Woman finds full wallet - "There is a statutory finder's fee!"

Created: 11/08/2022, 2:40 p.m

By: Jakob Koch

Once the wallet is lost, the money is usually gone forever.

One man is lucky in Hamburg.

But what about the finder's reward?

Hamburg – Arzu Ünyilmaz from Hamburg-Winterhude is currently getting a lot of encouragement online: the woman from Hamburg recently found a bulging wallet.

"On the Alster, near the Krugkupplung Bridge / Bobby Reich.

If anyone knows a Malte who lost his purse, delivered to PK 33 / Wiesendamm," she writes on Facebook.

Immediately there are hundreds of likes and numerous comments under the post.

Demands for a finder's reward quickly became loud - and there are clear legal regulations for this, reports 24hamburg.de.

Is there a finder's fee?

A woman from Hamburg finds a wallet with several hundred euros

But the honest finder of the purse with several hundred euros reassured: The Hamburg native does not expect a finder's fee.

"It doesn't have to be, helping shouldn't demand anything in return," emphasizes Arzu Ünyilmaz.

It is still unclear whether the owner of the wallet picked up his property from the Hamburg police station - and whether he wants to pay a finder's fee.

Incidentally, a case from Munich shows that there can be even more valuable finds: There, a new tenant discovered 20,000 euros behind the heating – for which there was a finder's fee of 600 euros.

A woman from Hamburg found a wallet with several hundred euros.

You are entitled to a finder's fee.

(symbol photo) © Fotostand and Shotshop / Imago

How much finder's fee am I entitled to?

Law in the BGB regulates duty - that is the amount

The law also states that the woman can be entitled to a finder's fee.

And so a user also notes: "We wouldn't be in Germany if the finder's reward wasn't even regulated: BGB paragraph 971," he writes under the post from the woman from Hamburg.

In the paragraph it is literally mandatory: "The finder can demand a finder's fee from the person entitled to receive it." The amount is also regulated there: for values ​​​​up to 500 euros there is five percent, of the sum an additional three percent.

How much finder's fee for 1000 euros?

Anyone who finds an object or cash worth 1,000 euros has a legally regulated right to a finder’s reward under Section 971 of the German Civil Code.

The value up to 500 euros is calculated proportionally with five percent, the remainder from 500 euros then with three percent.

Anyone who finds more than 1000 euros is entitled to a finder's fee of 40 euros.

Anyone who decides not to hand in a valuable find to the police or lost-and-found office will be hit by the hard hand of the law: Section 246 of the Criminal Code (StGB) regulates embezzlement.

There is a risk of imprisonment for up to three years or a fine.

Then the topic of the finder's reward is off the table: "The claim is excluded if the finder violates the duty of disclosure or conceals the find upon request," says paragraph 971 of the German Civil Code.

A case from Bavaria is currently causing a stir: Nürnbergerin leaves a bag with 1500 euros in the bank, 20 minutes she is gone - Wende follows with the police.

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Wallet found in Hamburg - "There is a statutory finder's fee!"

The honesty of Arzu Ünyilmaz from Hamburg-Winterhude causes recognition and amazement on the internet.

There are many positive reactions under the finder's Facebook post - and several references to a finder's reward:

• "If I were Malte, I would let the finder's fee jump properly."

• "It still exists, honesty.

  Many thanks to you for handing it over to the police.”

• "There is a statutory finder's fee!"

• "Wow with money in it, incredibly honest and nice... I wasn't that lucky..."

• "Nice that there are people like you."

• "Madame!"

By the way: In an incident at Aldi, a woman was probably not so lucky: she forgot a valuable luxury bag in Hamburg - and promised a finder's fee of 200 euros.