David Lloyd have passed me to a debt collection agency for 3 months notice- help!
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amyajb
Posts: 2 Newbie
David Lloyd referred me to debt collector for notice I didn't realise I had to give, please help!
This is the first time I've posted on a forum, thanks in advance for any help I'll really appreciate it.
Last January I paid David Lloyd up front for a 12 month membership. I was of course tied in because I'd paid up front. I did use it for first six months and not much for second six months. I always knew I wouldn't renew because it was a one off opportunity because I had money available. I thought 12 months, done the time, won't renew.
Late last year I started to get emails to remind me I could renew along these lines:
Dear Ms Barker,
Membership Number: xxxxx
Just to let you know that you can pay your membership fees:-
Online with a debit or credit card by going to the website xxxxxxx and following the instructions on screen.
Via our Automated Payment System with a debit or credit card, by calling 0207 048 7438 (you will need your membership number).
If you wish to take advantage of either of these services your current membership fee of £891.00 is due for your membership at Newcastle.
Both the online payments service and the automated payment service will only be available to you for the above payment until midnight on the last day of this month.
Of course, if you have recently sent payment please ignore this email.
Yours Sincerely
Stephen Empson
Group Central Membership Manager
In January I got texts and phone messages- pretty constant while I was at work- asking me to contact them to renew my membership. As I didn't want to renew I didn't call them just allowed it to lapse and moved on to using a local pool.
Nothing once we got to February. Then today an email from ARC Collections asking me to contact them. I emailed them back to say why are you contacting me, I have no interesticon in renewing. Then I googled it and realised from other people's problems that they will be expecting 3 months notice and now adminicon fees.
Am absolutely desperate, I can't afford this and I don't know what to do. Am also outraged because DL never gave me a moment of indication what they were expecting in calls, emails and texts. Not even a hint. I feel this is set up to ensure people who pay up front fall into this trap. They should contact people in advance and remind about the notice period.
I just didn't realise. And now am in trouble. I haven't done anything else yet because I don't know what best to do. Would be so, so grateful for advice.
Thanks so much
This is the first time I've posted on a forum, thanks in advance for any help I'll really appreciate it.
Last January I paid David Lloyd up front for a 12 month membership. I was of course tied in because I'd paid up front. I did use it for first six months and not much for second six months. I always knew I wouldn't renew because it was a one off opportunity because I had money available. I thought 12 months, done the time, won't renew.
Late last year I started to get emails to remind me I could renew along these lines:
Dear Ms Barker,
Membership Number: xxxxx
Just to let you know that you can pay your membership fees:-
Online with a debit or credit card by going to the website xxxxxxx and following the instructions on screen.
Via our Automated Payment System with a debit or credit card, by calling 0207 048 7438 (you will need your membership number).
If you wish to take advantage of either of these services your current membership fee of £891.00 is due for your membership at Newcastle.
Both the online payments service and the automated payment service will only be available to you for the above payment until midnight on the last day of this month.
Of course, if you have recently sent payment please ignore this email.
Yours Sincerely
Stephen Empson
Group Central Membership Manager
In January I got texts and phone messages- pretty constant while I was at work- asking me to contact them to renew my membership. As I didn't want to renew I didn't call them just allowed it to lapse and moved on to using a local pool.
Nothing once we got to February. Then today an email from ARC Collections asking me to contact them. I emailed them back to say why are you contacting me, I have no interesticon in renewing. Then I googled it and realised from other people's problems that they will be expecting 3 months notice and now adminicon fees.
Am absolutely desperate, I can't afford this and I don't know what to do. Am also outraged because DL never gave me a moment of indication what they were expecting in calls, emails and texts. Not even a hint. I feel this is set up to ensure people who pay up front fall into this trap. They should contact people in advance and remind about the notice period.
I just didn't realise. And now am in trouble. I haven't done anything else yet because I don't know what best to do. Would be so, so grateful for advice.
Thanks so much
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Comments
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What do your terms say?0
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You should contact David Lloyd, don't just ignore it. Phone the club and try to speak to them.
They are really crafty, and I do feel for you. This really puts me off joining them. I nearly joined on the advance upfront yearly fee- I couldn't work out whether you were supposed to give notice after 9 months or after 12, in which case you would have to pay for an additional 3 months. I do remember though that 3months notice is in their terms.
If you pay it you should try to get them to use the club for 3 months. But I expect they have some term that covers that.
Post this on debt free wannabes, as people there are very knowledgeable about debt collectors.0 -
Thank you both, the t&cs do say the 3 months - I'm trying a letter written by someone on the Consumer Action website to the collections agent, to say no. They've advised to then offer them one month payment and if they refuse that to go to DL and not deal with the agency any more. I did think that if I end up having to pay for 3 months it would be fighting with DL to let me have 3 months- of course I have already lost nearly 1.5 of the months not realising this was even happening. Don't join DL loveka- apparently they are the only ones with this 3 month clause and it's a clear way to trap people who pay up front.0
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I would advise anyone joining David Lloyd to send an electronic message (via their members' lounge website) cancelling their membership at the end the minimum term as soon as they join.
This means that if you choose not to stay after the minimum term you don't need to remember to do anything, but if you do want to stay, they'll probably offer you a free month to retain you as a member.Let's settle this like gentlemen: armed with heavy sticks
On a rotating plate, with spikes like Flash Gordon
And you're Peter Duncan; I gave you fair warning0 -
Look at the "Cancelling a gym membership" page on citizens advice web site, very informative. DL are bad because they dont seek permission to renew contracts amongst other things.
Also read the artical in The Guardian from 7th March 2013, DL and others were told to change their ways.0 -
Look at the "Cancelling a gym membership" page on citizens advice web site, very informative. DL are bad because they dont seek permission to renew contracts amongst other things.
Also read the artical in The Guardian from 7th March 2013, DL and others were told to change their ways.
You do know the thread is from 2015 ?0 -
Look at the "Cancelling a gym membership" page on citizens advice web site, very informative. DL are bad because they dont seek permission to renew contracts amongst other things.
Also read the artical in The Guardian from 7th March 2013, DL and others were told to change their ways.
You clearly agreed not to hijack threads as part of your signup - So why are you doing it?0 -
I was a member of David Lloyd until 2006. I may well have still been a member if they hadn't had this policy. There was talk of redundancy at work so I gave notice and left. Redundancy never happened.
I spent a lot of time when I was there trying to work out why a company would do such a thing. They know you haven't attended and then they try and charge you.
One neighbour told me he gave notice to leave every month and then told them to forget the notice and continue his membership. I work in an industry with people on short term contracts and luckily they seem to know to avoid David Lloyd.
Surely once you have sent debt collectors that customer is never going to return?
They are a long established business with a reasonable product. Over priced in my opinion. Why would you want to be famous for employing these tactics?0
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