Is admin charge by my gym for returned DD fair?

Skennedy37222

Hello, first post - sorry if I've got the wrong place!

My gym is trying to charge me £20 for a returned DD for my £20 gym membership.

They have my mobile & email but have written to me about this over 1 month after the payment was missed, I thought they would try to take the payment again or along with this months but they didn't.

They also want me to pay by cheque.

I've had to complain to the before when they took double one month for no reason.

Does anyone know if/how I can dispute this charge?

Tiddlywinks

Why was the DD returned? If your fault, and there is a clause in your contract with the gym allowing for this, then why shouldn't they charge?

You could always write or phone and see if they will withdraw it this time as a gesture of goodwill.

whitewing

I think it is probably reasonable, especially if it is a small gym that outsources its dd collection. You may well have been the only payment that bounced. It would cost the gym to have a report of unpaid dd's, then they would have to contact you (which would take admin time), then they would have to pay your cheque in and may be charged business bank rates for handling the cheque.

But then you have to match it against the amount of the DD. £20 charge for missing a £20 dd payment. I can see why you are disgruntled.

£20 gym membership seems pretty low to me. Is it? Maybe they should up their prices.

Skennedy37222

Thanks for the quick replies. I mainly was thinking that £20 is excessive.

It's a large company but a small residential gym with limited facilities that's why it's cheap.

The problem occurred because I was changing jobs but other companies have been easy to contact & change payments, my gym is very difficult to contact & I expected they would be the same as other gyms & attempt to take the payment another time. Yes this is my mistake but £20 still seems excessive for an automated letter (addressed 'Dear Sirs/ Madam')

whitewing

It was only a £20 direct debit, so I can't see why you couldn't have had funds in the account at the right time to be honest, new job or not.

If the gym is difficult to contact, that implies you're not using it?

If they have taken over a month to contact you, that implies that you are also not bothered at missing payments and contacting them. Perhaps if you had contacted them as soon as you missed the payment they could have had a cheque for the missing money and not charged you at all.

Send them a cheque for £30 (specifying that £20 is the membership) with a covering note and see what they say, but you may find your membership is cancelled.

Skennedy37222

Thanks for the replies. As they've now written to me I have a phone number so I will speak to them Monday (I can't post a cheque - no cheque book).

I thought £20 admin seemed excessive but feedback here suggests not, this is what I was trying to find out so thanks.

I do visit the gym regularly but it is an unstaffed gym - contacting them is through a management company and health company depending on the issue, there is no way to reach them in person.

At the time I simply didn't have £20, realise that may not seem like much to some people but it was at the time to me, I have the gym membership for health reasons (before anyone suggests I shouldn't have it on a low income, I just have to budget)

[Deleted User]

Skennedy37222 wrote: »

T I have the gym membership for health reasons (before anyone suggests I shouldn't have it on a low income, I just have to budget)

I think a council-run gym might be more suited to your needs (and income).

Skennedy37222

The council gym is actually more expensive! £20 is a very reasonable price for a gym.

But thanks for the suggestion.

EccentricRavenJewellery

Skennedy37222 wrote: »

The council gym is actually more expensive! £20 is a very reasonable price for a gym.

But thanks for the suggestion.

I realise you may not be in the same area as me, but Birmingham City Council (and I presume others) run what is called Be-Active, where the gyms and swimming pools (as well as some classes) are free to use at certain times. The swimming pool I work at is free through all of its working hours to Be-Active customers.
You get on Be-Active by showing proof of low income, tax credits, benefits, etc..
It may be worth investigating if your council does something like this.

But I agree overall, it's a very reasonable charge for membership.
The 'spit and sawdust' gym over the road from me also charges £20 a month.