Cemeteries and Crematoria Service
Your Questions Answered
Below are some frequently asked questions. For further information, please
contact the Cemeteries Section by email at parks&openspaces@bexley.gov.uk or
by telephone on 020 8294 6534.
Questions
Answers
How can I buy a grave space?
Your Funeral Director will usually purchase the grave
on your behalf. New graves are only currently available at Hill
View Cemetery and Sidcup Cemetery.
How long can I have a grave for?
The lease of a grave at Hill
View Cemetery or Sidcup Cemetery is 30 years.
Leases will be renewable 12 months before the expiry date.
Can I reserve a grave for future use?
Yes - but only at Hill
View Cemetery. The
graves are leased for 30 years (from the date of purchase) with the option to renew 12 months before the expiry
date.
Who is the grave owner?
The grave owner is either the person who has purchased
the grave in advance or the person who has signed the legal interment notice
for a burial (usually the nearest next
of kin).
Is a grave owner really necessary?
Yes - it is important should the grave need to be re-opened.
Also the owner's signature will be required if work to the memorial is requested.
What happens if the owner dies?
The person who signs the legal interment notice
will be offered the opportunity of transferring the ownership to them. This is
usually the nearest next of kin
but if this is not possible, it may then be offered to another member of the
family, an executor of other responsible adult. The Council, however, will
require the new owner of the grave to sign an indemnity against any claim to the
right
of ownership of the grave.
Who maintains the grave?
It is the responsibility of the owner to keep the grave
(memorial, flower bed etc.) neat and tidy. However, the Council can do this for
you under its Private
Grave Maintenance Service.
Does the Council have facilities for dealing with Cremated Remains?
Yes - there
are small gardens of remembrance at Erith
Cemetery and Sidcup
Cemetery, a large memorial garden for
cremated remains at Hill
View Cemetery and
both at Bexleyheath Cemetery.
Are there chapel facilities at the cemetery?
Chapels are available at Bexleyheath and
Erith Cemeteries but not at Sidcup or Hill View.
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