Gym membership, advice needed!

sunshinesheli

Hi Guys,

A year ago I joined Cannons gym on a 12 month contract, all was fine, I went to the gym regularly and enjoyed it. In january this year, I recieved a voicemail message from Cannons (who are now Nuffield Health) saying my contract was coming to an end and I needed to renew it. As I'm now a bit busier, have a bit less money and will be moving in the next year anyway, I didn't fancy being stuck in another 12 month contract, and was fully prepared to say 'No thanks'.

However.. The next time I went to the gym I was told by the girl behind the counter that she needed me to sign something. When I asked what it was she said it was my renewal, which I needed to sign in order to keep the cheaper rate that I'm on. I realise at this point I should have read the bloody thing(!) but I was in a bit of a rush as I only had just over an hour until the gym closed. So i didn't read it. I DID ask the girl if it was a 12 month conract, or would I be able to cancel at any time?? She said she thought I'd be ok to cancel, then checked on the computer and told me that 'yes, you'll be fine cancelling after March, because you're just renewing'. So i signed it, and got on with my workout.

Last month I sent Nuffield a letter stating that I wished to cancel my membership, and that I would be cancelling my direct debit from April, One month after i was told i could cancel from.

I recieved a letter this wek teling me that I'm on a 12 month contract and can't cancel until Febuary 2010, and that if I stop my payments I will be contacted for any which are outstnding.


I know I made a stupid mistake by not reading it myself, but I honestly believed that what the girl said to me could be trusted...

Do I have a leg to stand on, or am I stuck?!

Hailz86

In the first instance I would say you May be stuck, but it is worth writing to the company and saying exactly what the girl behind the desk has said to you, and say that as she is an employee you take what she has said to be representitive of the company policy/terms and that you believe that this should be upholded. Always worth atry. x

Takoda

I too joined last year for 12 months as I was training for my first marathon (done and dusted this January!!! Raised £1000 for our local hospice)

Anyway I'm posting because I got lots of reminders about renewal. Cannons emailed me, texted me and had notices up at the gym about it. They all offered me the chance to "Freeze my rate" despite the changeover. Because I'd read on here about lots and I mean LOTS of others experiences with contracts and gyms I enquired early about cancelling.

I originally joined right at the end of April 2008 (the 30th) which mean my last month would be April 2009. On the phone they tried to claim that I'd joined in May until I put them right. They said I had to meet with a member of the management to be able to cancel. This was in February.

When I got to Reception on the very next visit I asked to see a member of the management team. The receptionist asked why I wanted to see the person and I said I wanted to cancel my membership. She said "You can't cancel it yet - you'll have to wait until May"

I replied that I had definately joined in April 2008 and if they wouldn't let me cancel until May 2009 then they were breaking the terms of the 12 month contract as that would be 13 months they were holding me to and not 12!

The form asked all sorts of questions like - was I leaving because of cost? Was I going to a competitor?

If I had accepted what they told me about May then I believe I would've been tied in to another 12 months. Since two totally different members of staff both attempted to mislead me about my cancellation date I think that there may well be some underhand dealings going on with Nuffield. During tough times the gym is probably the first thing people choose not to do as there are other ways to keep fit.

It sounds very much like you were also deliberately mislead. But in your case the tactics worked. My advice - make a huge fuss. Unless you're happy to be a member for another 12 months.

My plan this year is to run outsde until about October and then join a local authority gym for the winter months. Next marathon is in early January so I'll only need 3 months gym membership.

I won't join Nuffield again that's for sure.

It is supposed to be a Health Club but the pool was frequently full of loudmouth louts - the staff were useless and never attempted to do anything about them. I also didn't appreciate cleaners mopping and hoovering and spraying around me whenever I happened to be there for the last hour. They should clean after the place is shut. We had to swop changing rooms with the blokes once due to repairs and I realised just how cold the women's changing room was! I used to have to go into a cubicle just to escape the icy blast of the air con all year round! The TVs were always on crapp stations and the piped music was often so loud you couldn't hear the TV through your headphones. Not a problem for a quick workout but when you're marathon training you're on the T mill for quite a while! There were a lot of breakdowns of equipment too everything from the jacuzzi to the sounds systems on machines, the steam room, the swimsuit dryer etc.

I have 2 weeks membership left - as you can tell I'm really going to miss it LOL.

Good luck sunshinesheli. Keep us posted.

sunshinesheli

Hmmm Thanks guys! I've never been that good at kicking up a fuss, but I think I may have to just bite the bullet and do it this time... Does anyone know if there's anything I can threaten them with?! haha! I'll be going in on Wednesday so I'll let you know what happens - would I be better going in or writing another letter?!

Sorry for all the questions, I'm a bit flustered!

Takoda

I think you should go in rather than phone because making a fuss has more impact in person. A fuss doesn't have to be loud and stroppy it can just be quiet, firm and purposeful.

Keep saying that the staff member said you could cancel and you have followed their instructions.

Keep stressing that the ONLY reason you signed was because she told you your rate would go up if you didn't sign there and then and that she told you that you could cancel at any time after March. You specifically told her that you didn't want to be tied into another 12 month contract and she didn't make it clear that that was what you were signing.

I think your main argument should be the mis-selling of the contract by their staff member. They don't exactly employ rocket scientists so just go with the argument that they didn't adequately explain what you were signing up to.

If they say you should've read it carefully - point out the time of night it was and how you felt pressured to sign etc.

If you don't get any joy then say you feel so strongly about this that you would like to take the matter up with their Head Office.

Just don't back down until you've tried everything.

Good luck.

sunshinesheli

Thank you!!

I am taking my boy as backup, but your advice has helped me feel better about doing the talking!!

Takoda

No probs - glad to have been of some help. Fingers crossed it works for you.

Takoda

How did you get on?

sunshinesheli

Chickened out... we're going in this morning - will update later today!!

System

I would just send them a letter and say you are cancelling from a certain date as previously agreed and then cancel the direct debit and ignore them. They won't do anything about it. I did the same thing with David Lloyd when i handed in my notice after 4 years and they started messing me about. The hassle isn't worth it to them and its not really credit so it doesn't go on your credit report.

sunshinesheli

Well, we went in today and spoke to someone. It's not sorted yet as he said he didn't have the authority to sort it - so is going to speak to the big boss and ring me next week. We have his name and have agreed I can call him if I've not heard from him by next Friday (they have a meeting on Wednesdays which is when he's going to talk to them about it.)

If no joy I will be getting onto Head office, but it seemed to go quite well, he seemed to realise they were in the wrong and not me yay.