Expiry Notification
If you have received a notification, or noticed a blue sticker on your site, this is to let you know that your site's Interment Rights are due for renewal. As the Interment Right Holder or listed contact, we want to ensure you have plenty of time to consider your options, which is why this notification is provided one year in advance of the expiry date.
Please be assured that in accordance with the Burial and Cremation Act 2013, your site cannot enter the reclaim process until a minimum of two years after the expiry date, giving you ample time to make a decision that is right for you.
Upon receiving an expiry notification, there are three options available to you:
Renew – Continue the Interment Rights for your site.
Surrender – Release the rights to the site.
Surrender with a Perpetual Memorial – Release the rights to the site while choosing to install a lasting memorial to your loved one.
Each of these options is explained in detail below, along with simple steps on how to proceed.
Renew The Site
A site renewal can be completed by anyone who has an interest in the site and does not need to be the Interment Right Holder. Renewing your site extends the licence to a new date, ensuring that it continues to allow for further burials, interments, and monumental work, while also ensuring that all memorialisation remains in place on the site.
Renewals are available in blocks of 5 years, with the following maximum terms depending on your site type:
- Lawn and Cremation Sites – Up to an active 50 years
- Vault and Traditional Sites – Up to 99 years
- Mausoleums – Up to 99 years
To proceed with a renewal, please follow the steps outlined in the renewal process below.
Surrendering the Site
If you have made the decision to surrender your site, this would return the Interment Rights back to the cemetery. To do so, a surrender form will need to be requested and completed in accordance with the hierarchy of authority as outlined by the Burial and Cremation Act 2013. Our staff are here to assist and guide you through this process if required.
The surrender form will also give you the opportunity to collect any monumentation from the site, should you wish to do so. Please be assured that there are no fees associated with this process.
We understand that handing back a site can feel like a difficult decision, and we want to reassure you that your loved one will never leave the cemetery. Any current interments will remain within the site, and when the time comes that another family purchases the site, all existing interments will be carefully and respectfully lowered to allow the above levels to be reissued. Full and complete records of your loved one will always be maintained within the cemetery's records, ensuring their memory is preserved.
Surrender with a Perpetual Memorial
If you have chosen to surrender your site but still wish to maintain a lasting memorial within the cemetery, we offer a range of beautiful perpetual options that allow your loved one's memory to live on without the ongoing financial commitment of a site renewal.
Both cemeteries offer the following memorial options:
- Butterfly Wall – A classic and elegant granite wall where small or large bronze butterflies, available in a variety of colours, can be installed as a timeless tribute to your loved one.
- Bench Plaques – A personalised plaque can be installed on a communal bench, or alternatively, a new bench with a private plaque can be installed in a chosen location within the cemetery.
In addition, each cemetery offers its own unique memorial features:
- Payneham Cemetery – The Shrine of Remembrance, where a classic bronze plaque can be installed as a permanent and dignified memorial.
- Dudley Park Cemetery – The Tree of Remembrance, where beautifully crafted aluminium leaves can be installed and are nestled within the native rock garden, set against the backdrop of the cemetery's natural surroundings. Dudley Park also offers the installation of classic bronze plaques around the beautiful Caroline Gardens Pond, providing a peaceful and serene setting for a lasting tribute.
A full price guide and sizing restrictions for all perpetual memorial options is listed below for your reference. If you would like to proceed with an order or simply find out more, please don't hesitate to contact us and a member of our team will be happy to assist you.
