Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  01/10/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  On July 29, 2023, I paid Greenlawn Funeral Home in advance to have a headstone in the ground for my recently deceased father. The person that I worked with told me that it would take 4 to 8 weeks to have the process finished. It is over 5 months later and the job still has not been finished. The person that I was communicating with at Greenlawn recently told me that it has been finished, but that is not true as it has not. Both my time and money for gas has been wasted by being led to believe the job would be finished, when it has actually not been finished. Greenlawn Funeral Homes has also said that they would fix my Aunts headstone which had become broken in some areas, and that also has not happened.

• Initial Complaint

  07/20/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  In 2000 we brought policy # ******* paid in full. Then in 2010 changed policy to cremation which we turned around and paid in full then in 2018 we brought URNs which again we Paid in full. Now it's 2023 I moved to MA. And want to change funeral places to a new place and now greenlawn is just moving refusing to turn over the paperwork and everything we finally got them to send me the paperwork which they never sent the paperwork to my new company here in Mass which is fine but now they're refusing to send me the urn that I paid up for in full because they're saying they don't have to because I moved out of the state of California and they don't have to mail it to me so now I lost my urn that I have paid for 5 years ago I have been talking to one of their company managers called Miss Debbie York which she just will not get back to any of my emails on my phone calls regarding any of this they refuse to return my calls they refuse to return my new funeral power calls so I'm not sure what to do now I'm at the point where now I have to buy a new earn from Mass and almost pay double what I paid pay for one five years ago which I already have one that I own for them I told them they don't have to engrave it they just have to send it to me I will even pay the shipping to have it shipped to me I just need them to order it and send me the cost to ship it but they will refuse to get back to me now and it's been a month.

  Business response

  08/04/2023

  I spoke with Mr. ********** and clarified that he entered into a pre-need funeral agreement as indicated in the documents he submitted.  He did pay this agreement in full, however, the funds were not put into our operating funds but in another fund to be available at the time of death.  We provide the services or merchandise that were selected in that agreement when a death has occurred and the funds associated with that agreement are paid to us.  California, like most states require this type of arrangement by law.  One benefit of this legal requirement is that it allows the purchaser or their survivors to use those funds at another funeral provider, as Mr. ********** intends to.  However, since he has chosen to transfer those funds to another mortuary, cancelling his agreement with Greenlawn, we have further obligation to provide any of the services or merchandise associated with that agreement.  The agreeement does not allow for part of the funds to be used now for merchandise and the rest be transferred to another mortuary for use in the future.

  He seems to believe that he paid separately for an urn and I have asked him to forward any documents that he has that may support this possibility.  I do not have any such records.

• Initial Complaint

  06/09/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I requested a refund 1 month after I purchased the plot. The sales agent, *********************** kept me going in circles with different excuses to refund my money. It is **** of 2023 and theres no resolution. The new contract is somewhere out in space or theyre just pulling my leg. I called and requested to meet with the *************************, manager. I waited an hour and he never came out to meet with me. Makes me wonder where they go. There was a delay when ************************* and *********************** went on a trip to Asia sponsored by Greenlawn. Makes me wonder if the money that they up charge is used for these trips. How ethical is it for funeral homes to take advantage of customers who are going thru such a hard time in their life.

  Business response

  08/04/2023

  I appreciate ******************* continuing to work with us, as the situation was more complicated than simply cancelling a contract.  The agreement impacted other interment rights and services that ***************** either used or wished to retain.  ***** continued to work with ******************* after this complaint was recorded and the refund for the items not used or desired have been provided.

   

• Initial Complaint

  06/01/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  My husband ***** ******** died at Bakersfield Adventist and was taken to Greenlawn without my advance notice. Te hospital and Greenlawn lost his personal effects. Both myself and **** ****** *****, *****'s Aunt have called and written Greenlawn requesting reimbursement and no answer has yet been received. A copy of the full letter containing the chronology is attached. Noted in his medical records/chart, Mr. ******** had a Nintendo switch, Nintendo games and a wedding ring that are missing. ***** died on January 21, 2023, at 23:32 (11:32 pm), his body taken to Greenlawn shortly after death without first notifying the family. Mary Jo ******** and ****** ***** met with Greenlawn on January 23, 2023, and received his personal effects. The above noted items were missing. Ms. ***** spoke by telephone with numerous nurses and staff on Monday, January 23, 2023, and Tuesday, January 24, 2023, all of whom were unable to hep. Staff acknowledged that the valuables list in the patient chart included “ring silver left hand” and “miscellaneous bag – black grey.” This bag contained the Nintendo switch and games. The “First Call” document and “Property Received” form (copy attached) prepared by Greenlawn on January 22, 2023, ostensibly when the body was removed, does not include the bag, contents of the bag nor the ring which was *****’s wedding ring. There are signatures – both illegible, one of a family representative, which is not possible since no family members were present, and that of an employee. It is not clear if the employee is an employee of hospital or Greenlawn. Removal staff is identified only as “TA/JF” A price tag cannot be placed on the true value of the wedding ring. However, it was a silver ring that cost about $75 when purchased five years ago. There is no dispute that the personal effects were lost and that Greenlawn did not follow procedure. We ask that Greenlawn reimburse $815 for the loss of the items in their possession and care.

