omanduse

Omanduse (Estonian for ownership) is the legal concept describing the rights and responsibilities that come with owning property. It covers both real property and movable property and is central to civil law traditions. Ownership grants the holder a bundle of rights, including the right to possess, use, enjoy, and dispose of the item, subject to applicable laws.

Omanduse can be held by individuals, companies, or public bodies. It can be acquired by purchase, gift, inheritance, or long possession (acquisitive prescription depends on jurisdiction). Co-ownership is possible when more than one person holds ownership of the same property. Ownership may be encumbered by mortgages, liens, servitudes, or restrictions arising from public interest, zoning, or environmental rules. The owner is generally responsible for maintenance and for paying taxes and fees related to the property. In Estonia, omanduse is governed within the civil law framework and interacts with contracts, inheritance, and taxation.

In practice, omanduse is balanced against other interests, such as the public welfare, the rights of others, and social or environmental considerations. Disputes about ownership are typically resolved in civil courts or by administrative procedures, with remedies including compensation, transfer of ownership, or injunctions. See also property law, ownership, servitudes, expropriation.