David Lloyd - Returning to the Gym?

annieneary

I am in the same predicament - reduced numbers in the gym and reducing class sizes from 30 to 5.. struggled to get on a class prior to this so will be impossible. Plus they are only resuming limited classes not all will be restarting 

Jonesy1977

annieneary said:

I am in the same predicament - reduced numbers in the gym and reducing class sizes from 30 to 5.. struggled to get on a class prior to this so will be impossible. Plus they are only resuming limited classes not all will be restarting 

So pause (25%) or give notice (3 Months) as per your contract or accept the fact that all will not be exactly the same as it was for anyone........because they have to make it safe........for you.  It sounds like you want everything the way it was or better, that you are kept safe but don't want any impact on you and you do not want to be held to any contractual financial obligations.  To have the protein bar and eat it too?

bradders1983

The number of threads I have seen about gym contracts is ridiculous.  They should have just carried on charging people, clearly.  Cant win either way.

helenwes

Hi popping this in here, in case my original post gets overlooked. Hoping someone can advise

Question 1: David Lloyd gyms froze memberships at the start of lockdown; payments are taken in advance on the first of the month for those who pay monthly. This meant that there were 11 days in March that we were unable to use the club. They have acknowledged this, and have offered to compensate us those 11 days by way of vouchers in some form or another; they did not give us the option of simply having a refund, and told us that if we didn't choose one of the 4 options, they would select one for us. None of the options offered are suitable for me. They offered bar vouchers (I don't use it), personal trainer voucher (I only use the place for swimming and yoga), guest passes (this is of no benefit to 'me'), and 'donating to the club' - essentially allowing them to keep my money. I have told them that none of the options are acceptable to me, but they will not budge and have said they are not obliged to refund. Is this correct? 

Question 2: I decided during lockdown that I would cancel my membership, providing the required 3 months' notice. The yoga teachers whose classes I attended there have all converted to private online teaching, and are not returning to the gym anytime soon, if at all, and so I won't be able to get the full benefit of the membership I previously enjoyed. I notified them on the 27th May (and received an automated case reference acknowledgement by return). They require 3 calendar months' notice, so by my reckoning, those three months are June, July and August, with my membership ending on the 31st August 2020. I have just received an email saying that the last payment will be taken on the 1st October, and the membership will end on the 31st October (since they debit monthly in advance). At first I thought it was an error, however, I've now realised that they have probably decided that since the club was closed for lockdown, my notice period wouldn't count during that time, and that it would only kick in from the start of August, since they want their full 3 month's fees. Surely this can't be correct? 

Question 3: My partner, who is on a separate membership, has been a member for 10 plus years, so not in a 12 month contract, just required to give the same 3 months' notice as myself; he pays annually in one lump sum. He also handed in his notice in May. His membership should also therefore end on 31st August. Again they are saying it will end on the 31st October. He paid his annual fee (there is no discount for paying annually by the way) on the 1st October 2019, which takes him up to the end of September this year. There is nothing to say, in the Ts & Cs that if he revokes his membership within that time, he is not entitled to a refund of unused months (the only reference to not receiving a refund of unused months is for those on a 12 month contract, which he isn't).  However, since his membership should end on the 31st August, he should be entitled to a refund of that final month of September. They are saying he isn't. Is this correct?

This next point isn't a question, just some context around their general attitude to their members:
To add insult to injury, they sent an email this week, saying that the clubs are re-opening on the 25th and will be taking the fees for that last week in July on the 24th of this month, even though they admit there are so many unknowns in terms of how many will be allowed into classes, whether we will be able to use all of the facilities etc., although by way of compensation for this, they will be reducing the fees by 10% for the last week in July and the month of August. There has been no option to continue with a frozen membership until members feel ready to return; I have seen that other gyms, both privately- and council-run, are offering the 'option' to return, and only when members feel comfortable returning will their fees reinstate. Every email DL have sent during lockdown has started with fee information, that is the sole emphasis, and then fill it out with other club news. They really lack in customer care and service skills, and it's been their attitude that has driven me to decide to leave; I have been a member for almost 20 years, so it's not as though I'm looking for a quick get out or trying to avoid paying and using the C-19 situation as an excuse / get out clause. They couldn't care less about me leaving, only that they get as much out of me as they can before I do.

Thanks for reading - apologies for the length! 

VMcI

I didn't want to pay the prices of a luxury gym to feel more stressed and anxious about going back to DL, and with wider worries about the financial impact of CV we started to look at things we could cut back on. We decided to home gym it for a while instead so I cancelled my family membership with DL on 7th May. Our contract says three months notice from the 1st of the following month, so we need to pay fees up to 31st August, having not stepped foot in the place since March. Which in itself is annoying, as this is nearly 4 months notice. We had our fees frozen until late July when the gym re-opened and now owe them just over one months membership fees for a family of four. I contacted DL at the time and asked how I could be held to this part of the contract when they are clearly not in a position to deliver their side of the contract; i.e. the product that we signed up for - no swimming lessons available, reduced class sizes etc. Stupidly perhaps, I thought that this would be dropped but it has now been sent to debt collection and I am wondering if anyone thinks I have a shot at getting out of it or if I just pay it. The amount has increased now due to admin fees etc and is nearly £500. Thank you.

fish_fingered

helenwes said:

Hi popping this in here, in case my original post gets overlooked. Hoping someone can advise

Question 1: David Lloyd gyms froze memberships at the start of lockdown; payments are taken in advance on the first of the month for those who pay monthly. This meant that there were 11 days in March that we were unable to use the club. They have acknowledged this, and have offered to compensate us those 11 days by way of vouchers in some form or another; they did not give us the option of simply having a refund, and told us that if we didn't choose one of the 4 options, they would select one for us. None of the options offered are suitable for me. They offered bar vouchers (I don't use it), personal trainer voucher (I only use the place for swimming and yoga), guest passes (this is of no benefit to 'me'), and 'donating to the club' - essentially allowing them to keep my money. I have told them that none of the options are acceptable to me, but they will not budge and have said they are not obliged to refund. Is this correct? 

