Goodridge-Milford Funeral Directors is a company incorporated in England, with company number 07722123 and registered address 79 Grafton Road, West Bromwich, B71 4EG.
We are a member of The Society of Allied & Independent Funeral Directors (the "SAIF)", a private limited company by guarantee with registered number 02436831, having its registered address at SAIF Business Centre, 3 Bullfields, Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire, CM21 9DB, and subscribe to its current Code of Practice, a copy of which is available upon request. We aim to act professionally and provide you with courteous, sensitive, and dignified service.
For the purpose of these terms:
"you" or "your" means the person engaging the services; and
"Services" means funeral arrangements, support, and advice services we provide.
Your continuing instructions in terms of services will amount to your continuing acceptance of these terms and conditions (the "Terms"), and you acknowledge you have read, understood and agree to be bound by these Terms.
1 Estimates and Expenses
1.1 The estimate attached sets out the services we agree to supply to you. This estimate indicates the charges likely to be incurred for the services based on the information and details you provided on the date of the estimate. While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of the estimate, the charges are liable to alteration, particularly where third parties are involved and may change their rates or charges, which is out of our control.
1.2 We may not know the total sum of third-party charges before the services are provided; however, we will give you the best estimate of such charges in the written estimate. The actual amount of the charges will be detailed and shown in the final account.
1.3 If you amend your instructions regarding the services, we may require your written confirmation of the amended instructions. As a result, you may need to make and/or incur an extra charge for the amended instructions; such charge is in accordance with prices published in our current price list.
1.4 We will add VAT to our charges, where applicable, at the current rate when we prepare the estimate and final account.
1.5 On occasion, we may also charge you an administration fee. For example, we will charge you an administration fee when we receive a cheque from you that is subsequently not honoured or if we write to remind you that an account is overdue. If we instruct debt collection agents, we may also recover the fees we incur from you. Further details regarding these fees are available on request.
2 Payment Arrangements
2.1 We will issue you an invoice for payment concerning any services provided or undertaken.
2.2 Payment of an invoice is due within the terms stated on the invoice unless we agree otherwise in writing.
2.3 For Fixed Cost Direct Funerals:
Payment is due before the day of the funeral.
For our bespoke Funerals:
Payment is due 5 working days before the funeral date. If you are applying for DWP, you must let us know during funeral arrangement meetings.
2.4 Standardised Price & Traditional Funerals
A [50%] deposit is required, with the balance due 5 working days before the service's date.
2.5 If you fail to pay in full on the due date for any of the services provided to you, we may charge you interest:
2.5.1 at a rate of 4% above our bank's Base Rate from time to time in force;
2.5.2 calculated (daily) from the date of our account until payment;
2.5.3 compounded on the first day of each month.
2.6 We may also recover the costs of taking any legal action, when necessary, to recover any unpaid sums (unless a Court order states otherwise).
3 Indemnity and Liability
3.1 You will indemnify us in full and hold us, our employees and our agents harmless from and against all expenses, liabilities, losses, damages, claims and other reasonable expenses we may incur (directly or indirectly, including financing costs and including legal fees on a full indemnity basis) in connection with or arising out of your use and any third party's use of the services and following any breach by you of any of your obligations under these Terms. We may claim any losses from you at any time, providing written notice.
3.2 We shall not be liable to you or any third party for any loss or damage (including any loss of profit, revenue, business, goodwill or anticipated savings (whether direct or indirect) and any indirect, consequential or special damages, loss, costs, claims or expenses), howsoever arising.
3.3 Nothing in these Terms shall exclude or limit our liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, breach of contract or otherwise.
4 Data Protection
4.1 Words shown in italics are defined in the Data Protection Act 2018 (the "Act").
4.2 We respect the confidential nature of the information you provide to us. Where you provide us with personal data ("Data"), we will ensure that the data is held securely, in confidence, and processed only for the purpose of carrying out the services.
4.3 To provide the services, we may need to pass such data on to third parties who are performing some of the services for you and may contact you directly.
4.4 Further details regarding these third parties are available upon request.
4.5 Under the Act, you have the right to know what data we hold on you, and you can receive copies of that data by applying to us in writing and paying a fee. You confirm that you have permission to give consent to use all information you supply, including your relatives and friends unless you specify otherwise.
