NSW Fair Trading is to put unscrupulous funeral home operators on notice if they try to take advantage of grieving families in future.
The Agency has launched a series of Fair Trading blitzes following an Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) inquiry which found that some funeral operators weren’t complying with recent reforms to the sector.
Minister for Better Regulation, Kevin Anderson said that under the reforms, funeral homes were required to disclose prices publicly to consumers or face a significant fine.
“Our new reforms require funeral homes to clearly display itemised costs of certain goods and services on their website and at their business premises,” Mr Anderson said.
“By law, funeral homes must clearly display pricing on websites and in store, including the lowest cost options for the burial or cremation of a body,” he said.
“My message to those who aren’t complying is to expect to be caught out by our inspectors.”
Mr Anderson said the funeral sector reforms were designed to give consumers peace of mind that they wouldn’t be overcharged by opportunistic funeral homes.
“A large portion of the industry is doing the right thing, but for those who aren’t, this is not an area that we take lightly and Fair Trading will come down on you,” the Minister said.
“The death of a loved one is already painful enough and the last thing we want is for that pain to be exploited for financial gain.”
He said the reforms also included disclosure requirements regarding transport; the ownership of mortuary and crematorium services; and strict processes around pre-paid funerals.
