They wanted to erect a good monument for their father. Paid 6800 rubles, but never received it

The lawyer, whom the woman consulted, believes that the family will win the case, but it is unlikely they will be able to get their money back, writes Onliner.by.

"For a year we kept hearing 'two weeks' and were understanding"

Nadezhda's father died of lung cancer at the age of 55. His elderly mother, wife, two children, and 6-year-old granddaughter were left without their loved one. Nadezhda recalls how the family wanted to do everything to show respect to the deceased — the head of the family — and preserve his memory:

— After dad's death, about 2000 dollars remained in the account. We decided to create a good monument and a turnkey complex for our father. We contacted a company, one of whose offices was located in Vitebsk. On December 20, 2024, the manager provided a consultation, we created a layout for the complex, and remotely approved the monument's design.

We made an advance payment of 6800 rubles (72% of the total cost of all work) and signed the contract.

Павялічыць

Павялічыць

The deadline for completing the work was May 30, 2025, Nadezhda continues. All this time, the family was in contact with the manufacturer, understanding that work in the cemetery is impossible in winter. According to the girl, concrete was poured at the burial site in June 2025.

— After that, excuses began, and work deadlines were postponed (verbally). Most of the time, we called him, not he us. The manufacturer very convincingly cited circumstances that prevented the work from being completed.

— We are kind people, we understood everything and were accommodating. For a year, we heard the same thing — 'two weeks'. He sent us a photo of our complex kit, as well as the stele with a photo, as proof that everything was ready and only needed to be installed.

Павялічыць

When the delay exceeded a year, Nadezhda's family decided that the manufacturer was simply stalling, and they contacted the police with a statement. In it, they asked law enforcement to facilitate the fulfillment of the contract.

— We wanted to resolve the issue peacefully; anything could have happened to the person. This is business. But the police conducted a check, and it turned out that we were not the only victims; there were at least five of us. The police found that the manufacturer was not a fraudster — he had intentions to do something, he started the work.

Then I contacted him with a request to resolve the issue peacefully, proposing that he hand over the finished granite and stele. I was ready to pick up the product and pay other people for the installation. The manufacturer agreed, but repeatedly delayed, promising in a week, then in three days, and then stopped communicating altogether.

Павялічыць

Nadezhda sought legal advice from a lawyer. According to the woman, the lawyer believes that the family will win the case, but it is unlikely they will be able to recover the money if the manufacturer has no funds in their accounts. She then sent a pre-trial claim to the manufacturer and is preparing a lawsuit.

— It's impossible to convey my pain and resentment — we come to the cemetery as a whole family and all this time we look at the poured slab. It's very difficult to believe in dad's death without seeing a monument for him. And they profit from our grief, brazenly feeding us promises and not even trying to help.

Павялічыць

Nadezhda had to turn to other monument manufacturers; they have already laid granite on the grave. To cover the costs of the work, the family was forced to take an installment plan.

— The firm met us halfway, even willing to go to Minsk themselves and pick up the granite from this person. Now, of course, we are doing everything much more affordably, as we gave all the money to him. And we are ordinary people: I am a teacher, and my mother is a kindergarten teacher.

"The company is bankrupt, but there's no money to file for bankruptcy"

Onliner contacted the contractor who had signed the agreement with Nadezhda. The man immediately understood which client was being referred to, emphasized that he had indeed completed the initial stage of work (poured the foundation and installed a bench), and stated that he had already given explanations to the police regarding this matter.

— The company has not been operating for more than nine months. It is essentially bankrupt. But I cannot file for bankruptcy for a simple reason — there's no money. Today, I work elsewhere as an employee to earn at least some money and direct it towards fulfilling a few remaining orders of the company. This means the financial situation is difficult," the interlocutor noted.

Павялічыць

The manufacturer listed all problematic issues — both personal and those concerning the company. According to him, the LLC's accounts are frozen, and equipment and machinery have been sold through enforcement agencies. There are debts to the budget and counterparties.

— This company drained a lot of money. I took out loans, invested in the business. Now everything is held up by enforcement agencies, and I am paying all of this off.

The man himself, according to him, is under the close supervision of the enforcement department.

— 70% of my earnings are withheld. With the remaining 30%, I need to support two children. I pay alimony for one, and now documents have been filed for the second as well. I lost my family; I have no property of my own. Now I can only earn money and try to buy back this stone, photos of which I sent to the client. The monument is virtually ready for this order; the people from whom I ordered it say: 'Bring us the money — take the stone'."

We have a preliminary agreement with the client for a peaceful settlement of the issue. But for this, I need about $2000. The medallion for her is already ready, lying in my garage, which a new company is renting. I can hand it over at any moment.

"Unlikely to be a happy ending"

Journalists sought advice from a lawyer. The expert did not offer much hope to the reader but advised on how to avoid similar situations in the future.

— Unfortunately, dishonest entrepreneurs are found, including in the funeral services sector. Specifically in the situation our story's heroine found herself in, a happy ending is unlikely, as 27 enforcement proceedings have already been initiated against this firm. Additionally, there are regular debts to the budget for taxes and fees.

All this indicates that the prospect of recovering funds from this enterprise is practically zero.

To avoid such a situation, it is necessary to thoroughly check the counterparty before concluding a contract, especially one with an advance payment. A beautiful sign or a catchy name is not an indicator of a firm's reliability. The duration of state registration plays a much larger role: the longer a firm has been operating, the higher the probability that the undertaken obligations will be fulfilled.

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