Complaints – SAIF Consumer Protection Scheme

We only have one chance to get a funeral right. But on the occasion when things do go wrong, it’s important that funeral director clients have a trustworthy course of redress. 

Any complaint made against a SAIF member is taken extremely seriously, both by the member and by the Society.

Thankfully, bereaved people who use the services of SAIF members benefit from added consumer protection under the Society’s comprehensive alternative dispute resolution scheme. 

The SAIF Consumer Protection Scheme provides a robust set of procedures to bring complaints against funeral directors to a satisfactory outcome for both parties. 

The Scheme has been designed to complement SAIF members’ own complaints processes, as outlined in the SAIF Code of Practice, and the SAIF Professional Standards Committee’s complaints review system. 

All SAIF funeral directors are automatically included in this scheme and can display a window sticker on their premises to reassure clients that they care about standards. 

SAIF’s Complaints Procedure

There are two steps within the complaints process:

1. Member

This is where the member’s own complaints process is instigated and works with the client to resolve the complaint.

Complainants should not submit a complaint to SAIF until they have provided the member with an opportunity to get this right.

2. SAIF’s Professional Standards Committee

SAIF’s Professional Standards Committee (our Alternative Dispute Resolution officials) are not renumerated, nor receive bonuses based on the outcome of the complaint. They can be a member of the National & Scottish Executive Committee, or a funeral director referred to the Standards Committee by the Executive Committee.

If the client is unhappy with the funeral director’s response, they can proceed to SAIF’s Professional Standards Committee, where the complaint will be investigated.

  • The complaints form can be downloaded here.
  • The form along with accompanying paperwork, should be either emailed to standards@saif.org.uk or posted for the attention of the Professional Standards Committee, SAIF Business Centre, 3 Bullfields, Sawbridgeworth, CM21 9DB.

SAIF’s full complaints procedure can be found here.

  • There is no charge to refer the complaint to SAIF.
  • SAIF can only accept complaints that are in English, and any response will be provided in English.
  • This complaints procedure is related to SAIF members based in England, Wales, Scotland & Northern Ireland.
  • All such referrals should be made within 12 months following receipt of the response from the funeral director.

If you have any queries regarding the process, please either email standards@saif.org.uk or telephone 0345 230 6777.

Schedule 5 Information for ADR Bodies

The Alternative Dispute Resolution for Consumer Disputes (Competent Authorities and Information) Regulations 2015, require SAIF provide the competent authority (Chartered Trading Standards Institute) with our Schedule 5 (annual) Report and to display this on our website within a month of the anniversary of approval as an ADR body.

  • The report can be found here after the 16th June 2024.
  • SAIF’s Certificate of Approval is here.

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