Professional Services

When you engage Cleveland Funeral Home, our Professional Services fees cover the professional care, administration, coordination and support required to carry out the arrangements entrusted to us.

Every funeral is different. The Professional Services fee included in your estimate will depend on the type of arrangements being made and the level of support and involvement required.

The descriptions below explain the individual services that may form part of your Professional Services fee.

Engagement of our services

Our professional responsibilities begin from the time Cleveland Funeral Home is engaged following a death.

This includes assessing the immediate circumstances and requirements, establishing the funeral case, allocating the appropriate staff and resources, and coordinating the next steps required.

Liaison with the place of death

We liaise with the relevant person, hospital, rest home, medical facility or other organisation at the place of death to establish the circumstances and requirements following the death and arrange for the person to be released into our care.

Arrange transfer into our care

Our funeral team coordinates and undertakes the transfer from the place of death into the care of Cleveland Funeral Home.

This includes assessing the transfer requirements, arranging appropriate staff and equipment, and carrying out the transfer with care and consideration.

Medical certification

We coordinate the medical certification required following a death.

This includes liaising with the attending medical practitioner, providing the required documentation and assisting with any arrangements necessary for the relevant medical and disposition documentation to be completed.

Funeral Director consultation and family support

Our Funeral Director works closely with family representatives to develop and establish the funeral arrangements.

This includes arranging and preparing for the funeral interview, an in-person funeral arrangement meeting of at least one hour, discussing the family's wishes and available options, providing professional guidance, gathering the information required for the arrangements and death registration, and recording the agreed instructions.

Our support continues after the initial meeting and includes subsequent discussions, questions, changes to the arrangements and ongoing communication as the funeral progresses, together with post-funeral contact and follow-up where appropriate.

Completed arrangements and family support

Where family representatives choose to provide their funeral information and instructions through our online forms rather than attending a formal funeral arrangement interview, our Funeral Director reviews and progresses those arrangements.

This includes reviewing the information provided, establishing the arrangements within our funeral management system, clarifying any outstanding information, providing professional guidance where required, and maintaining communication and support as the arrangements progress.

Simple Cremation information and administration

For a Simple Cremation, we provide the limited administration and family communication necessary to complete the cremation.

This includes receiving and reviewing the required personal and registration information, obtaining the instructions necessary for the cremation, preparing the working case information and contacting the family if clarification is required.

A Simple Cremation does not include a formal funeral arrangement interview or the development and coordination of a funeral service.

Funeral bookings

We coordinate the bookings required as part of the agreed funeral arrangements.

This may include liaising with facilities, venues and service providers, establishing availability, communicating requirements and timings, confirming bookings and ensuring they fit with the overall arrangements.

Funeral documentation

We prepare and complete the documentation required to progress the agreed arrangements.

This includes transferring the information provided by the family into the appropriate funeral, burial, cremation or other required documentation and checking that the documents are complete and consistent.

Use of Funeral Home facilities

This covers the use of Cleveland Funeral Home's facilities and specialist equipment while a person is in our care.

It includes appropriate temperature-controlled facilities, routine monitoring and ongoing care, together with the secure receipt and care of ashes following cremation until they are collected or dealt with according to the family's instructions.

Death registration

We complete and submit the registration of the death with Births, Deaths and Marriages New Zealand.

This includes reviewing the personal and family information provided, checking it for completeness and accuracy, submitting the registration and responding to any subsequent requests for clarification.

Medical Referee administration

Before a cremation can proceed, the required medical and cremation documentation must be reviewed and authorised by a Medical Referee.

We collate and check the necessary documentation, present it for review, liaise with the relevant parties if further information is required, and progress the documentation through to completion.

The Medical Referee's own fee is separate from Cleveland Funeral Home's professional administration of this process.

Minister or celebrant coordination

Where a minister or celebrant is involved, we coordinate their participation in the funeral service.

This includes providing the relevant funeral information, family instructions, timings and venue details, communicating changes and ensuring their involvement is coordinated with the overall arrangements.

Facilitate viewings

Where viewing is part of the arrangements, our team prepares an appropriate environment and coordinates the practical requirements.

This includes moving the person into and from the viewing area, preparing the facilities and coordinating access for those attending.

Funeral service coordination and direction

Where Cleveland Funeral Home is responsible for directing the funeral, our Funeral Director oversees the preparation, coordination and delivery of the service.

This includes coordinating the venue and service arrangements, timings and movement of the casket, assisting family members and pallbearers, liaising with ministers, celebrants and other participants, and maintaining appropriate health and safety oversight throughout the service.

The level of active involvement varies depending on the nature of the funeral, but our Funeral Director remains responsible for overseeing the arrangements entrusted to us through to the conclusion of the service.

Funeral service attendance and support

At some services, the funeral or farewell is primarily directed by the family, Marae, venue or another person or organisation.

In these circumstances, Cleveland Funeral Home provides a supporting rather than directing role.

We remain responsible for the aspects of the arrangements entrusted to us, including the arrival and movement of the casket, providing assistance where required, liaising with those directing the service, maintaining appropriate health and safety oversight and responding to matters that arise during the service.