0333 242 1405

Service Terms and Conditions

Best Direct Cremation Terms & Conditions

These terms and conditions apply to the Best Direct Cremation service, provided by Best Funerals Limited, a company registered in England and Wales.  No. 14134151.  These terms form a legally binding agreement and are governed by the laws of England and Wales.  Please read them carefully before proceeding.  

1. Definitions

●        BEST (“we”, “us”, “our”), means Best Funerals Limited.

●        Best Direct Cremation means the unattended funeral service for which these terms and conditions apply to.

●        Best Funeral Director means the independent funeral director instructed by BEST to deliver the Best Direct Cremation service.

●        Deceased means the person who has died and for whom the Best Direct Cremation service is being arranged.

●        Priority Care Collection means the collection of the Deceased from any location other than a hospital mortuary or coroner’s mortuary, including (without limitation) private residences, care homes, nursing homes, hospices or other facilities without a mortuary.

●        You / Your means the person arranging and paying for the Best Direct Cremation service.

2. Our service

BEST provides a direct cremation service, which involves arranging for the collection, care, and cremation of the Deceased, without a funeral service or mourners present. 

The service is designed to be simple and unattended, and does not allow for additional services such as viewing the Deceased, embalming, following religious rituals, or attending the crematorium for a service.  Working in collaboration with a Best Funeral Director, the service will be delivered by an established funeral director local to the home address of the Deceased, with all the necessary facilities, vehicles and staff to provide a dignified and caring service.

The service is available across the UK, only where BEST has arrangements in place with a local Best Funeral Director to deliver the service.  We will confirm whether we can provide the service based upon the postcode of the home address for the Deceased before we take payment.

3. Acceptance of these terms and conditions

You, the person who is arranging the Best Direct Cremation, must be at least 16 years of age, and have the appropriate legal authority to make these arrangements and accept these terms and conditions.

Your acceptance of these terms and conditions is confirmed when you provide the necessary information for the service to proceed and make payment for the Best Direct Cremation.

4. What is included in a Best Direct Cremation

A Best Direct Cremation typically includes:

●        support and guidance over the telephone to arrange the service;

●        collection of the Deceased from a UK hospital or coroner’s mortuary;

●        care of the Deceased and preparing them for Cremation;

●        provision of a simple coffin suitable for cremation;

●        completion of necessary documentation;

●        transportation of the Deceased to a local crematorium;

●        the cremation;

●        return of ashes to You, or scattering if requested.

●        Priority Care Collection if required for an additional fee

Completion of the Best Direct Cremation service, including cremation, is dependent on the receipt of all required documentation, including medical certificates and any registrar or coroner approvals. BEST is not responsible for delays caused by third parties, and timescales for cremation cannot be guaranteed.

Cremation will take place at a crematorium, date and time selected by BEST or the Best Funeral Director, subject to availability and crematorium rules. 

While every effort is made to recover ashes following cremation, the recovery of ashes cannot be guaranteed in all cases due to the nature of the cremation process.  Where ashes are to be returned, if delivery cannot be completed or they are not collected after reasonable attempts, the Best Funeral Director may arrange for the ashes to be scattered or otherwise laid to rest in a respectful manner.

5. What is not included in a Best Direct Cremation

A Best Direct Cremation does not include or allow to be added:

●        fees for registering the death

●        repatriation from outside mainland UK

●        any funeral service, ceremony or attendance;

●        embalming;

●        viewing of the Deceased;

●        performing specific religious rituals or rites;

●        choosing the date, time or location of the cremation;

●        memorials, urns, keepsakes, or scattering tubes;

●        any services not expressly listed as included.

Where additional services are required or requested, including any of those listed above, the Best Funeral Director may, at their discretion, agree to provide such services to You directly. Any such services will be provided under a separate agreement between You and the Best Funeral Director, for additional fees, and will not form part of the Best Direct Cremation service or this Agreement.

6. Valuables, personal effects, and clothing

You are responsible for ensuring that all jewellery, valuables, and personal effects are removed before the Deceased is brought into our care. BEST and the Best Funeral Director do not accept responsibility for the loss of, or damage to, any items left with the Deceased.

