Czechia Collected Nearly 560 Million Crowns Worth of Property from People Who Died Without Heirs Last Year

Last year, the Czech state took in property from deceased individuals who left neither heirs nor a will, totaling more than 560 million crowns. This was reported by the Office for Government Representation in Property Affairs (ÚZSVM), which handled 1,615 such cases over the year.

Property of this kind is known as "escheat" — it passes to the state when a deceased person has no relatives willing or able to inherit, or when the heirs themselves renounce the inheritance. According to the office, a total of 8,655 items of property were registered. Over the past decade, only 2016 saw more such cases — 1,627 — while the fewest were recorded in 2020, during the pandemic, with just 1,207.

What the State Actually Received

According to the office, last year the state acquired land plots worth more than 129.1 million crowns, along with buildings, houses, apartments and non-residential premises worth over 345.7 million crowns. Personal belongings, cars, electronics, jewelry and other valuables were valued at 5.2 million crowns, while securities and company shares amounted to roughly 80 million crowns.

"In this way, the state receives things like real estate, household appliances, cars, works of art, cash — and even animals," the office noted.

But inheriting such property comes with expenses as well as income. If the estate carries debts, the office is obliged to settle them, but only up to the value of the assets. Costs also cover things like the deceased's prior hospital stay, funeral arrangements, or the disposal of worthless items — broken furniture, worn-out clothing, or an unusable car.

Cash goes directly into the state budget. Artworks and antiques are typically handed over to museums, state castles and fortresses. Firefighters often take an interest in non-functioning cars, using them for training exercises. Real estate and other property are first offered to various institutions, and if there's no demand, they go to auction. The list of items up for auction is available at www.nabidkamajetku.gov.cz.

It Could Have Gone to Charity Instead

According to a June survey by Ipsos, commissioned by the "For Simple Giving" coalition, 85% of Czechs aged 18 to 65 believe it is better to leave property to charity than to the state. Three-fifths of respondents said that leaving a charitable bequest is the right thing to do.

Sunday, September 13, marks International Wills Day. It also kicks off the 13th annual Month of Charitable Wills — a campaign aimed at encouraging people to draw up wills and reminding them that they can name charitable organizations and projects as beneficiaries.

The campaign's organizers note that last year Czechs left tens of millions of crowns to charity through their wills. Details and guidance on drafting a will can be found at www.zavetpomaha.cz.

Read also: 6 cemeteries in Prague where history and art matter more than mourning: a guide to museum-necropolises

Source: novinky.cz