surrender and admittance Formerly a mode of conveyance of copyhold. The copyhold was surrendered but, until admittance, legal estate remained in transferor. Prior to 1926 in the UK a legal mortgage of copyhold could be made in this way, involving the mortgagors convenanting to surrender the property to the mortgagees use on the condition that surrender was void if money and interest were not paid on a fixed date; this covenant was followed by formal surrender and admittance.