bona vacantia

American  

[boh-nah vah-kahn-tee-ah, boh-nuh vuh-kan-tee-uh] / ˈboʊ nɑ vɑˈkɑn ti ɑ, ˈboʊ nə vəˈkæn ti ə /

noun

Law.

1. property without an apparent owner or claimant.

---

bona vacantia British  

/ ˈbəʊnə vəˈkæntɪə /

plural noun

1. law unclaimed goods

---

Etymology

Origin of bona vacantia

Borrowed into English from Latin around 1750–60

Example Sentences

This business was dissolved in July 2023 and Judge and Carroll said money in the bank account had been lost to the Crown after becoming "bona vacantia", a term for funds left in bank accounts when a business closes down, when there is no owner of the money or the owner cannot be found.

From BBC

Carroll said he had been too unwell to deal with company business at the time the funds became bona vacantia.

From BBC

The removal of Bona Vacantia will also have an impact on legitimate heir-hunting companies, who use the list as a starting point to research and then contact the genuine heirs to unclaimed estates.

From BBC

The government list - known as Bona Vacantia - gives the details of unclaimed estates in England or Wales.

From BBC

A BBC News article published on Saturday 5 July recounted several cases in the south of England where a dead person's details had appeared on Bona Vacantia, and then, shortly after, someone had stepped forward claiming to be their sole heir.

From BBC