Fitness First Contract Cancellation Inside 12 Months

Cmdr_Bond

I hope this is in the right section, I wasn't sure where else to put it.

This is a bit of a tricky one.

Fitness first offered all members of staff at my company a very good corporate rate. However we signed up direct with FF and not through our company.

The wife pushed for me to accept the offer as this was, quote: "her favourite club". I am not a big fan of health clubs so made her promise that she was going to use it before agreeing to sign up. She won't go on her own, so I had to sign up as well.

We have used it a few times, and then not at all. We are now 3 months in to a 12 month contract and it does not look like we will us it in the future. I am more angry with myself (and my wife) than with FF, as at the end of the day I signed the contract.

There is a chance that my wife MAY be able to cancel her membership on medical grounds, but mine could be a completely different story - my only hope would be to get someone compassionate when cancelling hers.

The guy on the end of the phone told me that if I canceled the Direct Debits I would end up with debt collection agencies on my doorstep. He has put my accounts on a free 3 month freeze, but that still means I have 9 months left of the contract to run after those 3 months are up.

Is there anything I can do? The guy on the end of the phone suggested I pass the membership onto someone else (I might be able to do this through work) - but if I can't it looks like I am just going to have lump it.

I appreciate the fact I have signed a contract, but can they really legally send debt collectors after you for not paying for facilities and services that you don't use - as I am sure the accounts would become hotlisted the moment the payments ceased.

fluffnutter

There are lots of problems with gym contracts and their very inflexible cancellation policies and the OFT has recently suggested that excessively long contracts can be deemed unfair. However, they were referring to contracts of over 12 months (up to 3 years) and I've a feeling that 12 months would be seen as *fairly* reasonable.

I personally don't think you have much redress here. The term's not overly long, the services are still on offer and are fit for purpose - you've merely changed your mind. I doubt you can legally terminate this contract - it's not unfair and they've fulfilled their part of the bargain. Any refusal on your part to keep paying will mean debt collectors - and this will be legal.

Can you not force yourselves to go?

Cmdr_Bond

fluffnutter wrote: »

...

Can you not force yourselves to go?

might have too

gordikin

Cmdr_Bond wrote: »

might have too

Go with Miss Moneypenny perhaps?

Cmdr_Bond

gordikin wrote: »

Go with Miss Moneypenny perhaps?

If you mean Samantha Bond - I'd go with her alright - not necessarily to FF though

pmduk

Cmdr_Bond wrote: »

but can they really legally send debt collectors after you for not paying for facilities and services that you don't use

They can and will. Gyms make most of their profit from people who sign up then rarely use the facilities.