Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  06/20/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  In November 2022, I had a consultation with an advisor (and her trainee) regarding pre-planning, in which I signed a contract. The same night, I received a phone call from an UNKNOWN caller telling me that the contract was incorrect and that I was being charged twice for one service. the UNKNOWN caller did not want to leave her name. I immediately contacted the advisor that I signed the contract with. She said she would review the contract. A few days later, the contract was revised as it was found that I was charged twice for one service. Feeling uneasy about the situation, I asked an employee from a different Dignity location to review my contract. The employee asked me what I understood about the contract, and when the employee reviewed what I received via email, the employee let me know that my wishes were not documented. I tried resolving the issue with the advisor, however, she no longer worked for the company. I then spoke with the manager of the facility. She did acknowledge that the contract needed to be corrected. But she said in order to change the contract and keep my current pricing, she would need to process it as an upgrade which would cost me an additional $1,600. I declined and spoke with a regional manager in December 2022. She reviewed the contract and also acknowledged the contract needed to be corrected. She said she was going to follow-up within the next 5 days. I did not hear from her and tried contacting her with no luck. I have contacted the corporate office 4 times since December 2022 and have yet to receive any call-back or follow-up to resolve my issue. During my initial consultation and my follow-up with the facility manager, the trainee was present and attested to the claims I had made about what was promised to me during the signing of my contract.

  Business response

  06/28/2023

  I apologize for the tardiness of my reply.  I will reach out to the customer via telephone in at 11am on 6.28.2023 and provide an update by end of business day regarding a resolution.  

• Initial Complaint

  05/05/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I signed a contract and have fully paid for services on August 17, 2022 for burial/inurnment services to include the final resting place - Columbarium which also includes the engraving among others. I was informed by Ka*** Est*******t completion of engraving would take around 3 months. I followed up on January and they finally had the engraving design on the tombstone. My complaint is that the engraving was not done professionally as you could clearly tell by the name being crookedly engraved, design was like done in sticker form and freehand with faded lines and her name is slanted and not straight as if drawn by a child completely not as shown in the design that I approved. I reached out several times through email and phone call to Ka*** stating that the work was unacceptable to me due to the reason I stated earlier and eventually got a call from her manager Janet who assured me they would fix or replace it as they both agreed that the engraving delivered was unacceptable. This all happened on February 2023. Ka*** reached out to me on April 11 saying that they had informed the engraving company that the work is rejected and that they were going to fix or replace it with good quality work. As of today May 5,2023, my mothers tombstone remains unfixed which continues to bring pain and embarrassment to me and my family. All I want is for Montecito to give me a decent engraved tombstone ASAP as I have been patiently waiting long enough and not disrespect and ignore my needs just because they have been fully paid since August 2022.

  Business response

  05/12/2023

  Our sincerest apologies.  We are aware of the complaint.  We have ordered a replacement piece for the niche in order to keep the niche covered while we send the granite piece that needs to be repaired sent to the marker company to fix.  

• Initial Complaint

  11/06/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  On October 28, 2021 Montecito Memorial Park & Mortuary was paid in full for the cremation and memorial services of my mother ***** D. **** for the amount of $20,119.16 of which I am still waiting for them to provide what they contracted for…Namely the etching on the headstone. I have tried for nearly a year to get this resolved with empty promises and no communication from anyone that has the authority from this company to resolve this issue for me. At one of several visits to the office, I was shown a picture supposedly with the etching on the headstone completed but this was quickly disproven when the person assisting me saw for themselves it wasn’t true and even went as far as to take pictures to report back to her supervisor. So, whose headstone did they write my mother's approved etching on? From their contract titled: STATEMENT OF GOODS AND SERVICES SELECTED/PURCHASE AGREEMENT My case number last five digits is: XXXX0482S Contract number last five digits is: XXXXXXX13250 In the Gmail attachment you'll see two pictures of the headstone proving it is blank and not etched. You'll also see my final attempt through continual communication trying to get someone to help me. Every attempt to get something done or any type of progress moving forward has always been initiated by me. Montecito Memorial Park & Mortuary has NEVER made any attempt to resolve or fill their contract obligations on their own account including failure to provide the hand-out for the order-of-service to those attending the service. They had to make copies of a rough draft we wrote down during the first meeting of what we desired to have done to give to those involved in the actual flow of the service. Additionally, I had to run back and forth to the Media booth to help with the media service. I barely had the chance to sit down during the service because their Media systems did not work properly. So, as you can see, this final mess-up without any sense of caring from them is quite frustrating.

