Gym wanting money to cancel?

fifi29

We cancelled our gym membership by letter in May, to end at the end of June, and have just had a call from a debt collection agency saying they want £140 to cancel our membership as we cannot do so unless we are injured or move! I have read through the details of the contract and there is nothing about this in it. We had gone several months past our 12 month initial contract period, and it says in the contract it then automatically goes to monthly.
In fact they have breached their part of the contract by not contacting us to confirm the cancellation
Do they have any right to this? We are furious!
What would be the best path next? Has anyone else come across this?
TIA

mountainofdebt

It seems very heavy handed for the gym to go straight to a debt collection agency but there's no accounting for some people eh?

Anyway, if you are sure of your position then I would write to the debt collection agency, enclosing a copy of your letter to the gym and the contract and ask them to point out in the contract exactly what part of the contract you have broken.

You may find that this a try on and they back off but if they do reply at least you know on what grounds they are fighting you on.