Terms of Business
We provide complete transparencyEstimates and Expenses
Our estimate is an indication of the charges likely to be incurred on the basis of the information and details we are aware of at the date of the estimate. A copy of this will be given to you with-in 48 hours of any arangement made either in your own home or at our office. This will be given to you by hand, email or by post. Whilst we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of the estimate, the charges may alter particularly where third parties change their rates or charges.
We may not know the amount of third party charges in advance of the funeral; however we will give you a best estimate of such charges on the written estimate. The actual amount of the charges will be detailed and shown in the final account.
If you amend your instructions, we will require your written confirmation of changes; however we reserve the right to act on verbal instructions for changes in the absence of your written confirmation. We may need to make an additional charge in accordance with prices published in our current price list.
Payment Arrangements
The final funeral invoice will be sent out within 7 days of the funeral taking place. Funeral expenses may be paid in part or full at any time during the arrangement and before the funeral. However, full payment must be received within 30 days of the date of the funeral. Funeral accounts are due for payment in two parts. Half the estimated costs are payable 48 Hours or 3 working days before the funeral and the balance is payable 30 days after the dated invoice, unless otherwise agreed by us in advance in writing.
Funeral accounts for our ‘Unattended Cremation’, ‘Direct Cremation Funeral Service’ or funerals arranged in accordance with the Standardised Price List must be paid in full 48 Hours or 3 working days prior to the funeral unless otherwise agreed by us in writing.
DWP Social Fund Funeral Grant
If applying for a DWP Social Fund Funeral Grant, whether the claim is successful or unsuccessful, you will remain liable for the entire account.
Funeral Plan Payments
If the person who has died has a funeral plan, you will be liable for any payments or expenses not covered in the funeral plan they may include
The cost of a burial plot, headstone or memorial, catering for a wake, flowers, newspaper notices, an order of service, medical certificates, minister or officiant fees, and embalming; essentially, any additional optional extras beyond the basic funeral arrangements.
- Burial plot: You need to purchase a burial plot separately if you choose burial
- Extra services: Items like flowers, catering, and reception venue hire are not covered under the plan
- Third-party costs: Fees like doctor’s charges for a cremation medical certificate may not be fully covered.
- Newspaper notices: Placing death notices in the newspaper is an additional cost.
Dates and Times
All dates and times provided on our estimate’s cannot be guaranteed until final bookings are made and confirmed. Although we endeavor to provide a prompt and efficient service for you, there may be instances where, because of circumstances beyond our control, we are unable to fulfill our obligations to you on the date or time specified. Where this is the case we will attempt to contact you in advance and advise you of alternative arrangements.
Indemnity
You agree to indemnify us in full and hold us harmless from all expenses and liabilities we may incur, directly or indirectly, on a full indemnity basis following any breach by you of any of your obligations under these Terms.
This means that you are liable to us for losses we incur because you do not comply with these Terms; for example, we will charge you a reasonable administration fee where we receive a cheque from you which is subsequently not honoured or if we write to remind you that an account is overdue.
If we instruct debt collection agents we may also recover the fees we incur from you. Further details regarding these fees are available on request. We may claim those losses from you at any time and, if we have to take legal action, we will ask the Court to make you pay our legal costs. R.Brownless and Grandson Funeral Directors cannot accept responsibility for matters which are wholly outside our control
Termination of Contract
We reserve the right to terminate our services if you fail to honour your obligations under these Terms. We are under no obligation to accept your termination until we receive your instruction in writing.
If you terminate your instructions or if we decide to terminate our services, you will be invoiced for all third-party charges which we have paid or are committed to.
Right to cancel (applicable when funeral arrangements are made in a client’s home)
For services you have ordered from us you have the right to change your mind and cancel within 14 days after the day on which we accept your order. By signing to accepting our terms you expressly request that we commence the services within the 14 day cancellation period provided by the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013.
You acknowledge that if the services are fully performed within the 14 days cancellation period, you will lose the right to change your mind and cancel the services under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013. If you cancel after we have started the services but before the services are completed then you must pay us for the services provided up until the time you tell us that you have changed your mind.