Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. 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.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/14/2023

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I purchased services from Covington Memorial Gardens for my mom's burial.I was told that I needed to purchase the burial plot, vault and headstone for the cemetery services.I asked ***** ( the funeral home director) if I needed to inform him of what we wanted designed on the headstone and he stated we could discuss that anytime after the funeral services take place.I went in to discuss the designing of the headstone per my family's request and ***** told me there would be an additional $1500. I had previously paid a total of $2699 plus an additional $699 (installation fee).I then informed ***** that we would like to go with a different company because I was not informed that there would be additional fee's at the time that I purchased the headstone. I asked for refund of the headstone cost due to the fact that services for the headstone has not been provided nor processed. ***** refused to refund me the cost that I have paid for the headstone.I have talked with ***** ("the district manager") and ************************* (in the billing department). They both have made promises to speak with Corporate to request a refund for the headstone, but have failed to follow through and communicate with me.No one at Covington Memorial are willing to allow me to speak with the Owner of the business.I am requesting full refund of the $2699 for the headstone. I understand that the $699 fee is required for the installation of the headstone. I have been trying to resolve this issue since May 2022.

  Business Response

  Date: 04/15/2023

  We have spoken with *********************************, on numerous occasions. Because the contract was over 30 days, the state laws do not allow us to refund monies, as stated on the contractual agreement that ********************** signed and agreed to. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/17/2023

   I am rejecting this response because:
  
  There is no law restricting a business for refunding a customer their money back for services they did not receive.

  The business has failed to follow through with communication with me concerning the matter from the first time I was told to speak with ******************* in July 2022.

  I called ****** in the billing department 3 weeks ago and she stated that ***** would contact me in the next 3 business days. I have not heard from *****, and every time I call out to Covington Memorial ***** does not take my phone calls.

   I am requesting refund of the amount paid for the headstone in order to take my business elsewhere. This business clearly is not in business for complete customer satisfaction!

  Thank you

  Business Response

  Date: 04/18/2023

  We will have somebody reach out via phone to further communicate why a refund cannot be issued. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/18/2023

   I am rejecting this response because:
  
  This company has verbally stated on several occasions that they would stay in contact and communicate with me concerning my request for refund and no one follows through. I am currently awaiting a call, from ***** the district manager, for the past 2-3 weeks.

   I would like to pursue my complaint against Covington Memorial as well as a public review.

  Thank you

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/01/2022

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  My mother passed away in August 1995 and was buried at Covington Memorial Cemetery. 2 1/2 years ago my sister-in-law took it upon herself to change my mothers marker plate. At that time, my sister called the cemetery and informed them that the old plate was her property and as soon as the new plate would be placed. The old one is to be returned to her, the new plate was laid in July 2022. There is no call and no letter received informing of the new plate was placed every six months. My sister has called giving them the correct contact information to let her know when she can pick up the old plate, no call or letter was ever received . We have learned the back in July they place the new marker the family has asked to have the old marker returned to us. Covington Memorial has not been willing to help us locate the marker. They have listed in their file that it was supposed to be given to my sister , we have gotten nothing but run around. No phone calls returned no explanation as to where the marker is or whether it even still exists. They have made no attempts to rectify the situation. This is something that my sister purchased and legally belongs to her the general manager, ***** ******* he’s never in the office nor is he available to even speak to. We have sent emails to him that he has not responded to ***** ********** who is the manager of the Ft. Wayne location keeps giving excuses that they have not had time to look for it or they don’t know where it is and the same is true with ***** ******* who is the service counselor we have made it clear to them that what we are seeking is that they either find the old marker and give it to my sister or they make another mark her exactly identical to the one we originally purchased but we are getting nowhere. After looking at reviews online. I see that this is the general way that they handle problems. There’s no trace ability there’s no logistics in place and there’s no professionalism. We need this resolved

  Business Response

  Date: 12/01/2022

  Here is a copy of the email response that I have sent to **** & ***********************

  ***********************;<******************> Nov 30, 2022, 1:25 PM (20 hours ago)
  
  
  to ****, ****, ***********************
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Sorry for the delayed response but I had to do some research before I responded.
  
