The price of a columbarium in the Granada cemetery has reached the National Commission of Markets and Competition (CNMC). Francisco Martínez, a resident of the Nasrid capital, has resorted to that room, denouncing the “excessively high” price that Emucesa, the municipal company that manages the San José cemetery, has charged him and his wife for that niche, which is commonly used to deposit ashes. In several letters and in the complaint filed, to which this media has had access, he states that he has had to pay double what the same columbarium made by the same supplier costs on the market.
The origin of the conflict is in the claim that Francisco makes when he considers that he has been charged 187.60 euros more for the columbarium and the engraving of the inscription on the tombstone. An excess cost that, according to him, was imposed without the option of contracting directly with the marble worker. “They forced us to pay a disproportionate price,” he says. This Granada resident realized this when he contacted the company in charge of the work, La Zubia Marblesto request a quote on your own. The marble worker requested 181.50 euros for the same task, less than half of the 369.10 euros that Emucesa finally billed her.
Upon realizing the difference between what was paid and the market price, Francisco Martínez wrote a letter to Emucesa requesting the difference, also alleging that he had not been given the opportunity to contract with any other supplier. “Emucesa has created a monopoly in which you cannot freely choose your marble worker,” he says. In his complaint before the CNMC, Francisco argues that Emucesa’s practice violates the Law on the Defense of Competition and his right to freedom of business.” For this reason, it has turned to the CNMC to review whether this action is incompatible with the regulations.
For its part, EMUCESA defends its actions. In a letter sent to Francisco, they assure that “the prices are those approved by the Plenary Session of the Granada City Council” and that the marble company was selected through a public bidding process. Although in the list of public prices approved by the City Council the columbaria range between 190 and 311 euros and do not reach the 369.10 charged to this citizen, Emucesa clarifies that the rate charged includes additional operating costs such as supervising the work.
A “special protection” zone
The municipal company that manages the Granada cemetery defends that there are no more suppliers in the specific area chosen by Francisco Martínez because “the intervention of Mármoles La Zubia is necessary to maintain aesthetic uniformity in special protection areas of the cemetery.” An image decision that for this neighbor does not justify that buyers are not offered more options.
The Granada City Council also supports Emucesa’s position. Sources consulted by elDiario.es Andalusia They affirm that in the areas of the cemetery with “aesthetic and historical protection”, such as the columbarium area acquired by Francisco, it is mandatory to contract the winning company. “The rest of the areas allow the free choice of marble worker,” they point out. In addition, they add that Francisco has received a response to his claim through the cemetery’s customer service department.
However, Francisco Martínez is not satisfied with these explanations. “An ideal breeding ground has been created to develop this dark business,” he denounces, referring to the lack of transparency in the information provided by Emucesa. He assures that at no time was he warned about the obligation to hire the company through the municipal company and that he encountered the extra cost when there was no turning back.
While waiting for a response from the CNMC, Francisco says he is turning to the press to prevent Emucesa from continuing to collect what he considers “improper charges” with “bad tricks.” He is also not satisfied with the responses of the municipal company because he believes that it acts in bad faith by not being more “transparent” with citizens about the rates. “What they have done to us is not only abuse, but a lack of respect,” he says. He is convinced that other cemetery users could also be affected by the same practices, which is why he believes it is necessary for the situation to change.
In any case, if the claim before the CNMC is successful, both Emucesa and the Granada City Council could be forced to review their policies and rates if the Commission considers that competition regulations have been violated. Meanwhile, Francisco Martínez maintains his efforts to get his money back and maintains his demand for the return of the excess collected, without ruling out other actions.
#Competition #studies #monopoly #niches #Granada #cemetery
