Finding a Funeral Director, from NSW Office of Fair Trading

Finding a funeral director
Funeral directors take care of the practical details that most people find difficult to arrange. The main services they provide are:  registering the death, transporting the body, meeting you to discuss preferences,
coordinating between funeral celebrant and the cemetery or crematorium
placing notices in newspapers, preparing the body, supplying a coffin or casket, providing transport ie a hearse and special cars, paying fees for such things as cemetery, crematorium and flowers on your behalf,
helping you access financial benefits that might be available for the funeral.

You may feel uncomfortable ‘shopping around’ for the best price, but it’s the sensible thing to do. Nursing homes, friends, relatives and the Yellow Pages may be able to assist with finding a funeral director.
Funeral directors who belong to an industry association are usually required to adhere to a code of ethics and a system for reporting complaints about members may be available.

Quotes and costs
With so many variations in services and options, costs can be quite significant. Therefore, it is important to get itemised quotes so that you can accurately compare prices before you make a commitment.
Professional fees cover the things the funeral director will do using their own resources. Generally it involves, preparation of the body, a hearse, a chapel as well as organising things they can do on your behalf such as speaking with clergy, organising the cemetery, arranging flowers, obituaries and medical and death certificates.
Disbursements are the actual costs that the funeral director incurs on your behalf. For example the funeral director may charge you a fee for arranging the cemetery plot. But the cemetery fee in the disbursements is the actual cost of the cemetery plot.
Coffins tend to be slightly less expensive than caskets. Costs rise with the selection of more elaborate fittings, linings and timbers.
In the event of a dispute with a funeral director you may call the Office of Fair Trading on 13 32 20 for assistance.