Frequently asked questions and answers
General
Who can I contact with questions about the Old Lands Cemetery?
Call the general number of the municipality of Nuenen: 040 263 1631. The Customer Contact Center will be happy to help you. If they cannot answer your question, they will leave a callback request for the administrator. The administrator will then contact you.
You can also send an e-mail to beheerderoudelanden@nuenen.nl. The administrator will then contact you.
When is the cemetery open?
The cemetery is open every day of the week from sunrise to sunset.
Who can be buried in the Old Lands Cemetery?
The Oude Landen Cemetery is a public cemetery. Anyone can be buried here, regardless of residence or religion.
When can a funeral take place?
A funeral lasts on average one hour and can take place between 09:00 and 15:00. So the last funeral can be scheduled in the online reservation system no later than 14:00.
Can a funeral also be held on Saturday?
Yes, you can. For a funeral on a Saturday, there is a surcharge. The rates for this can be found on the fee schedule.
Is fetal burial possible?
The municipality does not have separate fetal graves, but a fetus can be buried in a child grave (at the prevailing rate of a child grave).
Can I pick my own place in the cemetery for my loved one(s)?
Yes, in consultation with the administrator and according to applicable policy.
Is the Old Lands Cemetery there for remembrance even if my loved one is not buried there?
Yes, at the cemetery you will have every space and opportunity to remember your loved one(s). Even if your loved one is not buried in Oude Landen Cemetery, we hope that you will find the peace and opportunity to remember them here.
Is it possible to add an urn to a grave?
Yes, this is possible. For each interment, you pay only the burial and interment costs of the urn and administrative fees.
I want to buy a private grave. Is that allowed?
No, you cannot buy a private grave. You pay for a grave right for a definite or indefinite period of time. The municipality always remains the owner of the land.
Can I reserve a grave for the future?
Yes, you can reserve a grave for 20 years or indefinitely. See Tariff table belonging to the ordinance on the body care fees.
What are the dimensions of a grave, urn niche, urn grave and child grave?
- Tomb: 90 x 190 cm
- Urn niche: for 1 or 2 urns
- Urn grave: 50 x 50 cm
- Children's grave: 60 x 120 cm
May I place any grave monument on the grave?
The placement of a grave monument is always done in consultation with the cemetery administrator. You submit a drawing of the monument to the administrator, after which the administrator then reviews it. After approval you can place the monument. If, for any reason, the monument does not match the supplied drawing, you must adjust the monument. This is also always done in consultation with the administrator.
Why is there a sign posted at the grave?
The municipality may no longer have good information about the rightful claimant, such as in connection with a renewal notice. By placing a sign at the grave, the municipality hopes to reconnect with the next of kin. The sign includes a date of placement and a request to contact the administrator. If a grave is going to be emptied, early notice is also given by means of a sign by the grave, urn niche or urn grave. Next of kin then have one year to respond and possibly activate the extension.
When is the restroom open?
The restroom is open only during a funeral or can be opened by the administrator upon request.
Islamic graves
For what duration are Islamic graves issued?
Islamic graves are issued indefinitely.
What does the term indefinite mean?
A grave without an expiration date can in principle remain in place, provided there is a living rightful claimant. In fact, for a private grave, there must always be a living beneficiary.
If a grave has no rightful owner, a sign is placed at the grave for one year (test of interest). This sign calls on relatives to contact the municipality and designate a new rightful claimant. See article 12 'Transfer of granted rights' of the Management regulation municipal cemeteries municipality of Nuenen 2026'.
If there is no response after this deadline, the municipality, through the Board of Mayor and Aldermen, may allow the grave right to expire and proceed with the culling of the grave. See Chapter 7 Culling of Graves in the Management Regulation Municipal Cemeteries Municipality of Nuenen 2026..
When will Islamic graves have a grave marker/nameplate on the grave?
It is the responsibility of the administrator to place a temporary grave marker, nameplate or number on the grave as soon as possible so that it is clear for whom the grave is intended.
For Islamic graves, the administrator will place a corten steel frame around the grave (= included in regular fees). This is done when the grave is sufficiently encrusted, which is determined by the administrator.
Management and maintenance
Who is responsible for the final grave monument?
Next of kin of non-Muslim graves are responsible to provide a final grave monument within one year of burial.
