Virgin Active and ARC Please HELP!!!

mrsmoo23

Hi Everyone!

Haven’t posted on here before but really hoping somebody can help me!I know there are so many posts about gym memberships and cancelling but cant find one exactly the same as mine.

I took out a month-by-month membership with virgin. There was no min 12-month contract I paid slightly more per month by DD because of this. If I wanted to cancel then I had to so before the 17th of the month.

Time came when I wanted to cancel. Rang home club and they said no problem just send in a letter to confirm it. This was at the start of the month (plenty of time before the 17th). Sent in the letter by post, didn’t do this by recorded delivery because I didn’t feel the need to because I rang in. A few days later cancelled the DD.

Anyway, several months later, I got a letter from ARC saying I owed 130quids worth of membership fees. I rang virgin who said they didn’t receive the letter saying I cancelled (surprise surprise….they probably say this to many people) and I therefore owed 3 months membership (The time that had passed.)

In all this time, I never received a letter from virgin, nothing, just ARC ringing saying I owed this money shortly followed by a letter from ARC. When I spoke to my home club about it and asked why they had never sent me any letters, the first answer I got was they didn’t have my address on there system! How ridiculous! They had my address to send to ARC!

I wrote to both arc and virgin (this time rec delivery and keeping copies of the letters). To arc I requested a copy of the contract with virgin, after reading that is a good way to stall time on these boards. I got that this morning along with a letter saying I have ten days to pay.

To virgin I wrote complaining, why I had never received correspondence from them if they felt I owed anything. Why they had passed it straight onto arc and refused to deal with me, about the terrible customer service and that I want the issue resolving. I also said I wanted a copy of the phone call with the girl who said they didn’t have my address, as this was so ridiculous. I complained that is not my fault and in that time they let 3 months pass and therefore increasing the “debt” they believe I owe. Why not contact me after one month?

Well, what I want to know now is what my next move should be. I feel so upset and angry about this situation, I can’t afford to pay that and as far as im concerned, I have followed procedure and don’t feel I should be bullied into paying this. At the same time, I don’t want it to escalate and end up with a CCJ etc. I have never been in the situation before.

I am know waiting to hear from virgin…is there anything I can send to arc to say this to stop them harassing me? Any help really really would be appreciated,

Sorry its long winded, wanted to try and get most of the points in here,

Thanks so much