Gym membership continued to charge for 18 months after cancellation?!

Firstly I know i should have cancelled the direct debit and checked my bills, but I only get a yearly statement for this account.

I started a gym membership back in 2011 for £52 per month.

When I moved away at the end of 2013, I called and spoke to a rep to cancel. It was my recollection that everything was done and dusted.

After last week checking my savings and billings account, I found a £52 transaction from the company every month for the last 2 years.

After speaking to their membership manager, she says they only accept written confirmation of cancellation, so my membership has continued all this time. The last time I signed into the gym was July 2013 and they have that on record. Costing over £1000

They refuse to refund me any money for this period of membership, is there anything I can do?!

Replies

  • StuC75StuC75 Forumite
    2.1K Posts
    Suck it up and take it as a valuable lesson in life - is about the best you can do.

    The gym has no concern about when you last may have used the gym - so much of there profits are from those that don't attend all the time - its easy money and not really there problem, its the customers loss not making use of the facilities they are paying for..

    You might be able to make a direct debit claim - but then again you didn't give the required notice - and you would likely face debt collectors \ further action as they then recovered the money for the facilities that they had made available for nearly 2 years..

    I have a annual travel card for work, but for the last couple of months have cycled to work everyday, but I don't think of getting a refund on that as ive chosen not to use it..
  • geoffkengeoffken Forumite
    352 Posts
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    Well you could almost certainly get a refund on travel card /rail,season if you surrender it.
    Check T & C for more details.
  • DCFC79DCFC79 Forumite
    40.6K Posts
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Forumite
    Firstly I know i should have cancelled the direct debit and checked my bills, but I only get a yearly statement for this account.

    I started a gym membership back in 2011 for £52 per month.

    When I moved away at the end of 2013, I called and spoke to a rep to cancel. It was my recollection that everything was done and dusted.

    After last week checking my savings and billings account, I found a £52 transaction from the company every month for the last 2 years.

    After speaking to their membership manager, she says they only accept written confirmation of cancellation, so my membership has continued all this time. The last time I signed into the gym was July 2013 and they have that on record. Costing over £1000

    They refuse to refund me any money for this period of membership, is there anything I can do?!

    Chalk it up to experience, read the T&C's in future.
  • Learn from it, that is all.

    1) You need to put your cancellation in writing

    2) You need to cancel the diect debit
  • dodger1dodger1 Forumite
    4.6K Posts
    Why didn't you cancel the direct debit?
    It's someone else's fault.
  • Indout96Indout96 Forumite
    2.3K Posts
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Forumite
    How did you not notice you were down over £1,000 ???
    Totally Debt Free & Mortgage Free Semi retired and happy
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