The Department of Mines, Industry Regulations and Safety has reminded funeral companies that they face enforcement action for failing to comply with new pricing laws that are now in place.
The new regulations, contained in the Funeral Pricing Code of Practice, stop sales practices that had made it difficult in the past for consumers to make informed decisions at a distressing time.
Minister for Commerce, Sue Ellery said funeral directors were now legally required to publicly display prices, allowing consumers to access information up-front, compare costs and avoid the need to meet with a representative of the funeral company to obtain this information.
“A detailed breakdown of funeral costs must also be provided, instead of the unscrupulous sales practices relating to ‘bundled packages’ offered previously,” Ms Ellery said.
“This misrepresented optional items as mandatory and created confusion over the total cost of the funeral.”
She said that in some previous cases, the final cost wasn’t known until after the funeral was held, leading family and friends of the deceased to believe they were overcharged.
“At a time of grief, many mourners need to make funeral arrangements quickly,” the Minister said.
“Under no circumstances should relatives or friends be misled or subjected to high-pressure sales techniques,” she said.
“Most funeral operators are doing the right thing, but this reform puts an end to some businesses exploiting mourners and provides grieving families and friends with more clarity to make informed decisions at a difficult time.”
Further information about the new funeral company laws is available at this PS News link.
