If something has been lost, then a suitable reward should be offered. The higher the reward is, the more likely it is that the honest finder will make an effort to return the object.
If something has been found, then the honest finder has the moral claim to receive a suitable reward when the object is returned to its rightful owner. Do I have a legal right to a reward? That is regulated differently in different countries.
In Germany, the reward is 5% on amounts of up to €500 of the current product value; the reward is 3% on amounts over €500. For example, if you find a brand-new mobile phone valued at €500, then you are entitled to a reward of €25. Using the reward calculator, the reward as per German law can be calculated.
For animals, the legal reward in Germany is limited to 3%.
In Austria, the law differentiates between lost and forgotten/misplaced items (e.g. in a cloakroom)
For lost objects, the reward is:
For forgotten/misplaced objects, the reward is half as much, e.g.:
However, it is up to the owner to determine the reward. Did you find something? Then submit a notification of discovery so that the owner is made aware that their object has been found. Then you can negotiate an appropriate reward on your own. If the owner has already registered his lost object on the MyOwns website, then he or she was requested to enter a reward upon registration. Check the "lost items" list to see if notification of the lost object has already been made. If an appropriate loss notification has been made, then the determined reward can be viewed.
The finder of an object or an animal (pet) can, as per Article 722, Sec. 2 ZGB (Swiss Civil Code) «Claim to […] an appropriate reward», insofar as they return the object found to the authorised owner. What is deemed as "appropriate" is not determined by the law nor are there any court rulings to serve as precedence.
In Germany, yes. We expressly recommend offering an attractive reward in order to increase the chances of having your object returned to you.
The object should only be returned once the owner has declared his willingness to pay an appropriate reward. If required, MyOwns will calculate a reward as per German law- One can quickly determine if the reward is appropriate or not. For larger amounts, we suggest using an escrow account. MyOwns recommends ECO Treuhandservice
(www.eco-treuhand.de).