Inheritance and co-ownership
A property with several owners and no decision. These are situations that neither property expertise alone nor legal expertise alone can resolve: having both within one firm is our starting point.
The situation
A recurring situation: a flat inherited by three siblings. One wants to sell, one wants to let, the third lives abroad and does not answer emails. Meanwhile the flat stands empty, the building has approved extraordinary works that nobody has paid for, the administrator has started sending letters, and at every family gathering the subject is postponed. Two years have passed. The value falls, the costs rise, and the relationship between the siblings worsens with every phone call.
How we work
First the legal picture: has the succession been completed? Are the shares what everyone believes? Are there rights of residence, unpublished wills, debts charged on the property? Many stalled co-ownerships are stalled on a false premise, and clarifying it changes positions.
Then the property picture: realistic value, condition of the unit, building position, the cost of not deciding. Putting it in writing, with figures, moves the conversation from the personal to the factual.
From there, the possible routes, all of which we present: sale to a third party with division of proceeds, purchase of the shares by whoever wants to keep the property, letting under a single mandate that relieves the others, partition. Our role is that of the single point of contact who speaks with all co-heirs, with the administrator and with third parties, and brings the matter to the deed. In-house legal oversight handles formal communications and deeds; property experience handles the market.
What it includes
- Reconstruction of the succession and verification of title and shares
- Valuation of the property and analysis of the building position
- Written prospectus of the options, with costs and timing of each
- Single point of contact with all co-heirs and with third parties
- Handling of outstanding building charges
- Assistance through to the deed: sale, transfer of shares, partition, letting
Who it is for
- Co-heirs who cannot reach a decision, or who have stopped speaking
- Families with property held in common for generations
- Those who have inherited a share, often from abroad, and do not know what to do with it
- Executors and professionals assisting a family
Frequently asked questions
What if one of the co-heirs will not cooperate?
In most cases they do not cooperate because they lack clear information or do not trust whoever provides it. A third party, with a written prospectus, changes the dynamic more often than one would expect. If that is not enough, legal instruments exist to overcome the deadlock; we set them out, but they are the last route, not the first.
Does each of us need our own lawyer?
The firm's legal oversight assists the mandate and its execution. Each co-heir remains free to be assisted by their own professional, and in situations of open conflict this is advisable.
What happens to the building charges in arrears?
They must be dealt with at once, before they become litigation: the amount due is reconstructed, its apportionment among co-heirs agreed, and the position with the administrator regularised. It is often the first concrete result of the mandate, and it unlocks the rest.
First contact