Council refuses to allow grave stone inscription

The_Walker

A couple of years ago my father died and I asked the undertaker to arrange a new additional horizonal grave stone to be added to an existing vertical grave, with my father's name on it. This was swiftly done.

This year my mother died and I asked a local stone mason to add my mother's name to the new stone. They asked me to contact the council if I hadn't already done so, which I then did. The council officer informed me the last owner of the grave died in 1945 and they could not allow another name to be added to the grave without updating the grave to a living owner, and this would need to be witnessed by a solicitor etc. I would have to look into my family ancestry and find out who should be owner. 

Since 1945 many names have been added to the family grave, all with no living grave owner. This is includes my father two years ago. So why the change now? Can anyone advise on why this is necessary now? Have guidelines or laws changed to make this necessary? I just want to add my mothers name to the family grave.

Thanks

Isthisforreal99

I assume they need plot owners permission else anyone could add to a stone. Seems perfectly reasonable to me and sounds like you sneaked under the radar previous time amendments were made or they are now more rigidly enforcing the policy.

twopenny

Could you try asking the council who was the last registered owner? That's a start.

Was your father the last owner? Timing would be about right for buying a plot.
Does it pass through the family?

Are the people buried there all marked on the headstone?

Sounds like a brief and standard letter, just try and get more help as to what to do to get permission and say it is the family grave.
You need more details about the process.

But yes I'm a bit surprised because I errected 2 headstones and added a name and don't remember this but perhaps because I'm known locally.

p00hsticks

I think councils may want to know contact details for someone living partly in case the grave becomes unsafe.
I know there was a cemetery near us where several of the older gravestones were in danger of falling over and the council tried to contact living family members to repair them and, if they couldn't find anyone, laid the gravestones flat. 

The_Walker

The last living onwer was my great grandfather, who died in 1945. Yes the people buried there are marked on the headstone.

 I'm not sure who would automatically take on ownership further down the line, possibly me? Am I wrong to assume this is a council cash grab lol? I have visions of yearly fees and an expensive solicitor bill, all so the council can avoid any liability. I don't understand how two years ago it wasn't an issue but now it is?