Public assets: occupation, use and management · France / Switzerland
Ownerless land: public-acquisition evidence dossier
Public acquisition of supposedly ownerless land requires the actual legal category and procedure, rather than an assumption based on vacancy. France’s statutory acquisition routes differ from Swiss land-register conditions and cantonal ownerless-property rules. Assemble ownership, estate and tax enquiries with dated decisions and notices. A missing owner’s response or unpaid charges alone does not establish ownerlessness. Public acquisition powers must be proved separately from identifying the parcel.
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Sources checked3 November 2026
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What evidence establishes ownership or registered ownerlessness?
France: L1123-1 contains distinct known-owner, unknown-owner and succession branches. Switzerland: ZGB Article 658 requires a registered parcel to show ownerlessness for occupation; nonresponse or overdue tax does not prove that register condition.
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Which parcel and land-register entry are concerned?
France: identify parcel and registered ownership before examining ownerlessness. Switzerland: obtain the actual land-register extract; an empty or neglected building does not establish public acquisition or absence of an owner.
Ordonnance sur le registre foncier, RS211.432.1 : 65Code général de la propriété des personnes publiques : biens sans maître : L1123-1, L1123-3, L1123-4Swiss Civil Code / ZGB / CC : 658, 664Geneva LaCC E1 05 : 145
What evidence establishes ownership or registered ownerlessness?
France: L1123-1 contains distinct known-owner, unknown-owner and succession branches. Switzerland: ZGB Article 658 requires a registered parcel to show ownerlessness for occupation; nonresponse or overdue tax does not prove that register condition.
Ordonnance sur le registre foncier, RS211.432.1 : 65Code général de la propriété des personnes publiques : biens sans maître : L1123-1, L1123-3, L1123-4Swiss Civil Code / ZGB / CC : 658, 664Geneva LaCC E1 05 : 145
Which death, estate and successor enquiries must be distinguished?
France: distinguish death, vacant succession and heir enquiries from ownerless-property acquisition. Switzerland: keep succession and owner enquiries separate likewise; missing correspondence is not evidence that the registered owner has died.
Ordonnance sur le registre foncier, RS211.432.1 : 65Code général de la propriété des personnes publiques : biens sans maître : L1123-1, L1123-3, L1123-4Swiss Civil Code / ZGB / CC : 658, 664Geneva LaCC E1 05 : 145
Ownership-enquiry and public-acquisition preparation dossier
Synthetic example: fictional records. Ownership-enquiry and public-acquisition preparation dossier.
Synthetic example: fictional records · Ownership-enquiry and public-acquisition preparation dossier
- Jurisdiction
- France
- Parcel and record
- Land P1, register R1
- Owner and enquiries
- Identity O1, enquiries E1
- Category and authority
- Route C1, body A1
- Notice and decision
- Notice N1, act D1
Public acquisition powers must be proved separately from identifying the parcel.
What legal category and acquisition route actually apply?
France: select the actual L1123-1 category from verified facts rather than one universal period. Switzerland: distinguish registered land, other ownerless land and cantonal rules under ZGB Articles 658 and 664.
Ordonnance sur le registre foncier, RS211.432.1 : 65Code général de la propriété des personnes publiques : biens sans maître : L1123-1, L1123-3, L1123-4Swiss Civil Code / ZGB / CC : 658, 664Geneva LaCC E1 05 : 145
Preparation reference: Ownership-enquiry and public-acquisition preparation dossier
| Preparation question | Point to verify |
|---|---|
| Which parcel and land-register entry are concerned? | France: identify parcel and registered ownership before examining ownerlessness. Switzerland: obtain the actual land-register extract; an empty or neglected building does not establish public acquisition or absence of an owner. |
| What evidence establishes ownership or registered ownerlessness? | France: L1123-1 contains distinct known-owner, unknown-owner and succession branches. Switzerland: ZGB Article 658 requires a registered parcel to show ownerlessness for occupation; nonresponse or overdue tax does not prove that register condition. |
| Which death, estate and successor enquiries must be distinguished? | France: distinguish death, vacant succession and heir enquiries from ownerless-property acquisition. Switzerland: keep succession and owner enquiries separate likewise; missing correspondence is not evidence that the registered owner has died. |
| What legal category and acquisition route actually apply? | France: select the actual L1123-1 category from verified facts rather than one universal period. Switzerland: distinguish registered land, other ownerless land and cantonal rules under ZGB Articles 658 and 664. |
Ordonnance sur le registre foncier, RS211.432.1 : 65Code général de la propriété des personnes publiques : biens sans maître : L1123-1, L1123-3, L1123-4Swiss Civil Code / ZGB / CC : 658, 664Geneva LaCC E1 05 : 145
Which competent public body and local rules govern that route?
France: connect mayor or intermunicipal competence under L1123-3 to the selected branch. Switzerland: identify the actual cantonal public-acquisition power; the Civil Code’s ownerlessness foundation does not itself assign every public authority competence.
