What is abandoned property?
Abandoned property, or unclaimed property, is a non-monetary or monetary item held by a financial institution for more than 10 years without evidence of activity. Financial institutions report and deliver this abandoned property to the Central Bank of Belize.
Who can claim abandoned property?
Those who can claim abandoned property include:
- The original owner
- Heir of original owner
- A personal representative on behalf of an estate
- A personal representative on behalf of an organization
How can I claim abandoned property?
Contact your Commercial Bank for further instructions. In accordance with Section 125 (1) of the DBFIA 2012, any person claiming an interest in any monetary or non-monetary item may file a claim thereto with the licensee and after an appropriate hearing by the licensee, the decision of which shall be communicated to the claimant.
Where can I find the abandoned property listing?
Abandoned property is published by Belize’s financial institutions in the Gazette and a newspaper on a yearly basis, as required by the Domestic Banks and Financial Institutions Act, 2012 (DBFIA), part XII section 121-(5).
Which law regulates abandoned property?
Part XII of the Domestic Banks and Financial Institutions Act 2012 (PDF) regulates how the financial institutions of Belize should operate, including how they manage abandoned property.