StoneMor Partners, L.P

We will look into this and respond accordingly.  Thank you.

June 2, 2016Dear [redacted]:We are in receipt of your letter to us dated May 25, 2016, regarding the complaint filed by the abovereferenced individual. [redacted], in his complaint, requested the Emergency Burial Certificate issued to his father, [redacted], now deceased, be honored and the...

family receive a refund of the monetary value of the certificate in the amount of $750.00.After our review of the file, we offer the following. The Emergency Burial Certificate issued to [redacted] carried certain stipulations, more specifically, as quoted from the certificate, as follows:“The holder of this Certificate, his or her spouse or any legal child will be allowed credit in the amount stipulated above when applied to the purchase of preneed or atneed companion cemetery arrangements, defined as: Mausoleum entombment, lawn crypt interment or conventional ground burial. (If cemetery arrangements are made for only one individual, the amount of credit will be 50% of the amount stipulated above.)”Unfortunately, upon the death of [redacted], his burial arrangements had been made and paid for on February 10, 2014. The certificate required the purchase of mausoleum, lawn crypt or interment rights, which were not made when the family purchased the marker.The certificate in question was issued on June 2, 2011, with an expiration date of June 2, 2016. We will honor the Emergency Burial Certificate of credit should any of [redacted]'s family members decide to take advantage of the offer by preplanning his or her burial arrangements. The expiration date of the certificate will be extended by another five years, with the new expiration date being June 2, 2021.We appreciate the opportunity to respond to you in this matter. If we can be of any further assistance to you in this matter, please let us know.Sincerely,Toni F

[A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. 
Regards,
[redacted]

[A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. 
Regards,
[redacted]

November 9, 2016Dear [redacted]:This letter is in response to your letter to us dated November 4, 2016 regarding the above-referenced individual. [redacted], in his complaint, requests that the bench he ordered through the cemetery which is installed at the foot of his grave site be moved to the...

head of his grave site. He also is questioning why he hasn't received a response to his phone message left with the cemetery on October 18, 2016.We have thoroughly reviewed the [redacted]'s file and state the following.   1. In early 2016, [redacted] approved the bench design and the bench was ordered, and upon receipt by the cemetery, it was then installed. In mid-July 2016, [redacted] requested that the cemetery remove the bench installed at the foot of his grave site to the head of his grave site. It was explained to him that the cemetery does not allow benches to be used as headstones in the flat bronze sections throughout the cemetery. In further support of this fact, pertinent pages of the cemetery's Rules and Regulations were sent to [redacted], more specifically the section relating to markers and the section relation to exemptions, amendments and interpretation by the cemetery.  2. With respect to [redacted]'s statement that the cemetery has not responded to his phone call, be advised our Assistant Sales Manager, John M[redacted], has made two attempts to reach out to [redacted] via telephone, without success.In closing, we reiterate the fact that the bench installed on the foot of [redacted]'s grave site is not permitted to be relocated to the head of this grave site.We appreciate the opportunity to reply to you in this matter. Should you have any additional questions, please let us know.Sincerely,Toni F. Compliance Manager

January 17, 2017Dear [redacted]:We are responding to your letter to us dated January 11, 2017, concerning the above-referenced case matter and the refund requested by [redacted].After our review of the file, we note [redacted]'s request for a refund has been approved, and the check will be...

issued within the next two weeks. The amount of the refund will be $517.49 representing the amount paid in to date on Contract No. [redacted] between **. and [redacted] and [redacted] Memorial Park. As a result of the refund. Contract No. [redacted] is null and Void.We appreciate the opportunity to respond to you in this matter. If we can be of any further assistance to you in this matter, please let us know.Sincerely,Tori F. Compliance Manager

September 30, 2015Dear [redacted]:We are in receipt of your letter to us dated September 22, 2015, regarding the complaint filed by the above-referenced individual. [redacted], through her complaint, requested confirmation that her funeral home arrangements originally contracted...

with one of our funeral homes in Pennsylvania has been transferred to [redacted] Funeral Home [redacted] and will be available at time of need.We apologize for not confirming the transfer of funeral home arrangements earlier. When the transfer request was initiated, we transferred the cemetery rights and merchandise from one of our cemeteries in Pennsylvania to one of our cemeteries in Tennessee, specifically, [redacted] Cemetery [redacted]. Somewhere along the lines, the funeral arrangements were not confirmed. Be advised that we have notified **. and [redacted], in writing, that all funeral home arrangements previously contracted for at Our funeral home in Pennsylvania will be honored by [redacted] Funeral Home [redacted].We appreciate the opportunity to respond to you in this matter. If we can be of any further assistance to you in this matter, please let us know.
Sincerely,
Toni F.
Compliance Manager

[A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that even though this is not good business practices,  this resolution is accepted by me. 
Regards,
[redacted]

April 23, 2015
Dear [redacted].
We are in receipt of your letter to us dated April 15, 2015, regarding the complaint filed by the above-referenced individual. [redacted], in his complaint, requested his contract for the purchase of two caskets be cancelled and a refund issued to him...