Ordonnance sur le registre foncier, RS211.432.1 : 65Code général de la propriété des personnes publiques : biens sans maître : L1123-1, L1123-3, L1123-4Swiss Civil Code / ZGB / CC : 658, 664Geneva LaCC E1 05 : 145
What notices, enquiries and decisions are required?
France: preserve findings, publicity and notifications required by the actual procedure. Switzerland: establish the relevant cantonal enquiry, notices and decisions separately; a French publicity timetable cannot create the Swiss acquisition route.
Ordonnance sur le registre foncier, RS211.432.1 : 65Code général de la propriété des personnes publiques : biens sans maître : L1123-1, L1123-3, L1123-4Swiss Civil Code / ZGB / CC : 658, 664Geneva LaCC E1 05 : 145
Which official provision helps explain this situation?
Public acquisition of supposedly ownerless land requires the actual legal category and procedure, rather than an assumption based on vacancy. France’s statutory acquisition routes differ from Swiss land-register conditions and cantonal ownerless-property rules. Assemble ownership, estate and tax enquiries with dated decisions and notices. A missing owner’s response or unpaid charges alone does not establish ownerlessness. Public acquisition powers must be proved separately from identifying the parcel.
How are acquisition and registration connected?
France: distinguish presumption, deliberation and incorporation act before property formalities. Switzerland: connect acquisition basis and land-register entry; GBV Article 65 concerns acquisition evidence, not a universal public incorporation process.
Ordonnance sur le registre foncier, RS211.432.1 : 65Code général de la propriété des personnes publiques : biens sans maître : L1123-1, L1123-3, L1123-4Swiss Civil Code / ZGB / CC : 658, 664Geneva LaCC E1 05 : 145
Why do vacancy or unpaid charges not alone establish ownerlessness?
France: physical vacancy or unpaid tax alone does not prove ownerlessness. Switzerland: apparent abandonment or silence likewise does not establish Article 658’s register condition; this preparation neither transfers title nor authorises taking possession.
Ordonnance sur le registre foncier, RS211.432.1 : 65Code général de la propriété des personnes publiques : biens sans maître : L1123-1, L1123-3, L1123-4Swiss Civil Code / ZGB / CC : 658, 664Geneva LaCC E1 05 : 145
Which official references should you consult?
- Ordonnance sur le registre foncier, RS211.432.1 : 65www.fedlex.admin.ch
- Code général de la propriété des personnes publiques : biens sans maître : L1123-1, L1123-3, L1123-4www.legifrance.gouv.fr
- Swiss Civil Code / ZGB / CC : 658, 664www.fedlex.admin.ch
- Geneva LaCC E1 05 : 145silgeneve.ch
Texts cited last checked: 3 November 2026
What other questions arise in this file?
What evidence establishes ownership or registered ownerlessness?
France: L1123-1 contains distinct known-owner, unknown-owner and succession branches. Switzerland: ZGB Article 658 requires a registered parcel to show ownerlessness for occupation; nonresponse or overdue tax does not prove that register condition.
Ordonnance sur le registre foncier, RS211.432.1 : 65Code général de la propriété des personnes publiques : biens sans maître : L1123-1, L1123-3, L1123-4Swiss Civil Code / ZGB / CC : 658, 664Geneva LaCC E1 05 : 145
What legal category and acquisition route actually apply?
France: select the actual L1123-1 category from verified facts rather than one universal period. Switzerland: distinguish registered land, other ownerless land and cantonal rules under ZGB Articles 658 and 664.
Ordonnance sur le registre foncier, RS211.432.1 : 65Code général de la propriété des personnes publiques : biens sans maître : L1123-1, L1123-3, L1123-4Swiss Civil Code / ZGB / CC : 658, 664Geneva LaCC E1 05 : 145
What notices, enquiries and decisions are required?
France: preserve findings, publicity and notifications required by the actual procedure. Switzerland: establish the relevant cantonal enquiry, notices and decisions separately; a French publicity timetable cannot create the Swiss acquisition route.
Ordonnance sur le registre foncier, RS211.432.1 : 65Code général de la propriété des personnes publiques : biens sans maître : L1123-1, L1123-3, L1123-4Swiss Civil Code / ZGB / CC : 658, 664Geneva LaCC E1 05 : 145
Why do vacancy or unpaid charges not alone establish ownerlessness?
France: physical vacancy or unpaid tax alone does not prove ownerlessness. Switzerland: apparent abandonment or silence likewise does not establish Article 658’s register condition; this preparation neither transfers title nor authorises taking possession.
Ordonnance sur le registre foncier, RS211.432.1 : 65Code général de la propriété des personnes publiques : biens sans maître : L1123-1, L1123-3, L1123-4Swiss Civil Code / ZGB / CC : 658, 664Geneva LaCC E1 05 : 145