Question 2: I decided during lockdown that I would cancel my membership, providing the required 3 months' notice. The yoga teachers whose classes I attended there have all converted to private online teaching, and are not returning to the gym anytime soon, if at all, and so I won't be able to get the full benefit of the membership I previously enjoyed. I notified them on the 27th May (and received an automated case reference acknowledgement by return). They require 3 calendar months' notice, so by my reckoning, those three months are June, July and August, with my membership ending on the 31st August 2020. I have just received an email saying that the last payment will be taken on the 1st October, and the membership will end on the 31st October (since they debit monthly in advance). At first I thought it was an error, however, I've now realised that they have probably decided that since the club was closed for lockdown, my notice period wouldn't count during that time, and that it would only kick in from the start of August, since they want their full 3 month's fees. Surely this can't be correct? 

Question 3: My partner, who is on a separate membership, has been a member for 10 plus years, so not in a 12 month contract, just required to give the same 3 months' notice as myself; he pays annually in one lump sum. He also handed in his notice in May. His membership should also therefore end on 31st August. Again they are saying it will end on the 31st October. He paid his annual fee (there is no discount for paying annually by the way) on the 1st October 2019, which takes him up to the end of September this year. There is nothing to say, in the Ts & Cs that if he revokes his membership within that time, he is not entitled to a refund of unused months (the only reference to not receiving a refund of unused months is for those on a 12 month contract, which he isn't).  However, since his membership should end on the 31st August, he should be entitled to a refund of that final month of September. They are saying he isn't. Is this correct?

This next point isn't a question, just some context around their general attitude to their members:
To add insult to injury, they sent an email this week, saying that the clubs are re-opening on the 25th and will be taking the fees for that last week in July on the 24th of this month, even though they admit there are so many unknowns in terms of how many will be allowed into classes, whether we will be able to use all of the facilities etc., although by way of compensation for this, they will be reducing the fees by 10% for the last week in July and the month of August. There has been no option to continue with a frozen membership until members feel ready to return; I have seen that other gyms, both privately- and council-run, are offering the 'option' to return, and only when members feel comfortable returning will their fees reinstate. Every email DL have sent during lockdown has started with fee information, that is the sole emphasis, and then fill it out with other club news. They really lack in customer care and service skills, and it's been their attitude that has driven me to decide to leave; I have been a member for almost 20 years, so it's not as though I'm looking for a quick get out or trying to avoid paying and using the C-19 situation as an excuse / get out clause. They couldn't care less about me leaving, only that they get as much out of me as they can before I do.

Thanks for reading - apologies for the length! 

Your not alone, I received the same emails and bad customer service.

Beeboo23

I was thinking of moving to David Lloyd when things settled down. They’re not cheap and after reading about their poor customer service I won’t bother. 

onwards&upwards

bradders1983 said:

The number of threads I have seen about gym contracts is ridiculous.  They should have just carried on charging people, clearly.  Cant win either way.

Or maybe more gyms should just let people have rolling monthly contracts, like mine does?  They haven't had to have all this hassle on reopening, they have to provide a good service because people are free to leave anytime they want, and they inspire some loyalty because people feel well treated and respected. 

bradders1983

onwards&upwards said:

bradders1983 said:

The number of threads I have seen about gym contracts is ridiculous.  They should have just carried on charging people, clearly.  Cant win either way.

Or maybe more gyms should just let people have rolling monthly contracts, like mine does?  They haven't had to have all this hassle on reopening, they have to provide a good service because people are free to leave anytime they want, and they inspire some loyalty because people feel well treated and respected. 

And like my gym as well, fair point. But the top end of the gym food chain seemingly only operate on 12 month terms.

My overall point you quoted still stands.

onwards&upwards

bradders1983 said:

onwards&upwards said:

bradders1983 said:

The number of threads I have seen about gym contracts is ridiculous.  They should have just carried on charging people, clearly.  Cant win either way.

Or maybe more gyms should just let people have rolling monthly contracts, like mine does?  They haven't had to have all this hassle on reopening, they have to provide a good service because people are free to leave anytime they want, and they inspire some loyalty because people feel well treated and respected. 

And like my gym as well, fair point. But the top end of the gym food chain seemingly only operate on 12 month terms.

My overall point you quoted still stands.

Mine's at the higher end, its not cheap, its actually dearer than the nearest David Lloyd. 

I think the whole sector needs to have a bit of a rethink, I wonder how much staff time and money they waste chasing people who don't want their services anymore?  The fact that places like my gym and yours can afford to operate without needing to resort to extracting 12 months worth of fees from people who are no longer actually using the facility shows it is possible.