Funeral charges easier to navigate under new Qld rules

It’s the last thing you want to be concerned about while burying a loved one, and new rules will ensure it’s less of a worry.

Funeral providers face being slapped with big fines if they don’t follow new regulations aimed at making funeral pricing easier to navigate for grieving Queenslanders.

The new rules, set to come into effect from July 1, will make it mandatory for funeral providers to display an itemised price list of the services they provide.

It can now be revealed that companies busted breaching the rules will face maximum fines of $13,785.

The Office of Fair Trading will carry out a statewide education campaign to ensure the industry is aware of their obligations before the rules come into effect.

Under the new rules, funeral providers will have 48 hours – or longer if an agreement is reached – to provide consumers with a cost-itemised quote before entering into a final agreement.

Funeral directors will also have to display the upfront funeral pricing at their place of business, as well as on their website – and display the price of their least expensive package.

Corporations caught breaking the rules could be given penalty infringement notices worth $1378, or face a maximum penalty of $13,785 if the matter is taken to court.

Individuals can also be given penalty infringement notices of $275, or a maximum penalty of $2757 in court.

Attorney-General Shannon Fentiman said that from July, the Office of Fair Trading would be carrying out checks to ensure the industry was complying with the new regulations.

“We want Queenslanders to be able to get the funeral that’s right for them and for their loved one,” she said.

“The last thing anyone needs is to be confused by the cost of the funeral or left with a large, unexpected bill in their time of grief.

“These changes mean Queenslanders can spend less time worrying about what fees and charges are involved and what they cover, and more time planning the funeral their loved one deserves.”

The new rules will also ban funeral providers from entering into agreements with someone about burial or cremation services, unless the provider has provided the cost of such services.