Unless You specifically state to leave items with the Deceased, any items remaining with the Deceased may be removed, retained, or cremated in accordance with legal and crematorium requirements. No liability is accepted for any jewellery, valuables, or personal effects that are lost, damaged, or cremated.

During preparation for cremation, the Deceased will normally be dressed in a suitable gown. If You wish the Deceased to be dressed in personal clothing, You may provide suitable clothing to the Best Funeral Director. Clothing must comply with crematorium requirements, and BEST cannot guarantee that personal clothing can be used in all cases.

7. Medical devices, implants, and hazardous conditions

You are responsible for informing BEST and the Best Funeral Director of any medical devices, implants, or hazardous conditions affecting the Deceased, including (without limitation) pacemakers, defibrillators, implants, or recent radioactive treatments.

Failure to disclose such information may result in delays, additional costs, or the inability to proceed with a Best Direct Cremation. BEST and the Best Funeral Director accept no liability for issues arising from undisclosed medical devices, implants, or hazardous conditions.

8. Payment and commencement of services

Payment for a Best Direct Cremation is required in full, in advance.  Payment can be made by debit or credit card over the telephone at the time of instructing us to arrange the Best Direct Cremation Service.

By making a payment, You are requesting that arrangements begin immediately. From that point professional services may be carried out. This includes (but not limited to) administrative work, instruction of the Best Funeral Director, booking of cremation services, and arranging for the Deceased to be collected and brought into care. 

For the avoidance of doubt, services are deemed to have commenced once any of the activities described above have begun.

Where Priority Care Collection is required, an additional fee may apply. You will be notified at the time of arranging the Best Direct Cremation, based upon the location of the Deceased, if Priority Care Collection is necessary and the appropriate fee that will need to be paid. 

9. Your right to cancel

You have the right to cancel this Agreement within 14 days of making payment.

If you cancel before services have commenced, you will be entitled to a full refund of the amount paid. 
If you cancel after services have commenced, you will be entitled to a refund of the amount paid less the cost of any services that have already been carried out and any costs incurred.
If you cancel within the 14-day cancellation period but the Best Direct Cremation service has already been completed, no refund will be due.

BEST will make any reimbursement due without undue delay and in any event not later than 14 days after the day on which we are informed of the cancellation.

If you wish to cancel this Agreement, please contact us on 0333 242 1405 or email care@bestfunerals.co.uk

10. When can we cancel or decline to provide our services

We may cancel this Agreement at any time by giving you written notice if your payment fails or is returned unpaid, or if you breach this Agreement in any other material way and do not correct the situation within 5 working days of being asked to do so.

A Best Direct Cremation is only suitable where the Deceased can be accommodated within a standard-sized coffin and handled safely using standard equipment. If the Deceased is too large or otherwise unsuitable for a Best Direct Cremation, we will not be able to provide the service.

In these circumstances, we will work with you and the Best Funeral Director to identify an alternative solution, which may involve arranging a different type of funeral under a separate agreement.

11. Concerns or complaints

If you have any concerns or questions during the delivery of the service, you should in the first instance raise these directly with the Best Funeral Director, as they will be best placed to put anything right.

If you feel unable to do so, or if a concern remains unresolved, you may contact BEST at care@bestfunerals.co.uk. BEST will review the matter and, where appropriate, work with the Best Funeral Director to address your concern.

We aim to acknowledge and respond to complaints promptly and will use reasonable efforts to resolve any complaint or serious concern as quickly as possible.

12. Data protection

BEST acts as a data controller in respect of the personal data it collects when arranging the Best Direct Cremation service.

The Best Funeral Director will process personal data as necessary to deliver the service and to comply with their own legal and regulatory obligations.

Further details about how personal data is used are set out in our Privacy Notice.

13. Limitation of liability

BEST will not be liable for any delay or failure to perform its obligations under this Agreement where such delay or failure is caused by events outside our reasonable control, including (without limitation) extreme weather, strikes, public emergencies, or the failure of third-party suppliers or service providers.

Nothing in these Terms limits or excludes liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud, or any liability that cannot legally be excluded.

Subject to the above, BEST’s total liability arising under or in connection with this Agreement shall not exceed the amount paid by You for the Best Direct Cremation service.

14. Governing law

These Terms are between You and Best Funerals Limited. No other person shall have any rights to enforce any of their terms.

These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales.