Stuck in a 12 month Gym contract - HELP!

petalclark

Hi

I have been a loyal customer of a well-known gym chain for a number of years but now wish to cancel my membership. I called to do so but was told that I couldn't cancel as I had committed for 12 months.

It is true, I pay £50 per month for a 12 month commitment rather than a 'per month' charge of £63.50... I took this out in January...

Surely I am able to give the 1 or 2 months notice plus pay them the difference from January of the £13.50 they would be missing - no?

Appreciate your help on this one - every penny saved helps

thanks
Justin

angeldiva

I dont know if it helps but in the past I was in a 12 month contract but was able to transfer it to someone else who wanted to join the gym but didnt want to pay the joining fee it also benefitted them as they were not trapped into 12 months. If the gym is near your workplace you could put a notice up or an email around or something.

MrsTinks

If you signed up to a 12 month contract then you're a bit stuck... unless it was mis-sold or you can get out under one of the clauses like moving quite far away, being unable to use your membership due to illness etc... Check your contract.

headoutthesand

I got out of my gym membership by telling them I was pregnant.

It worked when it was true but when I couldn't find the time to go after 2 months of joining I just used the same excuse. No questions asked at all.

That was with JJB

redrabbit29

petalclark wrote: »

Hi

I have been a loyal customer of a well-known gym chain for a number of years but now wish to cancel my membership. I called to do so but was told that I couldn't cancel as I had committed for 12 months.

It is true, I pay £50 per month for a 12 month commitment rather than a 'per month' charge of £63.50... I took this out in January...

Surely I am able to give the 1 or 2 months notice plus pay them the difference from January of the £13.50 they would be missing - no?

Appreciate your help on this one - every penny saved helps

thanks
Justin

Send a letter saying you are unable to afford the costs anymore, and that you are willing to pay for the next month (for the notice), and pay the difference had you been on the per-month scheme. Ask for them to respond within a week or something.

Try to write it up quite well focussing on the fact you simply can not afford it - making it sound like you're making the effort and if they don't accept your offer then they'll receive nothing as you just have no money left.

If that doesn't work try again with their head office customer services. If that doesn't work, i would write the letter to them saying you're not paying, and you've cancelled the direct debit. Just make sure you don't sound confrontational or come across with an attitude, focus on the money thing.

Hope it works.

thepinklady

I also once told my gym i was pregnant to get out of my contact. My mate was pregnant at the time and she had just cancelled her membership and they were fine about it, so i tried it with my gym and it worked.

Just noticed your name is Justin, so unless you want to appear in the papers as the next pregnant guy i wouldn't use that excuse :-)

good luck

PENNYWISE_3

be careful, if you just don't pay a lot of gyms will not hesitate to send your details to debt collection agency.

barnaby-bear

hayley_bass wrote: »

I also once told my gym i was pregnant to get out of my contact. My mate was pregnant at the time and she had just cancelled her membership and they were fine about it, so i tried it with my gym and it worked.

Just noticed your name is Justin, so unless you want to appear in the papers as the next pregnant guy i wouldn't use that excuse :-)

good luck

Tell them you have high blood pressure and have been told you can't use it until investigated - they get scared if they think you may die on the premises

Jaymz

I don't really have much to add but good luck on this one.

I am currently in World War 3 with my local leisure centre after they took money from my account when I had froze my membership whilst I was travelling around the other side of the world. When I got back I wrote a polite but firm letter explaining the situation saying I wanted to cancel etc and also did the cheeky thing of canceling the direct debit and they are trying to make me pay for an extra 3 months membership (notice period)! Considering they owe me money I find it laughable. The ball is currently in their court at the moment and I am waiting for a letter back.

barnaby-bear

hayley_bass wrote: »

I also once told my gym i was pregnant to get out of my contact. My mate was pregnant at the time and she had just cancelled her membership and they were fine about it, so i tried it with my gym and it worked.

Just noticed your name is Justin, so unless you want to appear in the papers as the next pregnant guy i wouldn't use that excuse :-)

good luck

This post has given me a GREAT idea....

Tell them that although Justin you are soon to become Justine and as part of your pre-op counselling have to live/dress as a woman, is it ok for you to use the ladies changing room or do they have a discriminatory policy against pre-op transsexuals (but if it's a problem you're prepared to let your membership go)? Thye'll be desperate to get shot of you and avoid the legal nightmare....:rotfl: