While visiting her father’s grave in Victoria, Jody* was approached by the cemetery operator about buying a cemetery plot next to her father. After signing the contract and paying for the grave marker, Jody began to have second thoughts.
With her children on the Lower Mainland, Jody decided she needed to cancel the contract so her final resting place could be close to her kids. When she contacted the cemetery, Jody was told that neither the interment right nor the cost of the marker, totalling several thousand dollars, were refundable.
“That was not the way I read the contract. I emailed them and explained how shocked I was. I even wrote a letter to the head of the company,” says Jody, “I never heard back.”
Jody decided to contact Consumer Protection BC for help.
Once the investigators reviewed the contract, they realized the refund information was missing, resulting in the cancellation wording being unclear. This made the contract non-compliant and Jody was able to receive a refund.
“I consider myself to be a smart person and I really didn’t imagine something like this happening to me,” says Jody, “I never thought I would have to contact Consumer Protection BC – but I’m sure happy I did.”
*Names changed to protect the privacy of the individuals involved.
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About Consumer Protection BC
We are responsible for regulating specific industries and certain consumer transactions in British Columbia. If your concern is captured under the laws we enforce, we will use the tools at our disposal to assist you. If we can’t help you directly, we will be happy to provide you with as much information as possible. Depending on your concern, another organization may be the ones to speak to; other times, court or legal assistance may be the best option. Explore our website at www.consumerprotectionbc.ca
Hello my name is Gene and I was paying on a burial plot and was like two months of paying it off but they cancelled me out because I was two months behind on paying it off due to other bills ready to be shut off like electric and gas and so I felt it wasn’t right or fair when I went to see about getting my money back and nope they wouldn’t do it and so it’s like I gave them thousands of dollars for nothing and it’s not I was paying on a used car and so if anyone knows how I could get my money back let me know thank you and my email is genehollistrapp@gmail.com
Hi Gene, thank you for contacting us and sharing your experience. Would you be able to provide us with more details by submitting a complaint form? You can access the form on our website here. If the phone is more convenient, please call us at 1-888-564-9963. Thank you Gene.
Hi, I purchased an installment plan of 7 years time, a small plot at Rose hills CA. Ive been paying for 3yrs now, and decided that I don’t need it anymore. I was told I can’t resell it until I fully paid. As I was browsing my contract, i noticed that there’s only one signature on my pink copy. The authorized agent didn’t sign it, but only has my signature. Can I go to small claim court to cancelled & get refunded?
Hi Maria, thank you for contacting us. Is this Rose Hills in California? I did a quick search but I didn’t see Rose Hills cemetery in British Columbia, Canada (that’s where our organization is located). If you are located in California, you may need to contact the Department of Consumer Affairs (here’s the link). I hope they will be able to point you in the right direction!
I bought a cemetery plot a small one just for two urns . Had it for a year now , not used and now have no use for it , what can I do to get from under the monthly payments.
Hi Ronald, thanks for your question. I would recommend contacting the cemetery and asking about their bylaws regarding your situation. Depending on their rules, you may have the option to transfer your plot or sell it back to the cemetery. If you want to learn more about the topic and some of the language the cemetery might use to help you navigate the conversation with them, check out our webpage here: https://www.consumerprotectionbc.ca/consumer-help/consumer-information-cemeteries/ . Hope this helps!