Possession

Possession is factual control over a thing combined with a legally relevant relationship to it. Swiss law protects possession independently of ownership to preserve peace and prevent self-help: a possessor may have remedies against disturbance or dispossession even if title is disputed. Possession also matters for presumptions of ownership, acquisition in good faith, prescription and transfer of movables. Direct and indirect possession can coexist, for example where an owner leases an apartment to a tenant. Possession is therefore not the same as ownership; it is a protected factual position that may support or evidence rights but can also exist without a valid right to keep the thing.