Gym might ruin my credit score

DannyAndrews

In February I went to dw Preston on a day pass I filled out a membership form with the manager James Whittle leaving out my bank details telling him I would bring them in the next day , the next day I rang up saying the gym had not improved since the last time I was a member and I wasn't going to go back.I looked threw my bank statements in May and they have been taking payments out of my account!!! I have been in to find it's been filled in by James without my authorisation along with my welcome pack and card I didnt get given as I didn't give my bank details, he got them off the computer from the last time I was member he says i verbally told him too which is a load of rubbish i have my phone bill to prove I rang and it shows his handwriting on the form. I went to bank back they refunded me all the money I have been to the police but as I got my money back off my bank I have just been given a crime reference number but now arc debt recovery are on to me demanding money I think it's disgustingly have been treated so badly they are threatening me with ccj and court I shouldn't have to pay its so stressful and upsetting james offered to cancel it as a gesture of goodwill when I first went I. But I refused as I wanted my money back off them now they are saying they didn't even say that I feel powerless and my credit score will be effected I was on the phone to citizons advice today they said it seems I have exhausted every avenue please can u help
Will this effect my credit score will they take it to court???

[Deleted User]

Could you put some paragraphs in that? I'm finding it very hard to follow.

Lily-Rose_3

Deleted_User wrote: »

Could you put some paragraphs in that? I'm finding it very hard to follow.

Here you go...

In February I went to dw Preston on a day pass. I filled out a membership form with the manager James Whittle leaving out my bank details telling him I would bring them in the next da.

The next day I rang up saying the gym had not improved since the last time I was a member and I wasn't going to go back. I looked through my bank statements in May and they have been taking payments out of my account!!!

I have been in to find it's been filled in by James without my authorisation along with my welcome pack and card I didnt get given as I didn't give my bank details. He got them off the computer from the last time I was member he says I verbally told him too which is a load of rubbish i have my phone bill to prove I rang and it shows his handwriting on the form.

I went to bank back they refunded me all the money. I have been to the police but as I got my money back off my bank I have just been given a crime reference number but now arc debt recovery are on to me demanding money. I think it's disgustingly have been treated so badly they are threatening me with ccj and court.

I shouldn't have to pay its so stressful and upsetting. james offered to cancel it as a gesture of goodwill when I first went I. But I refused as I wanted my money back off them now they are saying they didn't even say that I feel powerless and my credit score will be effected.

I was on the phone to citizons advice today they said it seems I have exhausted every avenue please can u help . Will this effect my credit score will they take it to court???

Hi DannyAndrews.

You need to communicate directly with the debt collection people. If the guy at the gym has confirmed you don't owe the debt; contact the debt collection agency and tell them all this, and then tell them to contact 'James,' and confirm it.

If you don't sort it, yes it will affect your credit record. But as it is the debt collection agency who will give you that black mark, you need to communicate with them, and tell them what you have told us. And then take it from there.

DCFC79

It will affect your score but no 1 but you will see this, it could affect your credit history/file though if it isnt resolved.

Not sure what else the phone bill proves other than you called on x date.

bengal-stripe

So you visited the gym on a day pass (which presumably you paid that very day) but nevertheless you did fill in application form and, presumably, signed it. Why did you do that? Were there any cancellation provisions in that contract? Usually a contract you sign on the premises (as opposed to a contract you sign at your home) does not have a statutory cooling-off period.

If you signed a contract without the right to cancel, then you're stuck with it. Whether or not you withhold your bank details has no bearing on the contract's validity.

Is it possible you didn't pay for a day pass and the gym-session you took was the first on the new contract you did sign a few minutes earlier.

Maybe you haven't given us the whole story.

sourcrates

Are gym memberships reported on your credit file ? Anyone ?

Lily-Rose_3

sourcrates wrote: »

Are gym memberships reported on your credit file ? Anyone ?

Very possibly. Read this.

http://moneyning.com/credit/could-your-gym-membership-ruin-your-credit/

It's basically an agreement to pay for a service that you agreed to use for a specific amount of time, and if you don't adhere to it - even if it's accidental; you could find yourself with a black mark on your credit file.

pappa_golf

the thing is , they can only report non payment , if there is or was a contract in place , otherwise any company could do it to anyone /

you need to get specific help on this , to a point where they produce a signed contract

Ben8282

You have a crime reference number.
Inform the debt collectors that there has been fraud on the part of the gym, provide them with the crime reference number and draw to their attention that they should not be attempting to collect the proceeds of a crime from you or profit from a criminal act.
That should scare them off.

That said, it is unclear why you filled in the membership form if you did not want to becomea member.

I hope you also realise that if you cannot prove what you are saying and the name that you have given is this Manager's real name he could sue you for liable and/or deformation over this post

GingerBob_3

Lily-Rose wrote: »

Very possibly. Read this.

http://moneyning.com/credit/could-your-gym-membership-ruin-your-credit/

It's basically an agreement to pay for a service that you agreed to use for a specific amount of time, and if you don't adhere to it - even if it's accidental; you could find yourself with a black mark on your credit file.

The link here is to an American site. In the UK I don't know of any gyms that report you to the CRAs - why would they be allowed to do so? The only danger of being blacklisted by the CRAs is if the gym secures a county court judgement against you, and you don't pay it.

matttye

I agree with bengal-stripe, post #6. If you signed the membership form which entailed signing up to a certain contract length without a 'cooling off' period then you're stuck with it.

You have a complaint against the unauthorised use of your bank details if you withheld them from the form, but it wouldn't change the fact that you still owe them the money for the membership fees to date.

GingerBob wrote: »

The link here is to an American site. In the UK I don't know of any gyms that report you to the CRAs - why would they be allowed to do so? The only danger of being blacklisted by the CRAs is if the gym secures a county court judgement against you, and you don't pay it.

Other service providers report to credit files; think utility companies, mobile phone companies.