Charging a different price for exactly the same service?

CliftonClimbs

Hi everyone,

Are businesses legally allowed to charge a different price for exactly the same service?

My local gym (a national chain) are charging me £50/month. My friend recently signed up for £25/month on black friday (forever, no initial period). We have exactly the same membership package.

I don't mind new members being offered introductory rates for a initial period, however it is quite insulting to existing members if new members have a permanently lower monthly fee for exactly the same service.

I raised this the manager and they said it depends on the offer being run at the time.

Can anyone advise if this is legal?

Many thanks.

[Deleted User]

Yes, it's fine.

spadoosh

Unfortunately perfectly legal.

I get 50% off sky, my parents dont.

I would drop them an email stating i was unhappy with it and that i thought it was bad customer service. I would also inform them that upon the ending of any fixed contractual periods i would no longer be using their services and will be encouraging other gym goers i know to avoid them.

gettingtheresometime

Not the same but I had this argument with BT.


Their logical was I was once a new customer.


Told them where they could stick that so they offered me a reduced cost on my package. Told them I wasn't going to be treated as a cash cow and in the end they relented & gave me the package at the same cost as a new customer.

CliftonClimbs

Thanks for the quick response everyone.

With Sky and BT, they usually set the discount for a period of time (3, 6 12 months...) and then it returns to the "normal cost" unless you haggle them down again.

The gym charging a permanently low price... forever for one member and not another felt a bit wrong.

Ok, I'll have to express my dissatisfaction and prepare to cancel my membership if they won't reduce my monthly fee.

Cheers!

Caz3121

I have been on flights where I have paid double what the person next to me paid. I have been on flights where I have paid less than the person next to me...both on the same flight, same class, same service...perfectly ok (if sometimes annoying)
Might be a long wait but you could cancel before next Black Friday and rejoin if they do the offer again

CliftonClimbs

Caz3121 wrote: »

I have been on flights where I have paid double what the person next to me paid. I have been on flights where I have paid less than the person next to me...both on the same flight, same class, same service...perfectly ok (if sometimes annoying)
Might be a long wait but you could cancel before next Black Friday and rejoin if they do the offer again

A valid point. Thanks!

unholyangel

CliftonClimbs wrote: »

Thanks for the quick response everyone.

With Sky and BT, they usually set the discount for a period of time (3, 6 12 months...) and then it returns to the "normal cost" unless you haggle them down again.

The gym charging a permanently low price... forever for one member and not another felt a bit wrong.

Ok, I'll have to express my dissatisfaction and prepare to cancel my membership if they won't reduce my monthly fee.

Cheers!

Just to point out that your friends price is unlikely to be forever. The gym can even increase the price during the minimum duration of a contract - providing they give you the right to cancel without being subject to the increase/otherwise worse off for having entered the contract.

I've had suppliers tell me they couldn't give me the new customer rate. Then all of a sudden when I want to cancel, they can give me that deal/sometimes can even give me a better deal.

Of course if you're within your minimum duration, your bargaining power is severely limited (unless they happen to increase the price!).