  Here is what I found after looking through the file and speaking with park services.
  ******* purchased a memorial back in **** with a signed contract and the memorial was installed when it was received. ****** then purchased a memorial back in December 2020. **** had mentioned in her email that " I paid for this marker and it is NOT property of Covington Memorial". I do not see any contract paperwork for a marker paid and signed by *********************** and I even looked to see if there is a separate file for *********************** and there is not. So I do not know what she is referencing. If you have any copies of this purchase please send us a copy.
  So we have looked all over the maintenance shop and even in our scrap pile and we are not locating the marker, we will continue to search for it. If it is found it is property of the purchaser, *******. If the purchaser is deceased then it would go to the *** Next Of Kin that is listed and has signed the legal *** Interment Order Authorization form. If there are more than one *** on the *** and one of them wants the marker then any other *** would have to sign off that they do not want it.
  
  
  Once the marker is installed, July 2022, our protocol is to call the purchaser to inform them that the marker is indeed installed and that they can come out and look at it since they are the owner. We do not look into every file once something is installed we contact the owner.
  **** also states that ****** lied to Covington about all of the children giving consent to upgrade *******'s marker. My assumption is that when ****** came out to look at the marker that she purchased, she probably asked for the marker that was replaced and it may have been given to her. I am only assuming that is what happened because of the fact that the marker has not been found in our possession, when it is placed in certain areas of the maintenance shop. 
  So if ****** is stating that she doesn't have it, is she truly being honest?
  The lack of follow through has been addressed and rectified.
  
  
  I am sorry that there is turmoil over this incident.

   

  Here is the second response that I sent.

  ***********************;<******************> Nov 30, 2022, 2:30 PM (19 hours ago)
  
  
  to ****, ****, ***********************
  
  
  ****,
  
  
  The owner of the marker or any other items on a contract is owned by the contract signer, not the person that paid off the contract. 
  I stated that I assume that the memorial was given to her because we do not look through every file when setting the marker and that the marker is not in our possession in our storage area. We do not have any evidence that it was picked up or given to someone. That is why I said that I assume that is what happened because it is not in the storage place that it should be.

   

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/23/2022

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  My father passed away 2 years ago in November. My mother passed away before him and chose Covington Memorial Cemetery to be close to their grandkids. My father paid for all of his burial arrangements while finalizing my mothers burial plans. The headstone has been in place since before my father died. They have not inscribed his date of death on his headstone despite numerous requests. My brother has the signed paperwork that says they are to inscribe the date of death, but it is still not done. When I call to inquire, they say they have to look into it and promise to call me back. The return call never comes. What Im asking for is for them to finish the job that was promised to my father when he made his plans. We were unaware of their poor reputation in the funeral community. Im hoping by reporting their inaction, it may save other families from added stress during an emotionally taxing time.

  Business Response

  Date: 08/23/2022

  All of the screen shots that were provided by *************************** was with a Funeral Director ****************** who is employed with the Funeral Home NOT the Cemetery. Myself, the Location Manager and the Location Admin Manager have all looked at the file together and there are 3 contracts that are in there. Not one of them has a final year engraving on it showing that it is paid in full. In the screen shot of the text it states that someone else told them that a final date engraving of $499 is due. This is not new information to the family. We had a discussion about going ahead and ordering the final date engraving with no cost to the family but we have not yet been able to get it approved.  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/24/2022

   I am rejecting this response because:
  
  We sat at the table with our father when he signed the paperwork and handed the man named ***** his credit card. After my father’s death is when they insisted they needed more money to do the inscription. This is a way to swindle money out of grieving families. As for his response that it has not been approved by the family, that is a flat out lie. My brother has previously signed paperwork with the cemetery last year approving the font and date to be inscribed. They have not done it yet. I truly feel that if they are not held accountable, they will continue to ignore us. 

  Business Response

  Date: 08/24/2022

  When I gave my response and stated that the engraving has not been approved is meaning that we have not received approval from corporate to do the engraving for free. The paperwork that you are stating was signed by your father and given a credit card does not have any wording as to a final engraving, check your copies. We do not swindle people because we are highly regulated by the Federal and State governments guidelines that we have to follow along with our Corporate guidance. There is no paperwork that was signed with approval for the final engraving approving the font and date for him, in the file, because we wouldn't know what his date would be. If you have copies of the paperwork I encourage the family to share with us.