Headstone Problem...

[jubieanna]

My dads headstone has sunk down into the grass so that only half of it is showing :-(
What do I do to put it right? Do I contact the local council or am I responsible to fix the problem myself?
If I'm responsible how do I do it?

[woofgang]

you’d need to ask the council (or whoever manages the grave yard) that question. They may need to give permission for the work to be done, or set other limitations. Can I ask who installed it?

[Bazile]

I would have thought you are responsible to put it right , or the stone mason who erected it , if it's still under gurantee

[jubieanna]

We paid for the headstone Woofgang but I can't remember who installed it. Would it have been the funeral directors?

[jno]

i'd start with the council but they'll probably say it's you

http://www.memorialpages.co.uk/articles/headstones.php

[jubieanna]

It was 22 years ago so not under guarantee Bazile. It's made from welsh slate not stone.

[MargoTester]

http://peopleof.oureverydaylife.com/reset-gravestones-9132.html
I'm sorry to hear about the problems you are having and hope this may help. For some reason there are bits are about electrify bills etc which I can't get rid of.

[jubieanna]

I've tried the council and am waiting for someone who's on leave to ring me back! Trying to get to speak to someone who actually wants to help is the problem. I'm not trying to get them to pay just want to know if I can just fix it or not. Every time I ring I'm passed around!

[Bazile]

As others have said you will most likely need permission from the council for AN Other, to make it good

[murraymints]

we resited my gran's headstone...pulled it over put down a few bags of ready made concrete then replaced on top !! just did it..didn't ask anyone !!

[Bazile]

In our local cemetery there is an office .
Isn't there an office in the cemetery where you can ask ?

[jubieanna]

Thank you for the link Margo I'll know how to reset it now if I have to do it myself.

No office at the cemetery.

[jubieanna]

I'm tempted to just go ahead and do it myself murraymints as I've tried to contact whoever is responsible for the cemetery on several occasions now and it's upsetting to see it like it is.

[jubieanna]

Thank you for your link jno according to that it is my responsibility so I think I'll get on and do it.

Thank you all for your help it's much appreciated

[mikey4444]

ubieanna....who "owns" the grave ?

I am the official owner of both my Dads and my Mums graves, and are registered as such with the Local Council.

Nobody can do any work on those graves, including the burial of anyone else on top of them ( room for another 2 apparently ) without my say so. So as I understand it, I would have to authorise any remedial work, and I THINK that I would need to inform the Council as well ( but not seek their permission, as such )

[jubieanna]

I have no idea who owns it mikey! I'll ask my step mum as it may be her.

[mikey4444]

If the death was recent (ish) then the undertakers may know. But contact the relevant dept. in your local Council, as they will keep a register.

The reason that I know all this is because my Mum remarried....a complete *** and he is still alive. I will stop him from being buried on top of my Mum, as he made her life a misery in the months leading up to her death, and did myself and my three brothers out of our inheritance as wel.l

( its a long story ! )

[jubieanna]

That's sad mikey I'm sorry to hear that. I'm waiting for a phone call back tomorrow from council as person I need to speak to is off today. Hopefully I'll know more then. I'm seeing my step mum tomorrow as well so hopefully I'll be a bit more informed by the weekend!
My dad died 22 years ago so not a recent death mikey

[hc4361]

How long are the burial rights, mikey? It varies from council to council and some councils restrict the owner's rights as to what can be placed on the grave or the work that can be done on it.
Of course, you don't own the grave, you own the burial rights to it.

[237SJ]

I would phone a local memorial stonemason and ask them - they will know for sure and would be able to tell you how to correct the problem (you could phone under the guise of asking them for a rough quote)

[jubieanna]

The lady from the council rang me back :)
She said it's my responsibility to put it right and thanked me for asking!
So I'm going to ring the funeral directors that we used to purchase the headstone and go from there.
Thank you all for your answers