Perth and Kinross memorial safety programme

This follows Scottish Government guidelines issued in 2019 and the Burial Management (Scotland) Regulations 2025, which commenced in March 2025. 

How memorials are inspected 

Following national guidance, and in response to a tragic incident in Glasgow in 2015, we began a rolling programme of memorial safety inspections across all cemeteries. This work is carried out with the utmost care and respect. We understand that this is a sensitive issue and are committed to keeping communities informed.

• A visual check is followed by a hand pressure test.
• No mechanical testing is used.
• Staff are fully trained to carry out inspections safely and respectfully.

Memorial safety categories 

Category 1: Stable

No movement detected. A reinspection must be carried out within five years.

Category 2: Minor movement detected 

No immediate risk but will be reinspected within two years. A yellow notice is placed in front of the memorial.

Category 3: Significant movement detected

Immediate action required. The memorial will be laid flat to prevent harm. A red notice is placed and if contact details are available, the lair owner will be notified by letter.

We understand lair owners may not be able to arrange repairs immediately, so please do not worry. If we have not been advised that repairs are being arranged within three months, we will carry out a temporary repair method known as "socketing" to make the memorial safe.

This involves placing the memorial securely into a small trench in an upright position. While a small portion of the inscription may be below ground level, the memorial is not damaged and the method can be fully reversed when a full repair is undertaken.

If you have any questions about the memorial safety programme, please email our Memorial Safety Team.

Ownership of a lair (grave)

It is essential that ownership of a lair remains in the name of a living person. The lair owner may transfer burial rights to anyone they choose during their lifetime and should also make provision for this in their will. However, we recognise that this is not always the case.

If the owner of a lair dies without leaving a will, ownership does not automatically pass to one individual. Instead, it forms part of their estate and is shared among family members in accordance with Scottish law.

What happens first?

• We will check cemetery records to confirm the registered lair owner.
• If the registered owner has died, the lair cannot be used, and no memorials can be installed or repaired until ownership has been resolved.

Who can take over the lair?

The right to the lair usually passes to family members in the following order:

1. spouse or civil partner and children
2. if there is no spouse or children, then the rights pass to parents and siblings
3. if none of the above, ownership passes to more distant relatives - for example, cousins
4. if no family can be identified, the rights may pass to the Crown

Who makes decisions about the lair?

• If an executor has been appointed to administer the estate, they should arrange the transfer of the lair.
• If there is no executor, a next of kin may apply to take over the lair.
• Where more than one person has equal rights (for example, several children), all parties must usually agree on how the lair is managed.
• If there is a disagreement, we may be unable to proceed until the matter is resolved.

Important information

• A lair is not owned in the same way as land; it represents the right of burial.
• We may require written consent from all entitled family members before a transfer can be completed.
• All changes are subject to cemetery rules and local authority regulations.

We understand that this can be a difficult process. Our staff are available to guide you and explain what information is required to transfer lair ownership.

If you are unsure who the registered lair owner is for your family lair, please contact our Burials Team on 01738 459659, or email [email protected] where staff will be happy to assist you.

Repairing a memorial

Only qualified memorial masons should carry out repairs. For your safety, do not attempt to move or fix a memorial yourself.

We operate a Memorial Mason Registration Scheme to establish a uniform standard of workmanship and good working practices throughout all of its burial grounds.

The scheme is mandatory for all memorial masons who currently work or intend to work within our grounds. Only those masons who meet the scheme's eligibility criteria and successfully register will be permitted to carry out any memorial works within burial grounds managed by us.

Please note that the list of approved stonemasons is not exhaustive. Families are not restricted to choosing a stonemason already included on the current approved list.

If you wish to appoint a stonemason who is not presently registered with us, they may still carry out works provided they are willing and able to meet the requirements of the registration scheme and successfully become approved before any work commences.

We recommend that families discuss this with their chosen stonemason at an early stage.

Further information about the approval process and scheme requirements can be obtained from the Burials Team.