Ashbourne Management - Gym Membership

angeljay

Hi,
I was wondering if someone could help me, I signed up to a 3 year contract in March 2008 for a local Gym Near me with Ashbourne Mangement for a fixed lesser amount each month.

I have not visited the Gym nor do I intend to on my first month of going I was not very happy with the service or facilities offered.

However I am still paying the DD and would like to cancel this, I have wrote the company who have informed me I cannot cancel until March 2011. Due to money problems I would prefer to cancel now and then I can use this small amount elsewhere. I explained my situation with no help or consideration from them at all.

When I originally joined the gym the sales man / gym trainer informed me that they planned on building showeres in the changing rooms in the near future. It is now nearly 18 months on and I have contacted the gym and they have said they still do not have showers but are hoping to expand in the next 12 months, can I use this to my advantage? I believed that the shower facility would be offered when it was originally opened and I joined and there is still no facility available?

Also when first visiting the gym you had to walk through a manned reception to the gym area, last time I visited around 12 months ago this changed and you had to go through a fire exit down some concrete steps as the gym is in the basement of the building. There are other companies in the same building who share the toilet / changing area.

I would be most grateful for some help with this as I would like to cancel my membership and believe that I have paid enough towards the company without actually visiting the gym!.

Also a card scheme was suppose to be introduced for entrance into the gym I do believe this has now but I was not informed of this in writing so what would happen if for example if i started going back to the gym.

Thanks for the help.

Thanks for your help,

angeljay

Bump this if anyone can offer advice ?

Amistoso_2

you signed a 3 year contract!! completey nuts IMO!!
what is different now in terms of the facilities on offer from when you signed up?

Gavin83

You can't sign up to a 3 year contract at a lower rate and then expect to end it when it no longer suits you, a contract doesn't work like that. Why did you sign up to a 3 year contract and not a standard 12 month like most offer?

mrcol1000

I think unless you have something in writing to say they were going to improve the facilties then your out of luck. Have you tried asking them if you can "buy" yourself out of the contract? But to be honest you signed up for a 3 year contract so going to have to live with it.

hollydays

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/general-debt-issues/133075-anybody-gym-membership-ashbourne.html

There seem to be a few posts about them on this site-maybe read them and see if it helps at all.

Debster63

it is not a legal document, it is just a membership form and their rules on it. my gym is exactly the same as angel has mentioned and i believe it has gone bankrupt. they have offered me an upgrade....hmmm....i would hate to think what their down grade would be. There was no flooring down, heating nothing!!

holl6481

i signed up with this company there fliers and the gym manager said you can cancel ANYTIME by giving 30 day notice didnt even go found it so much cheaper at the local sports centre wrote to them went into the gym and they said it was fine now ashbourne are sending threatining letters that they will default me with credit agency dont care dont buy on credit anyway they also say they will send debt collectors to the door hope they can run fast as i have 2 rotties this company has been taken to court by the oft and the court ruled that the contracts were misleading and unfair anyone on a contract above 12 months should be writing to ashbourne for a refund of any fees paid the full article is on the web under ashbourne management

holl6481

if you stillhave your membership details write to them read the article on the internet they have just been taken to court and any contract over 12 months was ruled to be unfair as it was misleading have a read and go from there hope this helps

hollydays

http://blogs.mirror.co.uk/investigations/2010/03/watchdog-takes-gym-company-ash.html

johnnyboyrebel

holl6481 wrote: »

if you stillhave your membership details write to them read the article on the internet they have just been taken to court and any contract over 12 months was ruled to be unfair as it was misleading have a read and go from there hope this helps

The OP chose a 3 year membership so to turn around now and play the card that it was "unfair" is ludicrous.

Do people not have common sense or any sense of responsibility? You can't sign up to something then decide you do not want to and threaten the company with court etc. Its out of order. People need to learn to make sensible decisions and if they make silly ones (like a 3 year membership for a gym that sounds like "ells bells" from the carry on film) then they need to accept the responsibility that they have agreed to.