due to his change in plans for him and his wife to be cremated upon death, instead of buried in a casket.After our review of the file, we offer the following. Despite the cemetery having a valid and binding contract with [redacted] for the purchase of two caskets, cemetery personnel attempted to work with [redacted] and offer him alternatives to his current arrangement with the cemetery. One alternative was to rewrite the contract, have him downgrade to go into the Columbarium and any funds left over could be used as a credit toward a bench or keepsakes, etc. [redacted] was not willing to accept any alternative, and requested the cemetery buy back the caskets he purchased, and provide him with a cash refund.
As stated above, the cemetery has a valid and binding contract with [redacted] and we decline his request for cancellation of his contract and issuance of a refund.
We appreciate the opportunity to respond to you in this matter. If we can be of any further assistance to you in this matter, please let us know.
Sincerely,
Toni F
Compliance Manager

StoneMor Partners also own Old Dominion Memorial Gardens in Roanoke VA. I have no complaint with the sales rep there, but Corporate is another story altogether. The condition of the cemetery grounds and the mausoleum are shameful. The roadway is rutted and desperately needs paving. The roof on the mausoleum leaks and the carpet inside is stained ~ goodness knows what damage to crypts/niches ~ and needs to be replaced. The pillars outside the mausoleum need to be refaced and painted. There are mud dauber nests in the ceiling. Families follow the hearse carrying their loved one to the rear of the mausoleum where scenery includes maintenance equipment and a minimally restricted view of vaults piled high.
I have read complaints on Facebook from family members whose loved ones are buried in other StoneMor-owned cemeteries throughout Virginia and they read like a broken record. Maintenance issues abound, yet I'm told budget concerns prevent improvements. Also noteworthy, many people complain about the total lack of response from StoneMor when they call with complaints.
Corporate appears to blame lack of sales representatives for the recent downturn in their stock. I would submit the downturn is more likely related to plain ol' customer service, something the folks at StoneMor would do well to make their mission, rather than fret about "automating marker orders".
How likely am I to recommend this business to a friend, family member, etc? Sadly, there's no option for 'No Way in Hell'

July 29, 2015Dear [redacted]:
We are in receipt of your letter to us dated July 16, 2015, regarding the complaint filed by the above-referenced individual. [redacted], in her complaint, questioned the inquiry by the cemetery to come to her home to update her file, and requested...

going forward that calls to her from the cemetery cease.We have thoroughly reviewed the situation and offer the following response. The cemetery's inquiry to [redacted] was to update her file and introduce our sales counselor to her, as well as inform her of the cemetery's agreement with the Archdiocese to manage [redacted] Cemetery.
We respect [redacted]'s wish to not be contacted in the future, and will mark our files accordingly.
We appreciate the opportunity to respond to you in this matter. If we can be of any further assistance to you in this matter, please let us know.
Sincerely,Toni F.
Compliance Manager

[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]
 Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:The response from StoneMor Partners  L.P. re [redacted] Memorial Cemetery neither reflects the true events that occurred during the burial process for my mother, [redacted], nor the stress and anguish my family suffered because of these actionsAs to the change of burial date by [redacted] Memorial Cemetery the following is what actually occurred.
 [redacted] Memorial Cemetery had agreed to the date for the interment of my mother.  They were aware of the procedures that needed to take place to inter my mother in the same grave as my father. If they felt that the funeral and interment could not take place on the day we selected they should have told us so. We would then have chosen a different date. Instead they waited until the afternoon before the burial was to take place to inform us that they would not be able to bury my mother the next day. We were stunned and angry.  The cemetery had contacted us earlier that day and made no mention of this change. My mother’s obituary had already been placed in the Washington Post at great expense. This last minute notification caused a great deal of stress as we had to notify family and friends. [redacted] Memorial’s actions reflected a level of incompetence and insensitivity .StoneMor further stated that we agreed to the mock burial that had been offered. We had no alternative but to agree. Family members had traveled from as far away as Florida and California to attend the funeral and burial services honoring my mother both of which had been scheduled for the same day.StoneMor stated that we were immediately informed that the burial plan had been changed again as we arrived at the cemetery. StoneMor evidently does not realize that [redacted] Memorial Cemetery’s last minute changes to our mother’s burial plans caused a great deal of confusion and frustration as we had already notified people attending the funeral that there would be a mock burial. To arrive at the cemetery and be told there would be no mock burial because the excavation of my mothers’ site had been completed although the previous afternoon they told us that it wouldn’t is indicative of how incompetent and disorganized the management of this cemetery is. To be treated without care or regard for a family in mourning was inexcusable.StoneMor’s stated that the “fragment of bone” found at the burial site could not have been from my father because his body was still well preserved. This is simply not true. It was no “fragment of bone” found lying on top of the excavated earth at the gravesite but a complete skull. I have been a physician for more than 35 years. I know the difference between a fragment of bone and a human skull. In addition, a staff member of [redacted] Memorial Cemetery told staff at  [redacted] Funeral Home that during my father’s disinterment the casket had fallen apart and the body of my father had been displaced.The sight of a skull, be it my father’s or not, lying in the excavated dirt next to my mother’s coffin was the final injury perpetrated by this cemetery.Finally StoneMor’s claim that the cemetery provided a new casket at no extra charge has not been proven. We never saw the casket they purported to use for my father therefore their claim remains unsubstantiated.[redacted] Memorial Cemetery managed by StoneMor L.P. acted with unprofessionalism toward and disrespect and disregard for our family during a time of mourning.  Their actions caused unnecessary stress, expense and confusion. The director of [redacted] Funeral Home sent a letter to me expressing their outrage of our treatment by the cemetery and their horror of us finding a human skull at the gravesite. All of the aforementioned events were witnessed by a member of their staff, and the funeral home has offered their  assistance if I want to file a complaint or take legal action. I reject StoneMor’s claim That [redacted] Memorial Cemetery did nothing to cause our family stress or any extra cost and expect StoneMor to send me a written apology and remuneration for expenses caused by this cemetery thatthey manage. [redacted] M.D.

