NSW hotel lost property law: the Uncollected Goods Act 1995
Published September 2026 • 5 min read • Uncollected Goods Act 1995 (NSW)
How long must a hotel keep lost property in NSW?
Under the Uncollected Goods Act 1995 (NSW), a hotel must give at least 14 days' notice before disposing of low-value items (under $1,000), and at least 28 days' written notice for items worth $1,000–$20,000. Items over $20,000 can't be disposed of without an NCAT order.
How the Act treats hotels as bailees
When a guest leaves an item behind, the hotel becomes a bailee — it holds the goods on the owner's behalf and owes a duty of reasonable care. The Uncollected Goods Act 1995 (NSW) sits on top of this common-law duty, setting out exactly how long a hotel must wait, and what notice it must give, before it can lawfully sell, donate or dispose of unclaimed property.
Notice periods scale with item value
The Act's central mechanic is a value-based tier system: the more an item is worth, the longer the hotel must wait and the more formal the notice must be before disposal.
- Rubbish and perishables: no notice needed; dispose of them in any appropriate way.
- Goods worth under $1,000: verbal or written notice, then 14 days. The hotel can then dispose of them in any appropriate way.
- Goods worth $1,000 to $20,000: written notice, then 28 days. Disposal is by public auction or private sale for a fair value.
- Goods worth over $20,000: these can't be disposed of without an order from the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT).
- Personal documents (passports, licences, bank books, photographs): written notice, then 28 days. They can only be returned to the issuer or destroyed securely.
Identity documents and financial cards
The Act treats identity, financial and legal documents, licences and personal photographs as personal documents. They need 28 days' written notice, then must be returned to the issuing body or destroyed securely. No storage or handling charges can be claimed for them. Keep bank cards locked away with other personal documents, and ring the issuing bank to report the card found.
Record-keeping
Within 7 days of disposing of anything other than rubbish or perishables, the hotel must record a description of the item, the date and manner of disposal and the buyer and sale amounts if it was sold. Records for low-value items are kept for 12 months; everything else for 6 years. If the guest later disputes the disposal, the hotel has to show it followed the Act, so keep the notice and any attempts to contact the guest as well.
If an item is sold, the hotel can keep its actual removal, storage, maintenance, insurance and disposal costs, with no profit. Any money left goes back to the guest or to Revenue NSW as unclaimed money.
How Homebound handles this for NSW properties
Homebound gives every logged item a timestamped history — intake photo, guest notification, courier collection — so a NSW property always has the record this guide describes. Guests enter their own shipping address and pay for courier return themselves, and it costs the hotel nothing.
Frequently asked questions
Does a NSW hotel need a tribunal order to dispose of every lost item?+
No — only genuinely high-value items require NCAT authorisation. The large majority of hotel lost property (chargers, clothing, toiletries) falls into the lower-value tiers that only require a straightforward notice period.
What counts as sufficient notice to the guest under the NSW Act?+
Notice can be given in person, by letter or by email. It must include the hotel's name, a description of the item, an address where it can be collected, any charges the hotel will claim and a statement that the item will be sold, kept or destroyed on or after a specified date unless it is collected first. If the guest can't be identified or contacted after reasonable efforts, store the item for the relevant period before disposing of it.
Disclaimer: This guide is general information, not legal advice. It summarises the New South Wales uncollected goods legislation and is sourced from the relevant consumer affairs publications and the legislation itself. It is correct at the time of writing (September 2026). Laws and guidance change, so check the current Act on the official legislation site before you act on anything here.
Nothing in this guide is advice for your property. Before you dispose of, sell or hand over any guest's belongings, speak to a lawyer or your state consumer affairs office.
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