Mortgage certificate

A mortgage certificate (Schuldbrief/cédule hypothécaire/cartella ipotecaria) is a Swiss form of real security over land. It combines a secured personal claim with a charge on the encumbered property and is commonly used to secure bank loans. The right arises through entry in the land register and exists either as a register mortgage certificate or, where still issued or existing, as a paper certificate. Its transfer and enforcement follow special property-law rules distinct from an ordinary mortgage.