Contract dispute

gezza75

Hi,
I'm not sure if this is the correct place to ask this but maybe some of you know whether I have much of a chance to get out of this contract. I took up a position as a personal trainer and signed a contract with a personal training company (who send trainers to gyms) for a six month contract(3 more months to pay at 400 pounds a month). Anyway, I think I was conned into this position. I asked to see the gym before working there and they agreed but asked me to pretend I was going to be signing up as a member and not going in as a trainer. I think I know why now. When I started working, everybody there was saying this is not a good location for a trainer and most people who use the gym just don't have the money to hire anyone. The PT before me left on similar cicumstances. I was told by the company it would be a good opportunity there but it turns out i've had only one person interested since being there. I really feel they conned me into signing up and I bet when I leave they will do the same to the next person. I've had no contact from the company for the first weeks even though I was supposed to be on a mentorship. Have I got much hope of getting out of the remaining months of the contract?
Kind regards
Gez

asajj

Well, what does your contract say about getting out of it ??

gezza75

well it says a three month notice but I don't see why I should have to pay that (at 400 pounds a month) when I haven't exactly had a service from the company and got misled about the gym...

tomtontom

Did they guarantee a minimum number of clients?

sangie595

tomtontom wrote: »

Did they guarantee a minimum number of clients?

^^This^^^

If you were not guaranteed a certain number of clients, then they have fulfilled their contract - they have sent you to a gym. It also sounds as though you are self-employed - the work contract is between you and the individual clients. So any grounds you may have would be purely in contract law, not in employment law. But I suspect they know what they are doing here.

If you breach contract they may do nothing, but I am afraid I would not bet on that.

Oldfatgrumpy

Oh, I thought the company were paying you £400 per month as a basic salary to be topped up by training fees- until I read post #3. What services do they guarantee you in the contract for your outlay? If they're not honouring their side tell them to stuff it. Just my crochety-old-git opinion, but what's the worst they could do, take you to court for 3x £400 while you counter-claim for the £1200 you've already paid for them to do nothing?