  Business response

  11/13/2022

  I have made contact with Mr. ****** as of Friday 11.11.2022 to discuss the outstanding work required for his loved one's plaque.  

  I will provide him with an ETA as to when the inscription will be complete in the coming week.  

  Customer response

  11/14/2022

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 183**382, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

  
  

  However, to keep the records straight, ******* left a message on my answering machine of trying to reach me on Thursday November 4th after 11 AM. I returned her call on Saturday November 6th where she first offered to have my mother placed in a Post she admitted was etched in error from another area not my mother's. November 11th was a Holiday and no discussions were made as she stated.

  
  

  I had to actually explain to ******* the difference between having the actual Post etched that my mother was honored in as opposed to moving her into someone else's Post that our family had no idea whom that person was? There was a temporary marker at the Post in error so I know another persons remains were in that Post ******* was asking me to exchange my mother in.

  
  

  ******* did say she understands my point on the matter, but to me this was an insult to ask any family to do such a thing just so this multi-million dollar company can save a few dollars.

  
  

  In reality, ******* should consider writing a reimbursement check for the year long anguish and suffering her company caused by our family not being able to honor our mother satisfactorily on three special days we had to look at a temporary marker, Since I am the one directly responsible for taking care of my mother's wishes it was an embarrassing event each and every time I had to look at my family's sad faces and try to explain the lack of curtesy and simple common respect of taking care of our beloved mother's etching...I had no answers for them because no matter how hard I tried...I was always left with no actions completed.

  
  

  My conversation with ******* on November 6th ended with me asking for an ETA from her. This was not volunteered. ******* said it would be one or two weeks. 

  
  

  We are now going into the second week......

  
  

  Yours Sadly,

  
  

  ******
  

  
  

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  10/24/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  On Sept/October 2021 my family and I paid in full for the headstone for my father in law. We met with the cemetery personnel and designed and approved the design. It has now been a year and the headstone has not been installed. I have contacted them several times throughout this time and was just told that they would follow up with provider and would get back to me but I never received a call back. Just on 10/3/2022 I tried to follow up again being that it had already been a year and was told that they were working on orders from June 2022. This is when I told them that my order had been placed back on October 2021 and why was I still waiting. They actually apologized and was told that someone "had dropped the ball". I then requested to speak to a manager and she told me that I could expect the headstone to be installed within 3 weeks and no later than 10/21/2022. As of today the headstone has not been installed. The cemetery did not follow up with me once again to explain the delay. All they do is provide me with dates that they are obviously not able to keep. I have waited over a year now and I paid for a service that I have not received. I believe that this is unacceptable and if someone "dropped the ball" as they told me, then they need to get it together and fix it. These services are not cheap and I did not pay over $1000 for just continue waiting and waiting. If they are not able to provide me with this service then I need a full refund.

  Business response

  10/26/2022

  The marker was installed on the afternoon of 10.22.2022.  The customer was contacted via email with this information along with a photo of the installation.  There has been no response from the customer regarding the email.

  
  

  
  

  Thank you

  
  

  ******* Sandoval 

• Initial Complaint

  09/06/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  My Brother ****** passed away December 1, 2021. His death was unexpected but we had planned years before purchasing a burial package so we were prepared. Unfortunately, Montecito could not bury him until Januay 7, 2022, more than a month after his passing. Having to wait so long to bury my Brother was hard on my Mom, but we tried to be understanding of Montecito’s challenges and did not complain. On the day of the funeral, we received a call that my Brother would not fit in the plot we purchased years earlier without digging up my Step Dad who had passed several years before ******. We had about an hour to decide on the option to dig up and move my Step Dad’s grave or choose a new location for ****** which would not be near the family plot originally chosen. Not wanting to move our Step Dad, we chose a new location. This was stressful on the entire family but we tried to be understanding and did not complain. We had the service in January and all was complete with the exception of the headstone. A few months ago, my Mom asked me to call Montecito to find out when the headstone would be ready. Not having the headstone in place is upsetting her. He is her youngest son, he was disabled and she wants to make sure everything is complete for him before she dies. It’s been 9 months since my Brother passed. I think we have been more than accommodating and reasonable. When will Montecito to provide the headstone?

