An MP has claimed that around 200 people may have purchased funeral plans that did not exist from Legacy Independent Funeral Directors, a Hull funeral home that is currently under police investigation. Emma Hardy, the MP for Hull West and Hessle, has called on banks to refund customers who took out these policies. Hardy has requested a meeting with the government to discuss this issue. Legacy Independent Funeral Directors is currently being investigated by police after reports of “concern for care of the deceased”.
Under the chargeback scheme, consumers who pay by card can request a refund within 120 days of payment for unsuccessful services, defective goods, or fraud by a seller. Hardy revealed that she is aware of only one person, an elderly woman, who has been refunded through this scheme. Rachel Marshall also claimed that her mother, Rita Goldspink, spent £2,700 on a funeral plan from Legacy in April 2018, and attempts to obtain a refund have been unsuccessful.
Marshall believes that her mother will not be able to pay for another funeral plan as a result. Hardy has requested that banks be “flexible” in providing refunds regardless of when the policies were purchased. Hardy also proposed that the 120-day limit take effect from the moment when customers discover their policies are non-existent. Following the case’s coverage in the House of Commons on April 17th, the government will hold a meeting to investigate the matter further.
Humberside Police are currently investigating Legacy Independent Funeral Directors. The company’s Hessle Road premises have been investigated, and 35 bodies and human ashes have been relocated to a mortuary. A 46-year-old man and a 23-year-old woman were detained in connection with the case and, according to the police force, have been released on bail. The ambiguity concerning the non-existent funeral plans put customers at a disadvantage, with Hardy demanding greater support for affected families
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