Curated By: Business Desk
Last Updated: August 05, 2023, 17:38 IST
In the case of a criminal case, the bank locker might be broken in the customer’s absence.
Normally, if a bank locker needs to be opened or broken under any circumstances, the process is carried out in the presence of both the customer and a bank official.
We are all familiar with bank lockers, a facility provided by banks to safeguard the valuables of their customers. Once valuable items are placed inside the locker, the bank hands over the key to the locker holder. Only the owner can access the locker with the provided key. But have you ever wondered what happens if you lose your locker key? Today, let’s explore that.
According to reports, if you lose the key to your bank locker, the first step is to inform the bank about the incident immediately. Additionally, you need to register a First Information Report (FIR) at the nearest police station.
In case of a lost locker key, the bank can provide you with a duplicate key. Alternatively, the bank may offer you a second locker. In this process, the contents of the first locker will be transferred to the second one after breaking it and the new key will be given to you. However, bear in mind that you might have to cover the entire cost involved, from breaking the locker to its repair.
Rules for breaking bank lockers
Normally, if a bank locker needs to be opened or broken under any circumstances, the process is carried out in the presence of both the customer and a bank official. Similarly, if the locker is held jointly, all members need to be present during this process. If a customer cannot be present, the locker can be broken with the customer’s written consent.
As per SBI’s policy, if a customer fails to pay the locker rent for three consecutive years, the bank has the right to break the locker to recover the unpaid rent. Furthermore, if a locker remains inoperative for seven years and the customer does not visit the bank during this period, the bank may break the locker, even if the rent has been paid.
Additionally, if a criminal case is filed against a person who rented a bank locker, and the bank or police suspect that the locker contains items related to the crime, the locker may be broken even in the absence of the customer. Hence, during such incidents, bank officials and police officers are present together.
