Esporta - cancelling gym membership

rkd_999

Hi Guys

I'm hoping someone can help. I have been a member of Esporta for over 4 years and am now moving out of the area and need to cancel my membership. I am advised that I can not just cancel my membership as of the end of June ( I have given them 10 days notice) but need to give a full calendar month, meaning that I have to pay over £50 for an extra month (up to 30 July) for a gym membership I can not use. I am thinking of just cancelling my DD as of the 30 June and advising them of this, are they able to sue me or give me an adverse credit history if I do this?

Please help.

Thanks

Hippychick

I used to be a member of Esporta, my contract stipulated that I had to give one months notice.

i wrote to them cancelling the contract and returned my entry card with the letter, this was then hand delivered.

Cheeky !!!!!!s not only got the one months membership out of me but also tried to claim about £18.00 for part of the month (as I did not cancel on the 1st). They only sent me notification in a letter about this extra payment by which time i had cancelled the DD so they could not take it. I ignored the letter and a lady left me one voicemail to which I did not respond.

I never heard from them about it afterwards they gave up pretty quickly.

i think if your contract says one months notice thats what you have to give.

Astaroth

If the contract states one months notice then to cancel your direct debit would put you in breach of the contract and so the debt could be given to a debt collection agency (who can now bill you for their costs rather than the creditor having to pay as it used to be) and they could issue court proceedings against you.

edwara

rkd_999 I have just had the same problem. Just wasted a month's membership but it is what is stated in the contract - I was a member for over 7 years. I have also heard of them using debt collection agencies so be careful if you cancel your DD.

JonH_3

My wife and I went to have a look round an Esporta on Friday and like what we saw. I kept saying to her "just wait 'till we hear the price".

Then after they gave us a few more drinks (coffee and beer) they offered us a deal. I was shocked by the price, however I didn't know what other gyms were charging. It was all very nice though. We agreed and at this point and out came the paperwork with the words "Consumer credit act 1974" on it. I was glad of this. I work in retail and I offer can offer my products of finance and knew there is a cooling off period. Yeh right!!! On the form it states "You have NO right to cancel this under the consumer credit act 1974".

That night we didn't get a wink of sleep as we were so worried about what we had done and felt very sick. We were wrong to sign without reading a bit more. Their sales person had to get a deal no matter what.

Today is our first visit and we are hating it already.

Yes, we know we were fools but is there anything we can do to cancel it? Can anyone offer us some advice?

molerat

If the forms were signed on their premises there is no cooling off period. That will be the same with the products you offer as long as the form is not taken off the premises to sign.

blue_monkey_2

Watchdog covered this company earlier this year. I would not touch them with a bargepole!!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/consumer/tv_and_radio/watchdog/reports/health_and_beauty/health_20070321.shtml

stroudy89

Hi

I work for Esporta and can let you know the facts of what you have signed. Basically there is no cooling off period because you signed on the premises, as opposed to them coming to your door or place of work. The only way you can get out of it is by talking to the Club manager and telling him the truth, that it isn't something you want now and would like to cancel. The worst he can say is no and then you'll be in the same situation as you are now.

Just remember though you did like what you saw at the club and they are the best clubs in the UK. What were you planning to do there, have you any goals you want to achieve? What club was it you joined?

Hope this helps

David

stroudy89

We have had bad press on watchdog before but things have changed throughout the company and you won't expect such a poor service again. I am sure sales consultants there will tug on your heart strings to buy but that is their job. You are there to join a gym, which is why you went in the first place. No gyms allow people to get out of their contracts and all gyms will chase people who just cancell dd's

JonH_3

Thanks for your reply. We will do our best to enjoy it.

Cheers

parkemitch

We were a member for years to and when we wanted to leave for the same reason, We thought this to be totally wrong so just cancelled the DD and did not pay. (After a few 'kind' words *cough*)

We never heard anything back :rolleyes: