Madnessa's Debt Diary & Change Life by Xmas Challenge

Madnessa

lynzpower wrote: »

have you checked on the council tax banding reclaim ? theres a lot of info there but you COULD be due a rebate

All the flats in our old building are band E (checked on the internet) and I should have done that before renting the flat - lesson learned!

But we are up to date with the payments there so they say they will probably owe us some extra money as the bill we paid was till the middle of July! I would be happy with £50-£100 back to bung on my CC. Will make a little but handy dent.

Lucie_2

Madnessa wrote: »

Just phoned the [STRIKE]bastar[/STRIKE] erm... I mean lovely people from my gym and it turns out I can't freeze my gym membership on my contract. The contract from before I joined contains this option but I have missed the boat on that one!!! :mad:

This is not over. There must be a way of getting out. Only problem is it is a joint membership for two (and by the way we do normally go about 4-5 times a week but we are now doing up our flat so won't have enough time over the next few months). We can hardly both go to the doctor saying we are too unwell to use the facilities so we can get out of it.

I must try and find another way

Ways to get out of your gym contract:
-death/pregnancy. Not really an option
- illness/injury preventing you from attending. Will usually require a doctor's note, but it doesn't have to be physical. Depending on how you get on with your GP, can you tell him/her that you are sick with worry & stress about your debt, and the gym membership is making it worse?
- moving to an area which doesn't have another branch to transfer to. Have a look on their website and find out where they DON'T have a gym. Tell them you're moving, but wait a couple of weeks, and don't speak to the same person that you spoke to about freezing your contract!

Madnessa

Thanks RAS

We've only been living here since January so don't know the area that well. But I will be looking out for good buys on my way to work.

Will investigate Leeds too.

The good news is that OH did have three days work this week so will be getting paid about £130 next Friday! There will be food for us

Don't know what he will be doing next week though.

I've just checked our bank accounts and after the mortgage payment goes out Monday there will be £10 left on joint account, £5 left on mine and 35p left on his :eek:

At least if we don't have it we can't spend it. Was a little over enthusiastic when I wanted to get my CC down to exactly 3,700.

But we have enough food and petrol to last us more than a week.

Madnessa

Lucie wrote: »

Tell them you're moving, but wait a couple of weeks, and don't speak to the same person that you spoke to about freezing your contract!

Thanks Lucie. The good news is I asked about freezing on the phone and they never got my name just asked my membership type and how long I had been a member.

I will be going for this option as I find death a little extreem and it's just not the right reason to have a baby

Also as there are two of us we need to find a way of cancelling both and 'moving' is the perfect one! :T

Madnessa

I am on the phone to my club now! On hold. Have seen they have no clubs where I used to live in the midlands. They tried to tell me just to go to go to Birmingham Club :eek: :mad: 60 mile round trip to go to the gym! Interesting idea.

So now I have to write a letter to their Head Office. I think I am going to do it Special Delivery. Know it will cost extra, however then they can't give me the classic "what letter" response when I follow up on it!

Thanks
Vanessa

Lucie_2

Madnessa wrote: »

So now I have to write a letter to their Head Office. I think I am going to do it Special Delivery. Know it will cost extra, however then they can't give me the classic "what letter" response when I follow up on it!

I would also drop a copy of the same letter into the club as well. Try & give it to the general manager in person, or make a note of who you gave it to.
I hope you gave it the big sob story of how you really want to stay with them, but as they have no club near your new address you'll have to go to another club & you know it won't be as good blah blah

I'm just being nosey - it's not Bannatynes is it?

Madnessa

Lucie wrote: »

I would also drop a copy of the same letter into the club as well. Try & give it to the general manager in person, or make a note of who you gave it to.
I hope you gave it the big sob story of how you really want to stay with them, but as they have no club near your new address you'll have to go to another club & you know it won't be as good blah blah

I'm just being nosey - it's not Bannatynes is it?

Good guess!

How d'you know that??

You don't have a horror story to tell about them do you?? :eek:

System

Just a note re: Gym.

It can be argued that the cost of buying out your contract (3 months) is an illegal clause, because it amounts to an unfair penalty because your leaving would not have any material effect on the gyms cash flow.

We successfully argued this with David lloyd (although they do still chance their arm by calling, but they always decline to see us in court )

If you want I can show you how we did it, drop me a pm

System

Or if you dont fancy a good dingdong with the gym ( I love not being a "contract victim" anymore and telling them, nah, begging them to take me to court ) you could always switch it to a single membership. This would at least allow you to save money.

Madnessa

Thanks to everybody who has given me great advice! :T

I really appreciate it and have loads to get on with over the weekend. I have challenged myself not to spend anything :eek:

Have a great MSE weekend everybody and will be back next week!