Latin Maxim: Bona Vacantia

Bona vacantia property, which remains unclaimed after a certain period of time, sometimes reverts to government ownership. In other cases, the government is obliged to serve as custodian for bona vacantia property into perpetuity. The concept of bona vacantia has its origins in English common law.

Common situations where property can become abandoned are when a person dies with no known heirs or next of kin; when a business or unincorporated association is dissolved the assets thereof are not distributed appropriately; in some cases, when a trust fails; or when the property owner leaves a jurisdiction without leaving any contact information.