The Exclusive Right of Burial is a document which allows the registered holder the right to bury human remains in an agreed grave space as long as there is sufficient depth to do so. All land within the Cemetery remains in the ownership of Dunstable Town Council. The Council currently issues an Exclusive Right of Burial for a period of 75 years.
An Exclusive Right of Burial is not the purchase of any specific ‘land’. It is merely the right of burial in a specified grave space and the registered holder also has the right to determine who is buried within that grave space and what memorial, if any, is placed on the grave space.
Dunstable Town Council will issue the Exclusive Right of Burial following the first burial in a grave space, once all fees have been paid (generally by the appointed Funeral Director as this will be included in the invoice for their services). The holder of the Exclusive Right of Burial will be issued with paperwork relating to their grave.
The Town Council maintains records of all registered holders of the Exclusive Right of Burial and the registered holder is the only person who can arrange to place a memorial on a grave or give permission for a grave to be opened for further interments. It is essential that any changes to the registered holder’s contact details are notified to Dunstable Town Council.
Please contact Dunstable Cemetery if you require further information on 01582 891428 or 891426.
The registered holder of the Exclusive Right of Burial Grant is the only person who can give permission for a burial or the placing of a memorial on a grave. If the registered holder is deceased, the Exclusive Right of Burial Grant must be transferred before any burial (other than that of the registered holder) or memorial application can be approved.
There are a number of instances in which an Exclusive Right of Burial Grant will have to be transferred to another person or persons, for
example:
• The death of the grant holder
• Wanting to place a memorial or to add an additional inscription, if the grant
holder is deceased.
Any Exclusive Right of Burial which is transferred will be transferred for the remainder of the grant period.
The method of transfer and associated paperwork will be dependent on the reason for transfer and the administration of the deceased’s estate which may include Probate or Letters of Administration.
In order to transfer the Exclusive Right of Burial, different paperwork is required depending on the specific circumstances.
A flow chart of the process is available from the Cemetery office and the team will be happy to assist you with the transfer process.
The registered holder may also elect to transfer the ownership to another person or persons.
