Free Legal Service to Find Lost Property/Funds

We have a guest post today, from our friends at BC Unclaimed, a non-profit organization that seeks to reunite people in BC with money that has been left behind in accounts, the courts, or uncashed cheques. Your patrons (and you!) can easily search their website for any unclaimed property and submit a claim to retrieve it, all at no cost. Read on to learn more! 

Did you know 1 in 31 British Columbians has unclaimed funds?  

When money gets left behind, and the owner cannot be found, that’s where the British Columbia Unclaimed Property Society (BCUnclaimed.ca) steps in. BC Unclaimed is the designated non-profit caretaker of unclaimed funds in British Columbia, under the Unclaimed Property Act. Credit unions, courts, other government bodies, and many other organizations transfer their unclaimed money to BC Unclaimed’s centralized database, so they can search for rightful owners and help reunite people with it. 

BC Unclaimed maintains a free, public, searchable database of unclaimed property in BC. There is over $222 million waiting to be claimed. That works out to something for approximately one out of every 31 British Columbians.  

Anyone can search to see if BC Unclaimed is holding money for them or a relative or loved one. If a search identifies a possible match, more information can be requested directly on the site. If a match is found, people can submit a claim online through the secure portal and will be guided through the process. Claims can also be started by mail. 

Documentation proving ownership will need to be uploaded or mailed (as an example: photos of two pieces of government-issued ID for an individual, or a business licence for a business, along with property-specific documentation such as an old account statement or a court order). If a court order is required and a claimant does not already have one, they can be directed to instructions and resources. 

Unclaimed Property Specialists review each claim and will contact claimants if additional information is needed. If a claim is approved, a cheque will be mailed to the owner within four weeks. There is no cost for this service. 

For more information, visit BCUnclaimed.ca or call 1.888.662.2877.  

BC Unclaimed also has print brochures promoting their services that they can provide you; if you would like any copies for your library, get in touch with them through their website, email info@bcunclaimed.ca or call 1.888.662.2877.  

This article is a LawMatters Blog post written for current awareness at the time of publishing. Please check the publication date as some information may have changed since then.