Cancelling Gym membership, help!

[muggz]

Hi guys,

I am 4 months into a Virgin Active membership, ive decided to leave the area, however i am signed up for a 12 month membership. I was wondering if anyone has had any success with a certain approach to cancelling a gym membership with a chain gym in the UK?

Also if they do try and charge me the remaining fee's of my outstanding membership, can i claim that these charges are unfair in what charges are incurred to them by having me cancel my membership? in the same way bank charges are unfair etc.

any help would be great

[Ellie2758]

Have you checked whether there is a Virgin Active gym in the area you are moving to?

[muggz]

so would one of the machines being out of use for more than a week be breach of contract ? im just trying to think of ways to get out of this, there are a few machines that have had a 'not in use' sign on them for a few weeks

[Lucie]

The way you see your membership & the way Virgin Active see it are very different. You see yourself as being 4 months into your membership, they see you as owing them 8 months membership fees. Find your paperwork & look into the contract - is it a credit agreement? Have you signed it to say that you will abide by the terms & conditions? If you don't still have a copy of it then ask the club for a copy.
Generally the only way to get out of your contract is a serious illness requiring a doctor's note, death or leaving the country. Not all health clubs will accept simply moving to another area as a valid reason for cancelling a contract early.
Most companies will persue you for the money (not forgetting the additional admin fees, court fees etc etc) and lots do go to court. My OH (a health club GM) goes to court regularly for unpaid membership fees - he's only lost one case in 3 1/2 years.
When I cancelled my Virgin Active membership I didn't give the month's notice, as I wrote them such a stinking letter saying how poor their club was, BUT I wasn't in a 12 month contract.

Good Luck!

[muggz]

this doesnt sound too good then. wont they take me to small claims for the money? will a ccj be against my name if i cancel?

[Anteater]

I got out of a 12 month contract with LA Fitness after 10 months by making such a nuisance of myself by constantly phoning, emailing and monopolising the reception and admin staff that they would have done anything to make me go away!

[jimmyjim_uk]

Why don't you say you have been sacked or made redundant. Thats what my mate did to get out of a David Lloyd contract 2 months into a 12.

They did ask for a letter.

Sure you or one of your colleagues could draft up a letter on company letterheaded paper.

EDIT: Only works if you work in an office

[MarkyMarkD]

Being made redundant isn't a concrete reason to get out of a contractual commitment, so I wouldn't guarantee that would cut any ice with most gyms.

Why, oh why, does anyone sign up to a 12 month contract for a gym??? :confused:

[tommy1954]

Hi,
I have lived in germany for 25 years, between 2004 and january 2008 I was commuting to work in london on a weekly basis and renting a room in london monday to friday.
last october I joined Virgin Active Health club and signed a 12 month membership. In december I accepted a job in germany and cancelled my membership at the end of december, giving 1 months notice.
I was told I would have to pay 470 pounds (membership was 95 pounds a month). I refused saying this was unreasonable.
I supplied Virgin Active a copy of my work contract in germany as proof I was leaving the UK.
I now discover (from the owner of the house where I rented a room), that they are trying to get a CCJ to recover the 470 pounds they feel they are owed.

Should I pay up , or what ?

gareth

[MarkyMarkD]

Why not? You agreed to a 12-month contract and you legally owe them the money.

You won't win in court.

Do you really want a CCJ on your record for an amount which you genuinely do owe?

[brightonman123]

if moving out of the area, or somewhere not in easy reach of a gym, perhaps because of work, would they consider tranferring to a colleague (who naturally needs to carry on the payments!) ?

me thinks these gum contracts are rather heavy handed- OFT are you listening?

[MarkyMarkD]

I don't agree that it's inherently unfair to have a 12-month minimum term for any contract. It's common across many industry sectors - mobile phones have 12-18 month minimums; landlines have 12-18 month minimums; etc.

[tommy1954]

I have nothing against 12 month contracts. I have been a memeber of circa 10 fitness studios over the years around europe as I work in different locations, and ALL the others had a get-out clause if you had proof of relocation.(with a 1 month notice period).

Teach me to read the small-print, I guess.