To write a letter of complaint or do i need to get down of my horse...

[VIX1980]

For the 1st time in what seems like months i had a morning to myself whilst my mum babysat, i only have her and shes not been well since before christmas so this felt like id won the lottery.

I booked in for an induction with the local gym to finally start having a bit of me time, so my time was for 10am, gets there for quarter to as i had to fill in some forms, then the receptionist bloke says to me sorry we have been double booked for 10 am and somebody has already started their induction would you mind changing yours to 11, i said yes as id planned to do some shopping anyay so thought it could do that first then come back, no problem there.

So then im back again for 10 to 11, booked in again and again the same man says to me ok your booked in just take a seat and an instrucor will be round soon to start. The seating area was right in front of him, i had no watch or phone so didnt know the time, after a while i asked someone and they said its 20 past 11, the whole time he had seen me sat there waiting and not once thought to check what had happened, so i walk over and say look im going to have to book another time to come back ive waited around long enough and only had my mum till half 12.

His reply, "oh sorry, when we book inductions we give the instructors a sheet every morning so they know what time people are due in, because yours was changed it wouldnt of been on the list, i probably should have called them" so i asked well, why didnt you, he replied (as he wiped snot from his nose with his hand) ive just been so busy this morning. I think when you have kids and you get precious time to yourself and someone wastes it it leaves you even more upset than you usually would.

Would you actually bother complaining or am i just being precious, i'd paid for this induction and now have to go back on monday so the whole gym outing today was pointless. sorry this is long, didnt mean it to be!

I would ask for my money back and join a different one.

I agree with mistlethrush on this one.

I did think of that but ive looked around and this is the only 1 i can really afford to join so dont want to leave really, although the customer service today isnt a good 1st impression is it...

Join a different gym,cancel any dd & email to say why. Whether you have children or not is irrelevant,wasting your time is not.

So dp I and I would write a letter explaining why they have lost my business

run, run from this gym as fast as you can. Customer service in gyms generally is bad. If you are fortunate enough to have had this heads up before you've signed anything, RUN. Cancel any direct debits. If and when you get a letter from them or debt collectors, write to their head office explaining, then ignore. Join your local leisure centre one that usually require no contracts and work on a pay as you go. Better still, spend £50 on a decent pair of trainers and get outside - the weather is perking up (or will do v soon).

Ive just rung the head office and they advised to put my complaint in writing, they probably wont do anything but i'll feel a bit better venting to them.

Unfortunatly i had signed up, got there expecting my induction, paid the £26 1st months fee, THEN he tells me to come back at 11, almost as if he knew beforehand they had double booked, to be honest if hed told me as soon as i walked in, i would of walked back out again and gone to a different branch. This is a local leisure centre one, thought they would be ok as ive gone before but this is a new branch which i thought would be so much better, obviously learnt not to judge a book by its cover in full force today, doubt id get my money back, so looks like im stuck for the time being.