Information about Graves
This page has been produced to help answer some of the questions
you may have about graves in our cemeteries. If you have any
further questions you may ask your funeral director, or contact the
Cemeteries Office where staff would be pleased to help with your
enquiry.
Purchased Graves
When you purchase a grave, you do not actually buy the land that
the grave occupies, you purchase the Exclusive Right of Burial in
the grave. This means that no burials can take place in the grave
without your permission. It also gives you the right to have a
memorial placed on the grave, subject to current memorial
regulations and the payment of a permit fee. A separate memorial
grant is issued.
Unpurchased Graves
If the Exclusive Right of Burial in a grave is not purchased the
Council retains the rights, and may use the remaining space in the
grave for further unrelated burials. Memorials cannot be placed on
these graves.
Benefits of Grave Purchase
- Control over who is buried in the grave
- Right to place a headstone or other type of memorial.
Deed of Grant
When you purchase a grave, the Council will issue you with a
Deed of Grant. This is proof of your ownership and is a very
important document. You should keep the deed in a safe place as you
may be asked to produce it when you ask for a burial to take place
in a grave.
Length of Purchase
In Havant you may purchase a grave for a period of 30 years.
After 5 years you will be offered the opportunity to purchase
further years, keeping it at 30 years. If you choose not to, the
rights to the grave will revert to the Council.
Responsibilities of Owners
As the owner of the grave, you are responsible for the safety
and condition of any memorial on the grave. The Council has
responsibilities under Health and Safety legislation to ensure the
safety of visitors and staff in cemeteries. However If a memorial
becomes dilapidated and/or unsafe, the Council has the right to
remove or make it safe. The cost for any such work can be claimed
from the grave owner if they do not arrange for the repair
themselves.
In order to keep our records up to date so that we may contact
you if necessary, it is important that any changes of address are
notified to us as soon as possible.
Responsibilities of the Council
The Council will maintain the cemetery to a decent standard by
cutting the grass regularly and ensuring that the grave is topped
up and levelled if it should sink.
Please note that it may be necessary at some point in the future
to excavate the graves surrounding yours. If this happens we will
return the area to its usual condition as soon as possible.
Cemetery Regulations
Regulations are necessary in order to ensure that the cemeteries
are safe, attractive and fitting places for all those who visit and
work in them. Memorials must be of good quality, natural materials,
and must be of an approved type and size. They must also be fixed
by a registered stonemason. We require co-operation in keeping the
grassed area of graves free of pots, plants, or other artefacts
especially breakable items. This is so that the grass can be cut
safely without risking injury to the operator from glass or plastic
shards, and without causing damage to memorials or visitors.
We recognise that you may wish to leave tributes; please ask us
first.
Cemeteries Service, 2 Penner Road, Havant, Hampshire,PO9
1QH.
Telephone 023 9244 6425
E-mail: cemeteries@havant.gov.uk