ComplaintsforCarter Funeral Home Inc

• Initial Complaint

  11/10/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My father passed on August 23. Within hours, my family met at Carter's Funeral Home. Jim Carter, the president of the funeral home, forced us to pay the full bill before we left the funeral home. Upon paying my father's debts, I have been meeting with the Social Services Department. The SS department informed our family that my father should have received funeral benefits. The SS department informed our family that the funeral home should have disclosed this information prior to my father's funeral and before we were forced to pay my father's funeral bill. The ******** office informed me that I should contact the funeral home for a billing adjustment, because it is their responsible to inform families of their services before the funeral and before the bill is paid. I contacted Jim from the funeral home today, and he informed me that it is our family's responsibility to know the NYS law. I am reporting this funeral home and Jim for price gauging and taking advantage of families during a vulnerable and tragic time. I have contacted the county and state to report this funeral home and how they are price gauging and depriving families of financial services they have a right to.

  

  Business response

  01/30/2023

  January 30, 2023 Better Business Bureau 100 Bryant Woods South Amherst, NY 14228 Re: Complaint ID ******** Regarding the complaint registered with the BBB by a customer of Carter Funeral Home, Inc., the customer was informed that the type and scope of funeral services selected, requested, and paid for by her would not allow her to be a candidate for assistance through the county social services burial program, that she referenced. I suggested to her, that if she had issue with the regulations of the county social services program, thatshe should contact the representative of the department to get clarification of the program’s policies.Further, I provided her with the person’s name. She informed me that she already had it, and she demanded a full refund of the funds paid, that were paid weeks earlier. She then abruptly ended the call.A few points of the complaint in regards to the ******** County Social Services Indigent BurialProgram, and the funeral arrangements that were requested and selected. • The program does not allow for a grave to be purchased following the death of the person. (Forthose who do not have a pre-purchased grave, one would be provided in the county operatedcemetery, if the claim is accepted by the program). *The family purchased a grave after thedeath, and selected a Saturday burial, later in the morning to accommodate their schedule and inorder to have their preferred clergy for the service. The cemetery charges for Saturday overtime,and additional fees due to the later arrival time into the cemetery exceed what a family is able tocontribute to arrangements, if they are claiming to be indigent and needing assistance.• The social service program states that the funeral home can provide a 30-minute viewingsession for the family, followed immediately by either a burial or cremation. *The arrangingparty specifically wanted three hours of public visitation, followed by a Mass the following day.This type of service arrangements would be outside of the scope of an indigent typearrangement.• The arranging party specifically wanted to submit an obituary notice, as soon as possible, togive notice of the planned arrangements that were scheduled within the next few days. Thearranging party emphasized the importance of getting things planned for the approachingweekend, for the benefit of their schedule. *The social services program requires applicants tosubmit a claim before arrangements are set and provided by a funeral home, and before servicearrangements are published.In closing, the funeral home provided the specific services that were requested by the arranging party.There was no complaint regarding the level of service that was provided by the staff of the funeralhome. I attempted communication with the complainant.Respectfully submitted,  James C. Carter

  Customer response

  01/30/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 18385604, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.

   

  The business did not include or disclose any of this information during our five hour planning meeting with them. 
  
  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, we would like to know your view on the matter.]
  
  Regards,
  
  Colette Hebert
  
  
  
  

  
  

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