  Business response

  06/08/2023

  Response to complaint:

  Adventist Health does not have a morgue so they contract with a local funeral home to hold a patient who passed till the family chooses a funeral home to handle the arrangements. They tell us, they make the family aware of this arrangement. Once we have taken the individual into our care, we notify the family and suggest they choose a funeral home. In this case, the family chose Greenlawn. 

  When we take a decedent into our care, we always inventory the personal effects that will be transported with the decedent and have a hospital representative witness and sign. If there is a family member present, they sign. In this case, there was not a family member and a hospital employee signed as the family representative. 

  Though the list of property mentions ten items, there is no mention of the bag, contents of the bag or the ring. The Property Received form was signed by a Greenlawn employee and a hospital employee. Since those items were not inventoried and turned over to the funeral home, one can only surmise they were still in the hospital room unless removed prior to Greenlawn's arrival. This would appear to be the responsibility of the hospital as the items were not turned over to the funeral home. 

  Regarding compensation, the family stated it was a financial hardship to pay for the cremation so management gave the family a $1,000.00 discount.

  In light of the documentation and the financial assistance, provided the family, I feel no additional reimbursement from Greenlawn is necessary.

   

   

   

  Customer response

  06/10/2023

   I am rejecting this response because:

  Greenlawn, acting as the agent of, and with, Adventist Hospital lost my deceased husband's effects and is responsible for the lost items.

  To the director of Greenlawn facility.  Thank you for responding to my email. 
  
  I acknowledge and am very grateful for the staff of Greenlawn especially ****** who was able to give my family a hardship discount in my family's time of need. I wholeheartedly thank you for that. However that discount does not negate the fact that both Greenlawn and Adventist hospital are both responsible for my late husband's missing personal items.  Procedures from both the hospital and Greenlawn were not followed which caused the items to go missing. 
  

  The paperwork was not finished when Greenlawn staff arrived Greenlawn staff wanted to get his remains and go without the proper procedures being followed. Adventist Hospital let that happen also. 
  
  Both parties are to blame in this instance.  It does not just wholly fall on Adventist hospital. I was not informed my husband's remains would be taken to your facility.  I did not know he was there until ****** called and informed me that he was picked up during the night. I did not give permission for him to be moved. The fact is that his belongs are now lost and I can never get them back especially his wedding band. That to me is lost forever. 

  
  

  Business response

  06/15/2023

  You indicated we acted as an agent for Adventist Health. We are only responsible for the items Adventist Health turned over to our care. As documented, Adventist Health did not turn said items over to our care. However, since you feel we are still to blame, the said blame should be divided between us and Adventist Health. To that end, we are willing to pay half your request and you can pursue Adventist to pay the other half.

  Customer response

  06/21/2023

   I am rejecting this response because:
  
  turn said items over to our care. However, since you feel we are still to blame, the said blame should be divided between us and Adventist Health. To that end, we are willing to pay half your request and you can pursue Adventist to pay the other half.
  
  
  
  
  Proposed reply:
  
  
  Thank you for responding and for agreeing to pay half of the loss.  The total as noted in the letter we sent and included in this file with the BB is $815.  One half is $407.50.
  
  
  Please advise what additional information you need, if any, to facilitate payment and when we can expect payment to made so the matter can be concluded with Greenlawn.
  
  
  Once again, we certainly appreciate Greenlawn’s financial consideration in our time of need.
  
  
  May you all be well!
  
  
  
  

  Business response

  06/22/2023

  We will submit the request for payment to our legal department to draft a document releasing us from future liability with the payment. I will notify you once I have said document and the payment.

  Respectfully,

  ***** ** ***

  Customer response

  06/24/2023

   I am rejecting this response because:
  
  Thank you. I look forward to hearing from you once the paperwork is in order

  Business response

  07/06/2023

  Next week we can meet with the family to sign this document and pay the family. 

  I will have our manager call her on Monday to schedule an appointment. 

  ***

*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. ↩