes out of my way to return someones wallet very late at night. He rudely referred to me as a "Superstar" and didn't offer anything.

The lesson is: Do not go out of your way.

On most evenings when I am Ubering, I pass a police station at least once.
 
#40 ·
Thanks Buddy, I just caught the movie tonight and enjoyed it immensely. Probably a road map for my future.

I recognised Andie immediately. She has that inner glow of beauty which transcends the years, transcends age, and has the most fantastic smile. Doris the drug dealer. LOL

She could have me as her sculpting model any time.

.
 
#32 ·
Pretty sure there'll be a law against holding peoples items at ransom. You're not a lost and found hawker business either.
You can't withhold property for cash, but you can say that when your next near GLH (when they are next open) or a local (to your home) police station, you can drop the item there, and if the PAX wants you to act as a priority courier, and turn down Uber jobs during a peak period, then a cash tip is fair to be negotiated. Time is money people.

If it's a cheap pair of sunglasses, I doubt the customer wants to pay much to return them, whereas an ID, phone or wallet might be more valuable to them.

Also, note down a few courier company numbers if they'd like to find an alternative quote for priority delivery, this might help the PAX reconsider your cut rate offer of $50 for delivery within the next 2 hours: https://www.packsend.com.au/couriers-freight/courier-services/priority-services/

Don't think that Uber will compensate you later, they simply don't want to know about lost property. The fact that the GLH is closed the whole weekend gives you a clue about their priorities.
 
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