Glossary · Legal

Indivision (undivided co-ownership)

Joint ownership (indivision) is the legal situation in which several persons (the co-owners) together hold a right of ownership over the same property, without any physical division of it. Each co-owner holds an abstract share (expressed as a fraction or percentage) covering the whole property, without any specific part being allocated exclusively to them. This situation frequently arises in an inheritance, but may also result from a joint purchase. In Switzerland, joint ownership is a transitional arrangement: any co-owner may request division at any time. If the co-owners cannot agree, the division may be ordered by a court, leading to a forced sale of the property and the distribution of the proceeds among those entitled.