Gym Membership - Where do i stand?

Dipak

Hi All,

I have question which i'm sure you'll be able to give some good advice on. I have a gym membership which i have had since Jan 2009. On my recent trip to the gym i forgot my membership card and was told by reception that on this occasion i could go in but next time i forget i would be charged £2.50 for a replacement card and if i didnt pay then i wouldnt be allowed in. None of this is printed on the T&C and the contract i signed so where do i stand?

Thanks,
Dipak

kalaika

Do you mean where do you stand on paying the £2.50 or not? If so, surely the easiest thing to do would be to just remember your card next time and there will be no problem!

By turning up without a card then they are probably within their rights to just refuse entry full stop until you could show them a card to prove you are a member.

From their point of view, the only legitimate reason for turning up without the card would be if you had lost it, so allowing you entry once without a card is probably already a concession on their part. I would think that offering you a replacement card for just £2.50 sounds like quite a good deal to me (especially as most gym memberships cost around £30-£40 a month)

Charliezoo

They normally just have rules like this to prevent people turning up without their card every time they visit - it takes up the receptionist's time having to look up members to let them in and they ask for a small payment to discourage members from doing this continuously. Quite often its just a threat and they'll let you off anyway if you don't make a habit of it.

Fire_Fox

Dipak wrote: »

Hi All,

I have question which i'm sure you'll be able to give some good advice on. I have a gym membership which i have had since Jan 2009. On my recent trip to the gym i forgot my membership card and was told by reception that on this occasion i could go in but next time i forget i would be charged £2.50 for a replacement card and if i didnt pay then i wouldnt be allowed in. None of this is printed on the T&C and the contract i signed so where do i stand?

Thanks,
Dipak

I have worked in several gyms - there are several reasons why this is done:
1. some people 'borrow' mates or family members cards or bring mates in claiming they are members
2. If there is a fire staff need to know exactly who is in the gym
3. If lockers are broken into you know exactly who was in the gym
4. Stops staff time being wasted, the serial offenders are often the rudest.

As long as you can use both of your gym cards, then you might want to have two - one in your wallet and one in the car. Or punch a hole in it and put in on your keyring, or put it in your trainers or gym bag. As Charliezoo says, be nice to the receptionists and the rules will get bent for you providing there are no managers about.

Dipak

Thank you all for your replies, and agree that i should just remember it next time to save having problems. What if there is problems with their facilities? and it has reported and still nothing has been done? where do i stand then?

Cheers,
Dipak

4743hudsonj

more details.......

its a very broad question.

KeithP

Dipak wrote: »

What if there is problems with their facilities? and it has reported and still nothing has been done? where do i stand then?

Cheers,
Dipak

A bit of a hypothetical question that.

It depends entirely on the 'problem with their facilities' I would've thought.

Wait until it happens.

somethingcorporate

Dipak wrote: »

Thank you all for your replies, and agree that i should just remember it next time to save having problems. What if there is problems with their facilities? and it has reported and still nothing has been done? where do i stand then?

Cheers,
Dipak

In what sense? Are you trying to use this as leverage to get out of a contract?

It really depends how serious a problem it is...

Dipak

Sorry I’ve had a bad experience with another gym in the past so im probably just being extra cautious.

Basically the cleanliness is doing down hill, i noticed that the steam room has got about 5 inch thick black mildew around the side. Last time i noticed something in my old gym i started getting verrucas.

I just felt that I’m happy for the gym to bring in the rule of charging if you forget your card but shouldn’t that some how work both ways? e.g. the facilities should be in a good state and if not then they should be penalised?

KeithP

Dipak wrote: »

...the facilities should be in a good state and if not then they should be penalised?

Of course they should.

You could start by deciding not to renew you membership if you feel so inclined.