Who is responsible for maintaining and cleaning the grave or urn niche?
The next of kin are responsible for the maintenance and cleaning of the grave or urn niche.
What if a grave monument has fallen over and caused damage. Who then pays these costs?
In principle, the rightful claimant is responsible for the maintenance of the grave and the grave monument, and thus also for repair in case of damage. The municipality supervises the cemetery and contacts the rightful claimant in the event of damage or overdue maintenance. In some cases, such as extreme weather conditions, the municipality assesses per situation whether (part of) the repair costs will be reimbursed.
Entitled
What is meant by the term "rights holder"?
The funeral director asks the next of kin to designate a person from among them as the person entitled to the grave rights. An entitled person:
- Decides who will be buried in a grave
- Decides whether to renew grave rights or to exhume grave
- Is responsible for the cost of the grave right and related expenses
- Is the contact person for the municipality
- Carries Health for maintenance of the grave cover (in accordance with article 19 of the Management Ordinance Municipal Cemetery Municipality of Nuenen 2026)
How can the rights holder be changed?
An entitled person can visit the municipality or contact the municipality (by phone/e-mail) with a request to transfer the grave rights to someone else. The municipality provides the current rights holder with the form "Transfer of grave/graves to new rights holder". If the form is signed by both the current and new rightful claimant, the grave rights will be transferred. If the current rightful claimant is no longer alive, it is up to the next of kin to designate a new rightful claimant. In this case, only the new beneficiary needs to sign the form.
Online reservation system
As an individual, can I schedule a funeral through the online reservation system?
No, only funeral directors can schedule a funeral through the online reservation system.
Can ashes be scattered at the scattering field without an official request?
No, this is not possible. When scattering ashes, you must always submit an official request to the municipality (by phone or email). The municipality will then schedule a time/appointment with you. In addition, the municipality will provide a name plate and proper registration in the cemetery records.
Finance
At what point should I pay for a funeral as a funeral director?
Once you, the funeral director, have scheduled a funeral through the online reservation system, you will receive a formal order confirmation and invoice. This invoice must be paid within the payment period.
I have questions about an invoice I received. Whom should I contact?
You can email your question to administratieoudelanden@nuenen.nl
What are the rates for burial made up of?
Burial fees consist of the following charges:
- Grave rights
- Burial costs
- General management and maintenance of the cemetery (excluding the grave itself)
- Administration fee
When a renewal is made, only grave rights and administration fees are charged. If an entitlement is changed, administration fees will be charged.
How is the grave fee calculated?
At the municipality of Nuenen c.a., you can opt for indefinite grave rights or for a period of 20 years. After this period, you can extend the grave rights for 10 years at a time.
Important to know: by law, a deceased person must always remain buried for at least 10 years (the 'legal grave rest'). Therefore, when an interment is made, there must always be at least 10 years of grave rights left on the grave.
If the remaining term is less than 10 years, you must first extend the grave right for a sufficient number of years. For example: if after 13 years you want to inter the second person in a double-deep grave (with an issue term of 20 years), there are still 7 years of grave rights left. You must then extend the grave right by 10 years (at the then current rate), so that the legal term of 10 years is met. If there are already 10 years or more of residual time left on an interment, you do not need to renew the grave right.
What are the additional costs for an urn niche or urn grave?
You can add an urn to an existing grave or place it in an urn niche or urn grave. The fees for this can be found on the fee schedule.
Renew / relinquish
How do I know if I need to renew a grave?
At the first burial, the rightful owner receives a grave certificate with the validity date of the grave rights. Before these rights expire, the municipality sends a letter asking if you want to extend the grave rights for 10 years or waive them.
What happens to the grave if I relinquish the grave rights?
If you relinquish the grave rights, you will receive a confirmation letter from the municipality asking you to remove the grave monuments within 6 months. If this is not done within this period, the municipality will take the initiative to clear the grave.
The costs of grave clearing, including the removal of grave monuments, are usually charged to the rightful owner or the person who relinquished the grave rights. This means that you, as the rightful owner, are responsible for these costs unless otherwise determined by the municipality.
The municipality always informs the rightful owner of the proposed culling in a timely manner, at least one year in advance, and proceeds with care when culling the grave and handling remains.