People are extremely vulnerable
to exploitation when they are arranging funerals for relatives or partners. Its is a sensitive time in our lives...Yet
the funeral industry is NOT regulated. The results are to be expected: Prices have sky-rocketed by 22% in 2009 alone and by 42% in the last 5 years! Independent
regulation is therefore vital. You can help by e-mailing us directly or write to your local MP to voice your concerns.
Channel 4 is
making a programme about funerals – and they’re looking for your experiences.
They want to know how you rated your funeral director?
- Did your funeral director give you value for money or did you
feel ripped off? - Did they arrange the perfect send-off for your loved one, or did they let you down? - If you
had cause for complaint, how well was it handled? - Do you think more should be done to help the bereaved avoid high
prices and poor service?
The producers are aware that the issues may be personal
and sensitive. They are not seeking interviews at this stage and you can speak to them in confidence. Please call Matthew
Cundall on 0113 394 5485 or email mcundall@truenorth.tv
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Did You Know? If
you ever consider suing a funeral directors because of the poor level of product or service they provided...
BEWARE! You are going to spend a long time pursuing a case which you will probably lose. And in the process you are going
to lose significant amounts of money ...This is because there are NO legally binding standards against which
to hold funeral directors. Courts in the UK have precious little to rely upon to assess the quality of services
or products funeral firms provide you. In sharp contrast, your average hotelier, travel-agent, doctor, supermarket or local
butcher does not share this privilege with funeral firms.
....Yet More Disturbing Facts
Anyone can become a funeral director! No qualifications or training
needed!
Funeral firms are free to charge what they
like for products and services!
Studies show the
costs of dying are rising faster than inflation- Its recession proof!
There are little or no controls on the level and quality of service they provide- This attracts 'cowboys'
intent on ripping off people at their most vulnerable
This
billion pound business has unbridled freedoms in terms of how it runs itself- it is'self-regulating'
Consumers have no effective recourse to the law in support of complaints
You have NO established rights in law in terms of quality of service or product.
You have NO established rights how the remains of your loved ones are treated.
These conditions attract a lot of unscrupulous
individuals who are only after a guaranteed quick buck in a recession proof industry. It is perhaps the case there are many
funeral firms in the UK that attempt to provide honest and valuable services to consumers but there are also many that do
not. The offending funeral firms know they are pretty much untouchable. Consumers need to be safe and sure in one of
the most vulnerable moments of their life.