Realising you have left something in the car is not a pleasant feeling, particularly if it is a phone, a passport, or something else you cannot easily replace or go without. The good news is that the process for getting it back is straightforward, and acting quickly significantly improves the chances of a same-day return.
Do this immediately
The sooner you act, the better. A driver may have completed their next booking before the lost property is noticed, which changes the options.
If the trip just ended: Open the Fare 1 app and use the in-app chat to contact the driver directly. In most cases, if you moved straight from the drop-off, they will either still be in the area or have pulled over. Direct driver contact is the fastest route.
If the trip ended more than a few minutes ago: Contact the Fare 1 dispatch team via the support channel in the app. Provide your booking reference, approximate drop-off time, and a description of the item. The team can contact the driver on your behalf within minutes.
Do not call the driver's personal number if you have it. All contact should go through the app or the dispatch team. This keeps a record of the communication and ensures the right person is coordinating the return.
What the driver does when property is found
Drivers are instructed to check the vehicle at the end of each booking — specifically the rear footwells, the seat pockets, and the boot area if luggage was loaded. Any found items are reported to dispatch immediately.
Found items are held by the driver until collection or onward arrangements are made through the office. They are not left with third parties, not posted without permission, and not retained beyond a reasonable period.
Getting the item back
Once we have confirmed the driver has the item, there are a few options depending on location and timing:
- Driver is still in the area. If the driver has not yet taken another booking, they may be able to bring the item back to you or agree a handover point. This is at their discretion and not a guaranteed service — the driver is working — but it happens regularly for high-value or urgent items.
- Collection from the driver's next known location. If the driver has a booking, the dispatch team can arrange for you to collect the item at a mutually convenient handover point after the booking completes.
- Office coordination. For items that cannot be returned immediately, the dispatch team coordinates a handover time that works for both parties.
We do not post items. Arranging collection is the standard process.
Items most commonly left behind
- Mobile phones. Often left in the seat pocket or rear door compartment. If your phone screen is off and on silent, message the driver through the app before your battery dies completely.
- Jackets and coats. Frequently left on the rear seat, especially when a passenger gets out in a hurry. Dark coats in a dark interior are easy to miss.
- Headphones and chargers. Left in the USB port area or down the seat.
- Glasses. Often found in the seat pocket or on the parcel shelf.
- Bags and luggage. Larger items placed in the boot are occasionally not fully unloaded, particularly when the driver assists with multiple bags and the passenger is distracted.
If the driver does not have the item
Occasionally, an item is not found immediately — either because it has slipped under the seat or because it genuinely is not there and may have been left elsewhere. In those cases:
- The dispatch team logs the claim and asks the driver to do a thorough secondary check at their next stop.
- If the item is not located within 24 hours of the report, we will confirm that to you in writing so you can take any necessary steps (reporting to police, contacting your insurer, cancelling a bank card).
We cannot accept liability for items left in the vehicle, but we will always make a genuine effort to locate and return them.
High-value and urgent items
If the item is a passport, medication, or something that has a time-critical impact — a flight tomorrow morning, a medical appointment — say so when you contact us. We treat urgent lost-property reports differently from routine ones and escalate coordination accordingly.
Contact us as soon as you notice the item is missing at book.fare1.co.uk via the support link, or through the in-app chat if your booking was made through the app.