5 Cooling-Off Period
5.1 The Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 may give you the right to terminate the provision of our services in the cooling-off period of 14 days after you have agreed to engage our services or provide us with initial instruction (the "Cooling-off Period"). If you wish the performance of the services to which this right applies to commence before the end of the cooling-off period, you must tell the person named below in writing at the time of your initial instruction.
5.2 If you exercise the right to cancel our services during the Cooling-off Period, if you have received any goods or services from us during such period, you will be required to reimburse us for any incurred costs and expenses associated with the provision of the goods or services during the Cooling-off Period.
6 Termination
6.1 The services may be terminated before the services are delivered:
6.1.1 by us if you fail to honour your obligations under these Terms; and
6.1.2 By you communicating with us in writing, whether by text, email, or post, you are terminating your instructions and engagement of the services.
6.2 In writing, You must tell the person named below as soon as practicable of any termination.
6.3 If we or you terminate the services, you may, depending on the reasons for termination, at our discretion, be asked to pay a reasonable sum based upon the services carried out up to the time of termination. You will be advised of such an amount in writing.
7 Standards of Service
7.1 The Society of Allied & Independent Funeral Directors (SAIF) Code of Practice requires that we provide a high-quality service in all aspects. If you have any questions or concerns about the service we provide, please raise them in the first instance with our designated senior person. If that does not resolve the problem to your satisfaction, SAIF provides a dispute resolution service as an alternative to legal action.
7.2 You can contact SAIF by completing their available complaints form by contacting them on 0345 230 6777 or email standards@saif.org.uk.
7.3 Although we endeavour to provide prompt and efficient service for you, there may be instances where, because of circumstances beyond our control, we cannot fulfil our obligations to you on the specified date or time. Therefore, we endeavour to meet all dates and times provided on the estimate; however, these cannot be guaranteed. Where it is known an arrangement will not be met, we will attempt to contact you in advance, using the details overleaf, and advise you of alternative arrangements.
7.4 We cannot be responsible for the performance of any third parties, which may include but are not specifically limited to Crematoria, Councils, Grave Diggers, Ministers, Civil Celebrants, Florists, Printers, Vehicle Hire, Newspapers, Hospitals, Doctors, Coroners, Registrars, International Repatriation Service Providers, etc.
8 Agreement
8.1 Your instructions will not create any rights enforceable by the Contracts enforceable by the Contracts Rights of Third Parties Act 1999 by any person not identified as our client.
8.2 If any of these Terms are unenforceable as drafted:-
8.2.1 it will not affect the enforceability of any other of these Terms; and
8.2.2 if it would be enforceable if amended, it will be treated as so amended.
8.3 The parties agree that these Terms, along with estimates and services accounts, constitute the entire agreement between them and supersede all previous agreements, understandings, and arrangements between them, whether in writing or oral, in respect of its subject matter.
8.4 Notwithstanding anything else contained in these Terms, neither party shall be liable for any delay in performing, or non-performance of, its obligations hereunder if such delay or non-performance is caused by circumstances beyond the reasonable control of the party, so delaying or non-performing, including but not limited to strikes, lockouts, labour disputes, acts of God, war, riot civil commotion, malicious damage, compliance with any law or government order, rule, regulation or direction, accident, disease, epidemic, pandemic, fire, flood, storm or adverse weather conditions.
8.5 Our liability, including any implied terms, is excluded to the maximum extent permitted by law.
8.6 No variation of these Terms shall be valid or effective unless it is in writing (including email), refers to these Terms and is duly signed or executed by or on behalf of SAIF.
8.7 These Terms are subject to English Law. Suppose any provision of these Terms shall be unlawful, void, or unenforceable. In that case, that provision shall be deemed severable and shall not affect the validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions. By accepting these Terms, you submit to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts.
9 Additional legal requirements
9.1 Any inappropriate items found in a coffin during our final closing-down procedure will be discreetly disposed of.
9.2 If additional bearers are required due to the size of the Coffin or difficult access to the place of service, then additional costs of £20 per bearer will be charged.
9.3 Any unclaimed items of clothing/effects will be discreetly disposed of after 7 days of the date of death unless otherwise agreed.
9.4 Instructions regarding cremated remains are to be issued by the cremation applicant and remain their sole decision and ownership.