Nightclub cloakroom lost your jacket? Here’s what to do

You’ve just stumbled in from a big night out when suddenly it hits you like a bolt of lightning – you haven't got your coat. After having recovered from the shock of having lost one of your freshest pieces somewhere between pres and clambering into the Uber home, you mentally retrace your steps to try and recall where you might have left your beloved North Face puffa jacket. But no. Nothing.

The night is a blur. You cannot remember at what point all the vodka and coke you chugged just before you entered the club made you, for some reason, make the fatal error to part with that nice coat Mum and Dad bought you for Christmas last year.

You check your wallet. Aha! A receipt from the cloak room. Sweet relief. The jacket is safe and sound in the hands of the employees at whatever club you graced with your presence that night. Or so you'd think.

Hallelujah

The next day you ring, and the polite but slightly exasperated person at the other end of the line says that they'll go and check lost property. You're left on hold for what seems like an eternity whilst the angst builds in your chest. After a few more excruciating seconds, you're told they haven't found anything that matches the description you gave. Your heart sinks and you hang up, cursing the fact that you hadn't worn something a bit more expendable to JuJus.

The law

At this point, you may be tempted to swamp the first group chat you come across with threats to burn down the establishment that has wronged you – but hold the threats of arson for now. As long you still have the receipt, you're in luck.

Under consumer law, when you part with your hard-earned money and use a club's cloakroom, you enter into a contract with the provider which means they're required to look after your belongings. Not many people know this, but once you do – and let the club know you do – it leaves you in a strong position to claim compensation.

The game plan

The next step is to compose an email to the venue leaving contact details in case they do find your jacket – although the probability of it resurfacing decreases the longer it is missing. It is key to sound formal for two reasons: firstly, to show that you mean business and you won’t back down until you receive compensation, and secondly so that any emails you write can be used as evidence in court. Of course, it is unlikely that you will ever have to present your case to a judge in a court of law, but it works in your favour as a threat.

Ready to flex once again

When I was put through this ordeal, it took about two weeks and countless emails hounding the staff, but eventually I was told that if I ordered a replacement and forwarded the manager the cloakroom receipt, I would receive reimbursement in cash.

The moral of the story? Don’t flex your hardest garms if you’re going to get shitfaced – stick your jacket in a cloakroom and persevere until
the grisly end to get your money back.