Losing Contact with Renters of Safety-Deposit Boxes
The Supervisor of Banks issued this directive to establish procedures for banks when contact with a safety-deposit box renter is lost. Banks must open the box in the presence of a third party, such as an external accountant or lawyer, and record the contents in signed minutes. The document requires banks to define internal decision-making processes and determine if the contents constitute abandoned property under the Administrator-General Law.
Supervisor of Banks: Proper Conduct of Banking Business (12/95)
Losing Contact with Renters of Safety-Deposit Boxes Page 413- 1
ONLY THE HEBREW VERSION IS BINDING
LOSING CONTACT WITH RENTERS OF
SAFETY-DEPOSIT BOXES
Introduction
After consultation with the Administrator-General, the following procedure for dealing
with the handling of a safety-deposit box for which the contact with the renter was lost,
is hereby established.
Opening a safety-deposit box by the bank
When the contact between the bank and the renter of a safety-deposit box, or his
representative, was lost, and in the view of the bank it is entitled to take back control of
the safety-deposit box, the safety-deposit box shall be opened by the bank in the presence
of a third party such as an external accountant or lawyer.
Procedures
The bank shall establish procedures for dealing with opening the safety-deposit box and
its contents, it should include inter alia:
(a) Who decides on the opening of the safety-deposit box;
(b) Who shall be present when the safety-deposit box is opened;
(c) Recording the details of the contents in minutes to be signed by those present;
(d) Ways of dealing with the contents;
(e) Defining the circumstances in which there is reason to believe that the contents of
the safety-deposit box are “abandoned property” for the purposes of informing the
Administrator-General, under section 5 of the Administrator-General Law, 5738–