J W Emberson Funeral Directors

J W Emberson Funeral Directors / Dignity were used by Eaton Court Care home, Grimsby following the passing of a relative.

Darren Mitchell, funeral arranger at J W Emberson, met with our mother to make arrangements. She requested an elementary attended funeral and various options were discussed.

A Confirmation of Arrangements document was provided by Mr Mitchell for our mother. However, the document which lists services and provisions DID NOT show that the Headline sum of £2595 included a coffin. The omission of this essential item from the Headline sum consequently is deceiving.

Our mother subsequently selected a coffin from a brochure. If she had been specifically made aware that a coffin was actually included in the Headline sum of £2595, she would NOT have ordered any other coffin.

The cost of a coffin, at an added cost of £699 is then itemised, stated in a list below the headline sum.

Separate issues arose when Mr Mitchell or a colleague from J W Emberson failed to attend the crematorium for the scattering of ashes ceremony two days after the funeral service.

Mr Mitchell had explicitly confirmed that he or his colleague would meet us at the crematorium for a 15:30 appointment.

Family & friends gathered there at 15:15 to attend as agreed & informed crematorium staff of our appointment. As the time was now approaching 15:30 & with no one present from J W Emberson, crematorium staff telephoned J W Emberson to enquire who was attending?

It was evident from overhearing the telephone call discussion that personnel from J W Emberson were elsewhere & therefore unavailable to attend & accomplish their requisite services for us.

The mood was clearly distressing for family & friends waiting. Fortuitously, albeit now later than arranged, a member of staff from the crematorium emerged with our relative’s ashes. We were then kindly assisted to the appropriate garden areas for the poignant task of scattering ashes.

Written complaints were put forward for the problems raised & investigated by Miss Denver-Rae McKenzie, Complaints Handler at Dignity Funerals Ltd.

Whilst we awaited a written response, Clark Kerr, Business Manager from J W Emberson sent our mother an invoice, coincidently dated the same date of the ashes scattering ceremony, for the balance of funeral costs to be paid. Sheer coincidence or hostile incompetence?

A substantial deposit had previously been paid to J W Emberson prior to funeral taking place.

In response to the invoice demand we sent a letter to Mr Kerr advising we were still awaiting a reply from Miss Denver-Rae McKenzie regarding issues raised in a complaint.

In our wish to resolve & conclude matters we proposed an appropriate balance reduction to the invoice which we would donate to a local charity.

Mr Kerr inexplicably failed to respond to our correspondence or proposal.

The responses provided after investigation by Miss Denver-Rae McKenzie conjure a different picture to what actually occurred.

She advised us it was stated that the funeral costs which included the Park coffin at £2,595 were quoted by Mr Mitchell & these costs are reflected on the signed Confirmation of Arrangements form. Indicating that the conversation took place, & the correct costings were explained & documented.

The ‘Confirmation of Arrangements’ document DOES NOT disclose the Headline sum of £2595 included a coffin.

We are also informed that we were advised that in the event Mr Mitchell not attending for the scattering of ashes, then crematorium staff would assist & guide us to the gardens for the scattering ceremony. This is untrue. If we had been informed of both possibilities we would not have raised this issue.

Our proposal to resolve matters amicably with a donation to charity was also disregarded Miss Denver-Rae McKenzie who merely advised we may refer our complaint to the National Association of Funeral Directors.

We have noted an apology, however, for J W Emberson & Dignity to make excuses to try justify their appalling service, then consequently fail to resolve issues is deplorable & disrespectful.

Embersons contacted me to tell me they had my mother's ashes and could I collect them. As far as I was aware until that call my stepbrother had destroyed the ashes. I rang them to make arrangements to collect them, which is what they asked me to do, and instead of being helpful the manager I talked to was trying to prevent me from having my mother's ashes. Over the years since my mother died I had come to terms with not having her ashes. Then Embersons get in touch and tell me they have them for me and then a manager breaks my heart by messing me about. I feel like I have lost her again.

Very helpful always at hand when we needed them very kind and considerate