Complaint Handling

Do you have a complaint about a member of the AIFP?

The Directors of the Association of Independent Funeral Professionals Ltd understand that although our members do their best to provide a high level of service, you may at times feel that there are issues that have not been resolved to your satisfaction.

To ensure client families have the opportunity to make their complaint known, the Association of Independent Funeral Professionals Ltd has a Complaint Handling Procedure which client families can access at no cost.

This procedure means:

• You have a way of having your complaint addressed;
• AIFP Directors will be made aware of the issue that is of concern to you;
• Where possible, the member in question will have the opportunity to improve their procedures, products and services or come to some other arrangement between them and you.

What To Do

You may lodge a complaint with the Association of Independent Funeral Professionals Ltd regarding a product or service in the following ways:

In writing addressed to:
Association of Independent Funeral Professionals Ltd
PO Box 3252,
Murrumbeena, VIC 3163

OR

In writing by filling in our Complaints Handling Form below.

All complaints must be in writing with full details of the complainant being disclosed for the management committee to investigate and process. we will not initiate an investigation unless all details are filled in on the form or provided in writing.

If the complaint is unable to be resolved immediately it will be forwarded to the Association's Board of Management for review.

The Association of Independent Funeral Professionals Ltd aims to have your complaint resolved within 21 days. If however, in spite of our best efforts, your complaint is not resolved to your complete satisfaction, you may pursue the dispute with an independent external dispute resolution service.

Complainant's Declaration

You acknowledge and agree that prior to making a complaint or during the complaint handling process:

• You have raised your concerns in writing directly with the Member (the business that provided the service) of the AIFP and attempted to resolve the issue directly with the Member funeral director.
• You have allowed 21 days to elapse since raising your concern in writing and your concerns or dispute were not addressed to your satisfaction by the Member funeral director.
• The AIFP will not deal with your concerns or dispute if the matter involves legal representation or is before a court or tribunal.
• You will advise AIFP at the time of bringing this matter to the AIFP’s attention if a court or tribunal has made a decision in respect to your concerns or dispute.
• The documents you provide to the AIFP about your concerns or dispute are provided on a ‘without prejudice’ basis, which means that the same documents cannot be used in any subsequent court or tribunal by the AIFP or its Member funeral director, except to the extent such privilege is allowed by the courts.
• All documents you provide to the AIFP, including your correspondence, will be released to the Member funeral director.
• A copy of the final resolution will be made available to the Member funeral director.
• The AIFP recognises that subsequent to our involvement you may wish to pursue this matter through other means. The AIFP’s final determination does not preclude your right to do so.

Please use this Complaint Handling Form to lodge your complaint.