The Pennsylvania Board of Funeral Directors has levied a fine on a state funeral establishment which has been operating a foul of state regulations for over six years.

According to an article in the Delaware County Daily Times, the Catherine B. Laws Funeral Home in Chester has been without a funeral establishment license and without an up to date funeral director under license since 2010. The funeral home has contended, that while they continue to operate, they could not afford the fees because they are the only funeral home in the area where people with “little money” can go to to have their funeral expenses paid over time.

The Pennsylvania Board took that under advisement but eventually ruled that, in essence, by not keeping the funeral home and licenses up to date they were actually depriving the community of safety and health assurances and showing a disregard for the families that they serve.

The funeral home was fined $10,000 and ordered to get up to date with it licensing procedures.

Funeral Director Daily take: It is hard for us to believe that in these times when consumer preferences and wants are so demanding that a funeral establishment that does not keep up to date, not only in professional licensures, but amenities for the consumer, can stay in business very long.