Gym Membership and a Fee - HELP

helenp8783

I'm wanting to join a gym but on a rolling monthly style, however i went in tonight and they said that if i pay £28 a month i would be signing a contract for 12 months (which i dont want) and also having to pay a £16 fee to set up a direct debit - they wont let me just come in a pay it each month - is this right ? it seems a bit steep that im paying a monthly fee as well as the fee for a direct debit set up.


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Fire_Fox

That is standard for any commercial club, most people don't use their membership after the first month so it's the only way they can make money. People don't come in and pay every month, and there are admin costs with that system. Occasionally you can get a trial three/ six month membership if you pay the full amount up front.

Try your local council gym, university or college gym, YMCA or others that are charitable or non profit making. Alternatively the closer you get to Christmas the better deals there often are in the big chains, November is quiet but December is absolutely dead for sales.

jackomdj

We have a local gym which is pay as you go. It is part of the David Lloyd group. We do also have a David Lloyd branded DL gym which you have a contract.

Although I have not used it myself (always too busy with work/children etc) my children go to holiday club there and it always seems well used.

suited-aces

If you're near pure gym (https://www.puregym.com - generic link, not my referral), they do monthly contracts, though there is usually a joining fee, but these are waved in certain areas from time to time.

rxbren

nearly all gyms have a minimum contract and a lot charge some sort of joining fee

the one i use has no joining fee or contract just pay per month and cancel when needed although it is a proper gym and not a fitness centre so is not a large chain that need to have contracts to keep them afloat

socks_uk

suited-aces wrote: »

If you're near pure gym (https://www.puregym.com - generic link, not my referral), they do monthly contracts, though there is usually a joining fee, but these are waved in certain areas from time to time.

I'm another Pure Gym member. Open 24 hrs a day and our local gym even did a deal with a shop close by to allow us free parking. Handy as the gym is right in the town centre. Search for your local gym here... http://www.puregym.com/findgym

If you are lucky enough to live near one, it is generally £17.99 a month (£24.99 in London). I've been clicking on various locations and most seem to be no joining fee at the moment. I was lucky enough to join my Pure Gym in Grimsby before it opened and pay £10.99 a month for a year and then £17.99 a month FOR LIFE (unless I leave). There are 32 Pure Gyms already open and a list of 10 that are 'opening soon' and so will probably be £10.99 a month if you join before they open. (Please note: Same price for all so no concessions)

If you do join Pure Gym, ask suited-aces or myself for our referral code in a private message.

Cpu2007

I was going to make a new topic but I think my question my be appropriate here, please let me know if you think I should open a new topic.

I am looking for a fitness centre as well but finding really hard to find one that doesn't do contracts.
I am looking for a fitness centre with gym and swimming pool so I can alternate.
What I mean is that with no contracts I have to pay joining fee plus £30 a month and I can cancel at any time.
A fitness centre close to me does it for £20 with no joining fee but I'm bound to a 12 months contract-now this is very harsh in my opinion and I might not be able to keep up with a 12 months contract.

My question here is about legality now - Is it possible for me to get it on contract, stay there as much as I can and then once I think I can't afford it(after 3-4 months) just stop going there and block the transaction, do you guys think this is possible? I know morally is wrong, although trying to bound a person on a such contracts is proportionally wrong in my opinion but my question is focused on whether this can have legal consequences?

femigirl

suited-aces and socks_uk you are superstars, i have gone on pure gym website and there a gym near me in London. If you have a referal code please could you send me message pretty please. Thanking you in advance. Can you go to different pure gym if need be do you know?

Fire_Fox

Cpu2007 wrote: »

I was going to make a new topic but I think my question my be appropriate here, please let me know if you think I should open a new topic.

I am looking for a fitness centre as well but finding really hard to find one that doesn't do contracts.
I am looking for a fitness centre with gym and swimming pool so I can alternate.
What I mean is that with no contracts I have to pay joining fee plus £30 a month and I can cancel at any time.
A fitness centre close to me does it for £20 with no joining fee but I'm bound to a 12 months contract-now this is very harsh in my opinion and I might not be able to keep up with a 12 months contract.

My question here is about legality now - Is it possible for me to get it on contract, stay there as much as I can and then once I think I can't afford it(after 3-4 months) just stop going there and block the transaction, do you guys think this is possible? I know morally is wrong, although trying to bound a person on a such contracts is proportionally wrong in my opinion but my question is focused on whether this can have legal consequences?

Very few private chains will offer no contract, they make their profits on the months that people pay but don't attend not on the regular as clockwork attendees. Pools are incredibly expensive to run between servicing (water must be tested several times a day as well as the plant room stuff), chemicals and electricity. There is nothing harsh about needing to plan your business expenditure around income. If there were no contracts private gyms would close for several months a year and staff would be unemployed.

Try your local council fitness centre, university, college, school or YMCA gym, these are all more likely to be more flexible. If you sign a legally binding contract stick it out, make no mistake private chains will hound you and destroy your credit rating. TBH if money is so tight you don't think you can afford the year you would be better with a more MSE exercise system like road running and home DVDs and setting some 'rainy day' savings aside.

prowla

Why not just use your local sports centre?

(It also seems a bit daft charging you a fee so that you can pay them...)

suited-aces

femigirl wrote: »

suited-aces and socks_uk you are superstars, i have gone on pure gym website and there a gym near me in London. If you have a referal code please could you send me message pretty please. Thanking you in advance. Can you go to different pure gym if need be do you know?

My understanding is that if you join a London gym, you can access any of their gyms, and if you join one outside London, you can access any of their gyms outside London. There was something to that effect on the website a while ago, but I can't find it now I'm afraid. Their twitter team is quite active though if you want to ask them, or other members on their facebook page.

By the way, the monthly price you join at is held for the duration of your membership, but I think the price is due to rise by £1/month for new members on Dec 1st.