  Business response

  09/10/2022

  Good morning, 

  
  

  We were able to determine that the marker for Ms. *********'s brother ****** ********* would be delivered on September 9th, 2022.  We will be working with our grounds team to have it installed in the following week and will provide Ms. ********* photos after it is installed. 

  
  

  Ms. ********* has also reach out to us through our company website and was connected with one of our Manager's, ******* ******. 

  
  

  We are glad to have been able to provide Ms. ********* and her family a positive update and sincerely apologize for the lapse in communication from our cemetery concerning the status of her brother's headstone.

  
  

  Thank you

  
  

  ******* ********

  General Manager

  Montecito Memorial Park. 

  Business response

  09/19/2022

  Please note that the marker had been delivered and set as of September 17,2022.  Family has been advised of this.  

  Customer response

  09/19/2022

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 1*******.  After 9 months, my Brother’s marker is set.  I appreciate BBB assistance and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

• Initial Complaint

  09/05/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  The employees at the cemetery keep throwing away our loved one decorations from their gravesites some of these are expensive and custom made pieces. They also run over the gravesites with the tractors scratching the plaques and cracking them also sinking them more into the ground. Many are upset and have complained to management but they do not do anything about it

  Business response

  09/10/2022

  
  

  We have made every effort to communicate early and often with those we serve about the decoration policies which included emails, phones, posting the schedule on our website and placing copies of the policy within several convenient outdoor flyer boxes.  I have included a copy of our Flower Policy and extended Cemetery Rules and Regulations for review.  

  
  

  Thank you

  Business response

  09/20/2022

  In researching our service request records or outstanding repairs we cant not locate any requests associated with Ms. ******* name.  She is also not listed as a contact for any interment record at Montecito Memorial Park.

  We have attempted to reach out to Ms. ******* to obtain the name of her loved one so that we may investigate weather or not their marker has been damaged however her voicemail is full. 

  
  

  We have also reached to her via email inquiring for more information regarding her loved one so that we can investigate further.  

  
  

  Thank you

  
  

  ******* ******** 

  Customer response

  09/20/2022

   I am rejecting this response because:
  The problem isn’t just that the plaques can get damage or sunken into the ground. It is extremely disrespectful and hurtful to us family members to see the employees going over our plaques with their huge tractors. There’s absolutely no need for that . Also, I went into the office to speak directly to the manager and she completely disregarded me and almost laughed at me before resulting to this. She didn’t do anything to resolve this issue and I don’t believe she will. 

  Me
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  07/08/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On April 27, 2021 my brother was murdered. We chose Our Lady Queen of Peace Cemetery to lay him to rest. Everything seemed fine when making the decisions. Me, my parents and other brother even purchased plots of our own to be next to my brother when it is our time. We buried my brother sometime in June and approved his headstone on July 30,2021 just one month after the burial. it has been ONE YEAR and we have NOT received his headstone. Our family already has to relive his death in court trying to seek justice, now we have to constantly relive with the place that should be aiding in making it as peaceful as possible to lay a loved one to rest. All I keep being told is they have no gravel, and I am not the only one dealing with this. They were so quick to take my payment but over a year to receive the headstone. How is it they are "short on gravel" but I see people being buried just a month or 2 ago who HAVE their headstones?? They most likely outsourced aand got the headstone other place but how are those places not short?? It doesn't make any sense, and my brother, his kids and our FAMILY deserve to go to his resting place and see what we PAID for in full! I want to see proof that after giving confirmation of the headstone the order was put in, in a TIMELY MANNER!

  Business response

  07/15/2022

  This evening I spoke to Ms. ******, sister to ****** and Mrs. ***** ******, mother to ******.  I advised both parties that due to global supply chain delays,  our cemetery was behind in fulfilling headstone orders.  The family was advised that we sought another vendor to manufacture their marker . I asked them to allow me some time to find out where the vendor was with the delivery. The complaint did not include the decedent's name therefore I was unprepared with the answers when I contacted them. 

  
  

  At the time of the call mother ***** declined to allow me to research it further and asked that I refund her money for the headstone as she would seek another company to manufacture it. 

  
  

  After the call, I discovered that the marker had been delivered to Montecito on July 14, 2022 by Jems Memorial.  I attempted to contact both Ms. and Mrs. ****** back however both voicemail box are full. 

  
  

  I texted them both advising them that we had received the marker in the last couple of days and asked if they would like us to move forward with setting it. 

  
  

  No response back as of yet.  I will email Mrs. ***** ****** to advise her of her choices.  

  
  

  I will also email her this information.

