Topic: Shameful!
BonnyMiss's photo
Tue 08/04/09 06:26 AM
Terrie Rouse was ordered to pay the penalty after she sat by her son Zane's coffin for an extra 10 minutes before watching it disappear through the curtains for cremation.

But she was left shocked when officials at the crematorium in Crownhill, Milton Keynes, told her she would have to pay for the extra time - at a rate of £8.60 a minute.

Ms Rouse, 32, told the Milton Keynes Citizen: "The vicar asked if I would like to spend a bit more time saying goodbye. I sat by the coffin for 10 minutes, telling my son how much we loved him and begging him not to be scared."

But her grief turned to anger when officials asked her to pay the £86.

Lee Smythe, Zane's father, who was cradling the little boy when he died at their home in Great Linford, condemned the penalty as "sick and disgusting".

He told the paper: "Terrie was weeping hysterically. She just wanted a few extra minutes to say goodbye to our much-loved little boy. How could anyone be cruel enough to charge for this?"


Officials from Milton Keynes Council, which runs the crematorium, routinely impose an extra charge if any funeral over runs its allocated half-hour slot. This is paid on top of the standard cremation fee.

The council has now refunded the charge, because of "extenuating circumstances".

A spokesman said: "We understand that sometimes more time may be preferred and so families are offered the chance to book extra time if they need it. This means when funerals that have not taken up this option over-run, a fee is automatically charged. However, when we learnt that there were extenuating circumstances we, of course, refunded the extra charge."

I'm pleased to see common-sense prevailed in the end.

FaithfulOne78's photo
Tue 08/04/09 06:54 AM
noway noway :angry: grumble

Autumn_queen's photo
Tue 08/04/09 07:02 AM
Glad they refunded them at least, and hopefully this will be a lesson in customer sensitivity.

PacificStar48's photo
Tue 08/04/09 07:14 AM
There are so many vultures in the world. You think you have agreed to a fee and they find whatever added expense they can tack on. Especially when people are vunerable.

mscherbear's photo
Tue 08/04/09 07:31 AM
A fine example of the power of the almighty dollar. Truly amazing that a dollar amount could be placed on human emotion. My heart goes out to that family. :cry:

no photo
Tue 08/04/09 07:34 AM
Everything is about money from birth to death.

adj4u's photo
Tue 08/04/09 07:51 AM
:


"The vicar asked if I would like to spend a bit more time saying goodbye.




when they asked without mentioning the extra cost

it opened them to a lawsuit for misrepresentation

they were lucky the mourners were vulnerable

unless that is what the extenuating circumstances were

but hey............

Christinacospgs's photo
Tue 08/04/09 08:14 AM

Everything is about money from birth to death.



Yeah, so true...grumble

Jess642's photo
Tue 08/04/09 02:57 PM
When did a mother's grief become 'extenuating circumstances'?

When did anyone's grief become 'extenuating'?


When did grief become a time slot?




The human world is completely insane!mad

no photo
Tue 08/04/09 03:03 PM

When did a mother's grief become 'extenuating circumstances'?

When did anyone's grief become 'extenuating'?


When did grief become a time slot?




The human world is completely insane!mad
When YOU can't even FART w/o paying for the methane you PUT in our air...THATS A REAL BILL SOMEONE TRIED PASSING!!!

This whole PLANET is caring MORE about THEIR SELVES,,and ONLY ABOUT MONEY..WHEN do we ALL TRY to change whats happening through STARTING WITH US 'SHOWING' everyone..
PEOPLE,,protest that funeral home,,refuse to use it for your family..
SPEAK UP,,,STAND UP,,,,get a sign and hold it high NEAR their place..

Moondark's photo
Tue 08/04/09 03:05 PM
You ask someone in grief if they want a few extra minutes, without telling them there will be a fee, then it's a scam. Because anyone in grief is going to say yes.

MirrorMirror's photo
Tue 08/04/09 03:05 PM

Terrie Rouse was ordered to pay the penalty after she sat by her son Zane's coffin for an extra 10 minutes before watching it disappear through the curtains for cremation.

But she was left shocked when officials at the crematorium in Crownhill, Milton Keynes, told her she would have to pay for the extra time - at a rate of £8.60 a minute.

Ms Rouse, 32, told the Milton Keynes Citizen: "The vicar asked if I would like to spend a bit more time saying goodbye. I sat by the coffin for 10 minutes, telling my son how much we loved him and begging him not to be scared."

But her grief turned to anger when officials asked her to pay the £86.

Lee Smythe, Zane's father, who was cradling the little boy when he died at their home in Great Linford, condemned the penalty as "sick and disgusting".

He told the paper: "Terrie was weeping hysterically. She just wanted a few extra minutes to say goodbye to our much-loved little boy. How could anyone be cruel enough to charge for this?"


Officials from Milton Keynes Council, which runs the crematorium, routinely impose an extra charge if any funeral over runs its allocated half-hour slot. This is paid on top of the standard cremation fee.

The council has now refunded the charge, because of "extenuating circumstances".

A spokesman said: "We understand that sometimes more time may be preferred and so families are offered the chance to book extra time if they need it. This means when funerals that have not taken up this option over-run, a fee is automatically charged. However, when we learnt that there were extenuating circumstances we, of course, refunded the extra charge."

I'm pleased to see common-sense prevailed in the end.

shocked

no photo
Tue 08/04/09 03:07 PM
And BY THE WAY,,,miss Bonnie,,,my real name is VERY CLOSE to this lady's name here,,,lol terryroe,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,lol close/

BonnyMiss's photo
Tue 08/04/09 03:17 PM

And BY THE WAY,,,miss Bonnie,,,my real name is VERY CLOSE to this lady's name here,,,lol terryroe,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,lol close/


So it is T......... happy

This story has a happy ending, tonight on the news the council offered an apology and said they will be reviewing ( and ) changing the way the crematorium is run. VICTORY !!

misstina2's photo
Tue 08/04/09 03:43 PM
flowerforyou amazingflowerforyou

no photo
Tue 08/04/09 03:47 PM
no way noway

BonnyMiss's photo
Tue 08/04/09 03:57 PM

no way noway


Only in the UK.............

no photo
Tue 08/04/09 04:48 PM
yup mad