Gym locked me in a 12 month membership when i was 15

welshlil

Have you used the gym for the past 10 months? I don't see how you can opt out after this length of time. Our boy signed up after being cajoled by staff, and he did not bother to read the small print, he was 16 at the time, neither was he asked proof of age, which was even more surprising as he is only 5'5" tall and weighs 9st, quite small - the same evening as soon as we realised that he had signed a contract, 18 stipulated on the back, we rang the gym and asked why it was 18. Insurance, We cancelled the direct debit straight away - informed the manager that we wanted the payment put back into his account. As it happened I met an acquaintance and mentioned it to her, the same had happened with her 15 year old daughter. This gym seems to allow you a 'freebie' session, but the staff get a bonus for each new member signed. She had to tell the manager that she would have no hesitation in telling our local evening paper how the staff operate. We allowed 7 days for the refund, with no joy, another telephone call and the mention of the paper and their practice and the money was back in the account very quickly. We did get a letter asking why had the next payment had been refused by the bank. Makes you wonder if anybody ever listens.

sparkey1

Whether or not you have used the gym. 18 is the legal age for a contract, therefore unless 18 the contract is non enforceable. Go down there with proof of date and birth and that will end it all.

Crazy_Jamie

LinasPilibaitisisbatman wrote: »

Think this contract could be enforcable in all honesty, there is no credit, the OP at 15 should be able to understand a gym contract, and has derived a benefit from it.

You have misread your own link. To be enforceable it must be a contract of necessity, which a gym contract simply is not. Ethics of the situation aside, the gym has no way to compel the OP at law to pay the remaining membership fees. Whilst the OP can perhaps justifiably be criticised here, all companies, especially those tying customers into contracts, should be aware of the law regarding dealing with minors. The gym committed an oversight in not checking the OP's age, and will miss out on membership fees because of that. Then again the cynic in me suggests that they wouldn't really mind. They have no loss realistically and have gained 10 months worth of fees from a minor.