What acts can be carried out by an heir who renounces a succession?

An heir who intends to renounce the succession or has not yet taken his decision must act carefully with the property of the succession. Indeed, he has to take no action, such as receiving valuable property, which could let third parties to believe that he has accepted the succession. In which case, he will be presumed to have accepted it.

Only acts purely conservatory, of supervision and of temporary administration of the property of the succession can be made by an heir who wishes to renounce a succession without being presumed to have accepted it so far. It could be, for example, to pay the funeral expenses of the deceased, to temporarily manage a business, to pay the insurances of an immovable property or to sell perishable goods.

It is important to note that the appointment of a liquidator by the heirs outweighs alone the presumption that they accepted the succession. However, it is possible to prepare an inventory of the property of the succession without being presumed to have accepted it.