  
  Thank you 

  
  

  ******* ********

  General Manager 

  Montecito Memorial Park 

• Initial Complaint

  05/29/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  My father and I, go to the cemetery regularly to take flowers to my mother, grandmother, uncle, and, grandfather. I get so upset that every time we go, it’s so unkept. My father is 89 years old, and, we have to take shears to try to trim around the headstones and valor. The grass hasn’t been cut, weeds are growing around the headstones, there’s a mountain of dirt on my mothers headstone, that ant’s have made a home there. So, for ant’s to have made a home, it’s been awhile since they’ve done anything. The problem is: people PAY for endowment care when they purchase a plot, so, if they’re not doing what we pay for, where’s the money going? It’s not right! And, this is not a one time isolated incident, this is all the time. I’m considering getting an attorney, because they are taking advantage of people charging for something , they do NOT do.

  Business response

  06/01/2022

  Please accept my sincerest apologies for the condition in which you have found your loved one's grave.  I will be contact with you to confirm the names of your loved ones at our cemetery so that we can ensure we are addressing the concerns to their graves. 

  
  

  Thank you

  
  

  ******* ********

  General Manager 

  Montecito Memorial Park

  
  

  Business response

  06/13/2022

  I have made contact with this person tonight and clarified where their loved ones is laid to rest.  I am working with Bright View and our Grounds Superintendent to come up with a long term solution to maintain this lawn.  According to our landscaping calendar the marker should be trimmed every 3-4 weeks.  Also the grass is cut in this area every week on Thursday.  I will help identify any sinking or irrigation challenges that are present in this lawn.   

  Customer response

  06/14/2022

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 172****1, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. I spoke with ******* ******** on 06/13/22, and, she assured me that she will address the issues that I brought to her attention. I did explain to her that we take flowers to our loved ones on a regular basis, and, if I see negligence is the maintenance of the grounds, I will contact her directly. So, we’ll see if she holds up to her word.

• Initial Complaint

  05/25/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On 3/17/2012, I purchased a Permanent Sponsorship", Order # 1******, for $79.99. This means "The Obituary and Guest Book for (My Father) will remain open permanently". Apparently they have deleted all links to any Guest Books. The Guest Book is where Friends and Family can store and view messages and photos in regards to the one who has passed. February 2022, I emailed Dignity Montecito Memorial Park and Mortuary and never received any response. 3/13/2022: I called Dignity Montecito Memorial Park and Mortuary and asked about the Guest Book, "******" said she would have the Mortuary call me, they never returned my called. ********: I called Dignity Montecito Memorial Park and Mortuary and asked to speak to a Supervisor, "R****" said she would try to get a Supervisor to call me back, no one ever called back. The Absolute Disrespect to never even answer a concern, return a call or email, and apparently delete all information (photos & messages) about a loved one who has passed. They could have informed people of their choice delete and given them a digital or paper copy of what was in the "Guest Book", and then refunded the full purchase price. There will be no "Resolution" when they refuse to treat people with respect and take responsibility for their actions.

  Business response

  05/26/2022

  Hello--

  I searched in our system and found the online memorial still live and viewable to the public. Here is the link: htt*********************************************************************

  
  

  I do see that Friends & Family are still able to Memories on the online memorial. All past memories added from 2011 are still viewable online at the bottom of the Online Memorial site. We have been updating our websites since 2011 so they do look different but the features of the previous website are still active in our current version of our website.

• Initial Complaint

  05/22/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I am constantly having a problem with montecito not taking care of my spaces. I paid for a service and they never fix problems. The irrigation system never works and the grass on my two spaces are always dead. I have asked them multiple times to replace the grass and fix irrigation system. They never do. They don't even cut the grass that does grow when they are supposed to. We paid for these spaces and they don't hold up thier word on maintaining them.

  Business response

  05/27/2022

  Dear  ********* *******,

     

  Thank you for taking the time to tell us about your experience at Montecito Memorial Park and Mortuary. We appreciate your feedback since it helps us to continually improve our services.

     

  I am sorry to hear that you  are experiencing challenges with irrigation and dryness in your loved ones final resting area.  I will personally research the locations and work with our irrigation team to address the issue. 

     

  Our goal is to support you as much as we can during this difficult time. Please feel free to reach out to me directly by responding to this message or by calling me at 90******24 so that we can work together to resolve this issue.

  
  

  
  

  Sincerely,

  ******* ********

  General Manager

*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. ↩