Bona vacantia (
Latin for "vacant goods") is a
common law doctrine in the United Kingdom under which ownerless property passes by law to
the Crown. It has largely replaced the doctrine of
escheat, which had a similar effect in relation to
feudal tenures. The body that administers bona vacantia varies within the UK:In
England and Wales, the Bona Vacantia division of the
Treasury Solicitor's Department of the
UK Government is responsible for dealing with bona vacantia assets, which are chiefly:
Treasure TroveAssets of dissolved companiesAssets of the estates of those deceased who died
intestate and for whom no beneficiaries can be traced. In
Scotland, bona vacantia refers only to the assets of dissolved companies and lost property, which is administered under the
Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982. The separate doctrine of
ultimus haerus states that the assets of those who die intestate leaving no other person entitled to inherit pass to the Crown. Both of these rights, together with treasure trove, are administered by the
Queen's and Lord Treasurer's Remembrancer, an office held by the Crown Agent, the senior official in the
Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS).In
Northern Ireland, bona vacantia is dealt with by the Crown Solicitor as the Treasury Solicitor's Nominee.In the Duchies of
Cornwall and
Lancaster, bona vacantia is in favour of the
Duchy of Cornwall or the
Duchy of Lancaster instead of
the Crown, and the administration is dealt with a firm of
solicitors, Farrer and Co.In the
City of London and
Bristol bona vacantia is in favour of the cities' museums.
See more at Wikipedia.org...
Denotes the absence of any known person entitled to the estate of a deceased person
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