November 3, 2015Dear [redacted]:
We are in receipt of your most recent letter to us dated October 29, 2015, wherein [redacted] was not satisfied with your response regarding the complaint initially filed by him with your organization.
Please note that on October 30, 2015, [redacted] approved the proof and asked to be provided with a timeframe for completion within the next week. We are pleased to report that the manufacturer has provided us with a delivery date on Friday, November 6, 2015.
We appreciate the opportunity to respond to you in this matter. If we can be of any further assistance to you in this matter, please let us know.Sincerely,
Toni F.
Compliance Manager

Dealing with this company has been an absolutely horrible experience. I have experienced the most unprofessional and unacceptable behavior. I have seen the lack of effort to produce an adequate representation of my sister's grave marker to being passed off from person to person including the area manager whom never called back as she indicated she would to work with me on producing an adequate version of my sister's marker. I have made complaints from my sister having an unmarked grave for days to eventually them placing a marker with her name misspelled. It took more time to have that corrected only to have the corrected template placed on top of the incorrect one. The correct one was not cut correctly to fit in the plate so I found it a couple times blown off exposing the incorrect one. This is showing the lack of effort they made. The incorrect one should have been removed altogether. I have been left waiting in front of a locked funeral home for the memorial park manager on a Saturday who was supposed to meet me to finally work on my sister's marker since the area manager never followed through. Well, needless to say I eventually left after waiting awhile and trying to have another park manager contact this person. At this point I voiced that I wanted to take my business elsewhere. This park manager convinced me to let her design my sister's marker and I reluctantly agreed. I eventually got the marker designed after experiencing even more situations in the process. At no point to this day has the area manager called me. Most recently I asked she call me since I was again being passed from person to person to get basic questions answered and it took days to even get any response such as when my sister's marker would come in and what the corporate address was. The manager who helped design my marker could not seem to answer those questions and once again tried to pass me to the park manager I told her I would not deal with after her not showing that Saturday. She told that manager to call me regarding concerns I had about the park and that was not the questions I wanted answered. This manager knew I would only deal with her at this point if they wanted to keep our business but now that she designed the marker she did not want to assist me anymore. I reminded her I did not want to speak with that manager and that was not what I wanted to have an answer to at that time. Now again I am being passed off to the area manager who to this day has not called me yet. Every time you turn around she is off. I have contacted the corporate office to file a formal complaint and needless to say that is another situation. Most recently as of today I contacted the corporate office again because I have not been contacted by the area manager or anyone else about my concerns. It was amazing how know one wanted to provide me with the corporate office information being told by managers and employees at the corporate office they did not know the address. In the end I was able to find out this information from the executive assistant who has been assigned to take complaints. I spoke with that assistant as of today letting her know I am still waiting for someone to contact me. She provided me with yet another name of a regional manager who has yet to contact me yet. This has been a very upsetting experience dealing with people in this type of business who show such unprofessional behavior and lack of compassion and concern for families that have lost a loved one. Their website says their mission is to "To Memorialize Every Life with Dignity.". They are another corporation who has grown so large they have lost track of their own mission. There is so much more to this and I will also be filing a complaint as well with Revdex.com. Last thing, families pay alot of money to ensure that their loved ones as well ad the families receive respect and do not have to worry about all of this aggravation. They need to remember families are already grieving as well.

December 5, 2014
Dear [redacted]:
We are in receipt of your letter to us dated November 20, 2014 regarding the complaint filed with your department by the above-referenced individual. [redacted], in her complaint, states that as Executrix of the Estate of [redacted], she would like to...

a full refund on [redacted]’s account with [redacted] Memorial Park.We have reviewed [redacted]’s file and due to [redacted] Memeorial being unable to provide the urn at the time of [redacted]’s death, we hereby agree to issue a refund for the entire amount of [redacted]’s contract with [redacted] Memorial Park to the Estate of [redacted] in the amount of $2,637.50.
We appreciate the opportunity to respond to you in this matter. If we can be of any further assistance to you in this matter, please let us know.
Sincerely,Toni F
Compliance Manager

[A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. 
Regards,
[redacted]