ComplaintsforReid's New Golden Gate Funeral Home

• Initial Complaint

  10/04/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On the morning of September 24th, 2024 I lost my daughter and the hospital wanted her body to be picked up by a funeral home that evening. The hospital call serval funeral homes and Golden Gates was the only one that said they could service her by that evening. I personally went to the funeral home at 1:00pm and signed all necessary paperwork so that this could be done on that evening. The next day, I then called Golden Gates and talked to ***** because she was the person that I was dealing with. I asked if they picked up my daughter, she then asked me to hold on to find out. After, coming back to the phone she said that they were on their way. This was Wednesday September 25th, around 1:15pm. I dont know what time they actually picked her up. Someone from the hospital told me it was early evening when they arrived. So now, I am very upset because she assured me that my daughter would be picked up Tuesday night (I also have a witness who was with me). I then got upset with ***** and decided that I wanted to move her body to another facility. They gave me the hardest time and then charged me $550 because I wanted her moved because they didnt honor their word. It was one of the ugliest things I had to endure after losing my daughter. Secondly, they told my daughters doctor and myself that changes for cremation was $2500 total. Nope! They lied! They told me that I had to come up with an additional $1000 plus dollars out of pocket. The state was going to issue the money to them because my daughter was special needs and didnt have any life insurance. That was another issue I had with them. So, after she was finally moved to Serenity Funeral Home the state paid for her cremation and there was no out of pocket expenses. Golden Gates staff are not the most honest people and they are ripping people off at their lowest moments.

  

  Business response

  10/11/2024

  To whom it may concern: 

  ***** ********* Contacted ****** New Golden Gate Funeral Home on 9/24/2024 at 1:05 PM giving us authorization to pick up her deceased daughter from *******************. We did contact the hospital to verify if she was ready for pick up. It was stated that she was not ready as of yet and to try back first thing in the morning. Once our offices opened at 9: 00 am it was verified by the hospital that the deceased was ready for pick up. Our removal team was sent to the hosptial to bring the deceased into our care. We have no control of the time frame that a hospital releases a person from there morgue. 

  We contacted Wisconsin Funeral and Cemetery Aids Program to check eligibilty of Ms. *********** daughter. She was found to be eligible. Our charges for a direction cremation is *******. The state pays ******* to the funeral home and the family pays ******* to the funeral home for the services. The state then pays ******* to the crematory for the actual cremation Portion. Our charges for a removal is ****** However it is discounted for WFCAP cases down to ******. Ms. ********* was charged ****** for the removal because she gave authorization for ****** New Golden Gate Funeral Home to pick her daughter up. Each funeral Home has there own GPL for their charges for Services. 

  We strive to give the best services to all families. Our busines was built on honesty, intergrity and compassion for the those in need of our services. 

  Customer response

  10/24/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  [Please type your response here.]
  Hello

  I am still working with ****************** getting the records regarding the time my daughter was picked up the 25th. Yes, I did sign a contract with Golden Gates, but they didnt not honor the contract and I am waiting for information to prove it. 
  
  Regards,
  
  ***** *********

  

  Business response

  10/29/2024

  Ms. *********** daughter was picked up when she was finally released from the hospital. We were called at 1:05 Pm on 9/24/24 that Ms. ********* would like to use our services her daughter by the hospital. We have to actually have to speak to the *** so we did verifiy with her that we were her funeral home of choice. There is a process at every hospital when someone passes away. The funeral home is not able to pick up a deceased until they are in the morgue and released. Ms. *********** daughter was not ready for pick by the end of the business day 5 pm on 9/24/24. She was picked up from the hospital 9/25/24 at 11:22 AM. We cant not pick up a deceased until they are realeased. We did say that we would pick her up on 9/24/24 however she was was not ready for release by the end of the business day. We honored are contract to the best of the ability that we could. 

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