Academy Funeral Services

Thankyou to Michelle and Paul the service for my uncle was both tender and caring. Your on site chapel was so appropriate for our friends and family it was intimate and much more personal then a huge church and my uncle would have been so happy I am sure. David our celebrant we can not thank him enough what a wonderful man his words hes caring condolences throughout the service were very heart felt I will never forget how he spoke about my uncle it was from the heart and it felt like David had known us for a very long time. I cannot thank you enough what an amazing loving caring team you have under your roof Michelle and Paul I would recommend your services to anyone. Thankyou Jenny and family ❤ufe0f

Just wanted to say a big thank you, to Michelle and Paul from Academy Funeral Service, for all your help in organising my daughter’s service last week.nThis was a very upsetting time for us as a family.nMichelle organised everything for us from the casket to flowers to the music, it all was beautiful for the service.nEverything you guys did for us is very much appreciated.nI couldn’t recommend you highly enough.nVery professional service.nThank you againnnKym & David McLaren

If you have the capability, it pays to do a comparison of price and services dependant on who you are. Please know that funeral homes don't need to be licensed, trained, qualified or registered by a governing compliance body that oversees professional conduct. Evidently the experience varies with this business dependent on what you mean to them. This review will reach the right ears that need it.nnI have made an official complaint submission to NSW Fair Trading. Michelle is Machiavellian in nature, misleading and explicitly clear with her communication of what we were entitled to do with respect to tangihanga. She is under informed with NSW legislation and the rights of what her customers are entitled to do and doesn’t care. I believe, as a Maori family she was opportunistic of our grief and saw us as a way to pay her bills and disrespected with complete disregard that our family are sentient beings.nnMonday 18 May 2020 our first grandchild was born early and didn't survive. His name was Henry and he was 400g. I engaged Lance King from a search conducted in Kiwis in Sydney for a Maori funeral director. He was busy and referred me to Michelle a director at Academy Funeral Services. Generally a recommendation means that their business model aligns, at this point I hope this is not the case for our people.nnI trusted her advice based on the referral of Lance King, as she claimed was according to legislation via her professional advice and limitations.n$1200 for services that didn't happen.n•tProfiteering from grieving families,n•tIntention and committed illegal practices by the non supply of the NSW cremation certificate. a funeral director must legally have this consent signed upon payment of funeral services. It is the only way to verify a cremation has happened. This was not completed with Michelle.n•tInitial phone consult disclosure that Pinegrove, Minchinbury was the location they usedn•tViewing day of baby Michelle named the crematorium was in Campbelltown and no name or site disclosure and wouldn’t allow our family to transport baby.n•tName plate double sided taped to the casket for easy removaln•tViewing day I clarified basic logistics of the viewing and she wouldn’t clarify anything I sought answers for this raised serious concerns.n•tFace to face conversation 1 hour before viewing our grandson I raised our issues of concern. Michelle argued the point without apology and claimed her actions as justified. She blatantly lied about the details I confirmed with her all week and denied that other funeral homes could provide what we wanted.n•tI phoned another funeral home whilst she was talking advising that Michelle claimed they were lying and she fumbled to recover her story. Michelle then claims her company was different and the other funeral directors under Invocare can do what you wanted!n•tMichelle knew of other services that could accommodate our needs falsely alleging her way was the only way and dismissing other options.nIn the end your dishonesty gave me no other option than removing our grandson from your premises and making other arrangements elsewhere and re organising the bereaved network. Thankfully Guardian Funerals Minchinbury pulled out all the stops upon the immediate departure from your gates, gave our boy what we asked you to do in the first instance without any charges. We walked our beautiful boy to Heaven because they genuinely cared.nnWhat happened to my family is unforgiveable. The sad thing is you believed that what you did was best for my family without doing your homework. That is not your right to do that and I hold you personally accountable for this experience and that you will be reprimanded accordingly. You should not be allowed to hurt grieving families.

Would like to say how professional and amazing Michelle and her team were in conducting my brothers funeral last Thursday 15th November 2018. From the minute my sister made the phone call to Michelle we were made to feel completely at ease at this very difficult time. Michelle, thank you so much for everything you did for us with the passing of Stephen. My heart is still breaking but your little gift to me at the end of the service has helped me cope. I will recommend Michelle and her team any time.

I cannot truly put into words how thankful I am to Michelle. She went over and beyond and provided excellent service. She was very prompt in keeping me posted at every step. Trying to arrange all of this from USA with no kin in Australia would have been a nightmare, if it were not for the excellent services provided by the Academy Funeral Services.