Mumsnet Talk

I have been a member of my local gym for about two years and signed up on a fantastic deal they were offering of £25 a month. I checked my bank statement yesterday, yes I should check it every month, but found they have increased my premium to £37 since September! When I called they said that they put everyone on the same rate, so everyone paid the same amount. Seems fair... She then went on to say that if i signed up for another twelve months she could give me a reduced rate for 3 months. I said I thought it was unreasonable to put a 50% increase without telling me. Her response was that they can change it to whatever they like as long as they give me 14 days notice. According to them "they only have to send the letter, it's not their fault if I don't get it!" Is it just me that thinks this is unreasonable way to treat customers! I could join a virgin active gym, closer to home, crèche, much nicer gym and always have hot water for not much more!!!

They were on watchdog for being like this and not letting people cancel their memberships. They just don't care :-(

Hand in youe notice!

They are all the same. I have friend who was unable to attend her gym for 10 months due to ill health. When she returned she was told the gym had been taken over and after missing 6 months her membership had been cancelled and she had lost £60 of prepaid treatments as well. When she complained she hadn't been told they said they had put a poster up the gym and that was all the notice they needed to give.

Later when checking her bank statement she found they were still taking membership fees. The gym refused to speak to her about it but threatened court when she stopped the direct debit. It is currently being investigated for fraud.

I can't believe that they get away with it! I have told them to shove their membership and they told me I need to give one months notice. I made my feelings on their underhanded behaviour very clear. I can't be the only one who hasn't noticed the massive increase immediately. The most annoying part is i was planning to start going back after having dc3, i'll run instead! Bunch of wankers!

They are all the bloody same, just in it to take your money. I will never take out a gym membership ever again after having to give THREE months notice to get out of my previous contract. I asked how that could be right seeing as I only had to give one months notice to move out of my flat! They couldn't answer, funnily enough. Check your contact carefully to see if they really can do what they have done. There's lots of stuff on Martin Lewis' website about how badly gyms treat their clients.

I will have a look at my contract, of I can find it? Does it make me old that I intend to write a strongly worded letter!!

try claiming under the direct debit guarantee as they didn't actually provide you with notification of the increase- it will be up to them to prove that they did.

direct debit guarantee

Yes they are the same...

I didn't go for months after I was diagnosed with having suspected cancer of a major organ (thankfully it wasn't) and having to have major surgery which resulted in all sorts of complications. Freezing my gym membership was the last thing on my mind and when I eventually called them I had to give one months notice to freeze it (I didn't even have a months notice for the operation) and they wouldn't do anything retrospectively. I understand it wasn't their fault and they need to make money but even some sort of goodwill gesture would've done but instead the person I spoke to was quite rude so I decided to cancel my membership and it turns out the person who sold me the membership lied to me and I had to give 3 months notice not 1 months notice to cancel after the first year!

Agree with cocobongo

Ask them for proof they posted the letter.

"they only have to send the letter, it's not their fault if I don't get it!"

In UK law, a letter only has to be posted and is treated (in law) as delivered, even if it isn't, where as a hand delivered letter doesnt have that same legal standpoint.

What annoyed me about their notice of the increase supposedly being sent, but not getting to me is that I get probably two emails from them every week, a text message or two every month and offers in the post at least twice a week!!! If they really wanted their customers to receive the notification, surely they could have used all forms of communication?

Coco - ill speak to the bank and see what they say.
Auntie- that's awful. They really just don't seem to give a crap about customer service as long as they get their money each month.
It's not even like they spend the money on equipment and improvements in the gym. The one I used in Ewell was forever without hot water...

Cancel your direct debit immediately - tell them you have done this and why and let them chase you, it really isn't worth the time, money and hassle for them to do so for one month's subscription...

Do you have one of these near you? They don't have yearly memberships, just monthly ones. They run on a monthly basis and you just cancel your direct debit in order to cancel membership.

I was in la fitness and canceld my membership at the end of the 12 months. Cancels my dd. 3 months later I got a debt collection letter from an agency saying it wasnt canceld and I owed around £100. They wouldnt accept that it was canceld and I had to pay or would of got more blacklisted and end up paying more in agency fees.

Its still on my experian credit file 4 years later

AuntieMaggie that is terrible. Here's a lovely story about LA Fitness getting shamed for being bastards to cheer us all up: www.guardian.co.uk/money/2012/jan/27/la-fitness-knockout-blow-gym-contracts

I haven't heard from anyone who had anything good to say about them. I am going to speak to my bank and OFT about it. Needles to say I have cancelled my gym membership! I'll take up jogging for the moment.

LA fitness are awful. I was a member of my local one for a year and it was impossible to get a place in any studio classes, yet the same regular members were booking lists of classes weeks in advance. the changing rooms and showers were filthy, the jacuzzi never worked, and unless you were in a cliquey core of regular members the receptionists just looked at you like you were a piece of shit as you arrived.

Finding myself - you have just perfectly described my gym experience, I thought it was just me!