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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

I know I'm being unreasonable. But this company are still bastards.

29 replies

ThatOneHurt · 30/11/2018 11:16

I know I'm at fault but this still fucks me off.

I signed up to a gym membership for 12 months.
I clearly didn't read the bloody small print.
I have to give them a months notice so presumably at 11 months.

I cancelled my direct debit after 12 payments. Notified the gym. They gave me a company number to call and a ref number.

I had to pay for a 13th month, WITH 'late payment' fees which came to nearly double what my monthly fee was.

Fuckers. Absolute fuckers. I signed up for 12 months. I paid 12 months.
I've basically ended up paying for 14.
An extra 2 months. 9 months pregnant, not going to use that extra month and that lovely extra fee just before Christmas.

Bastards.

OP posts:
Sirzy · 30/11/2018 11:19

So you knew you had to give a months notice but didn’t?

With gyms it is generally you are tied in for 12 months but then can leave after that with the right notice period

Caprisunorange · 30/11/2018 11:22

Actually, a pregnant woman should be able to leave for medical reasons at any point in their membership

Gyms are total bastards

longwayoff · 30/11/2018 11:23

Yes, gyms notorious for this.

BertramKibbler · 30/11/2018 11:25

Absolutely they’re fuckers. It’s not like they have any need to request a notice period

FissionChips · 30/11/2018 11:27

Did they not have an option where you can skip a month or two (puts your membership on hold)?

lilyblue5 · 30/11/2018 11:44

Oh no Sad
My gym have just asked to see a copy of my maternity notes and they will put me on hold for a year! This is so frustrating for you!

Wheresthebeach · 30/11/2018 11:50

Yep...notorious for this sort of crap. I feel your pain.

onalongsabbatical · 30/11/2018 12:01

I'd be pissed off too, do they know that you're pregnant? You could threaten them with bad reviews...

Original poster
ThatOneHurt · 30/11/2018 12:29

No they didn't know I was pregnant. I didn't even know this was an option.

I didn't know that I had to give them a months notice.
But that's not to say they didn't tell me. Perhaps they did and I just forgot? That is the sort of stupid thing I would forget, so more fool me.

I told the company on the phone that I was pregnant. I didn't tell the gym.

It's paid for now, I'm just so cross with myself and the company for fleecing me out of that money.

OP posts:
onthenaughtystepagain · 30/11/2018 12:59

Actually, a pregnant woman should be able to leave for medical reasons at any point in their membership

What makes pregnant women so special? If I broke my back would I also have to get pregnant to benefit from stopping the financial commitment I entered into voluntarily? In future you may make yourself aware of the conditions before you sign!

Caprisunorange · 30/11/2018 13:06

I don’t think you read my post on the naughty step. Pregnant women can leave for MEDICAL REASONS. If your bad back means you’re unable to exercise you can also leave for MEDICAL REASONS

Original poster
ThatOneHurt · 30/11/2018 13:08

in future you may make yourself aware of the conditions before you sign!

No way?! REALLY?! I hadn't come to that conclusion clearly all by myself and stated so in both my posts.

Thank goodness you're hear to send an arse message to me. Otherwise I was going to make that mistake again.

OP posts:
femfemlicious · 30/11/2018 13:09

Wow onthenaughtystepagain... what do you have against pregnant women!.

A pregnant woman IS special because she is carrying another human being in her stomach...nuff said!

BreconBeBuggered · 30/11/2018 13:34

Companies which rely on people not reading the small print so that they can fleece unwilling customers of the price of an unwanted additional month's custom are a boil on the arse of society.

confusedecolady · 30/11/2018 16:36

I worked for a very big health club chain that had a notice period of three months! It was crazy. Also they wouldn't have let you cancel on the basis of being pregnant. Customer service wasn't their strong point

SpitefulMidLifeAnimal · 30/11/2018 18:38

A pregnant woman IS special because she is carrying another human being in her stomach...nuff said!

Boak

Pursefirst · 30/11/2018 18:42

A pregnant woman IS special because she is carrying another human being in her stomach...nuff said!

Really?? Here was me thinking that's what the uterus is for Hmm

Seafour · 30/11/2018 22:12

@onthenaughtystepagain What a bloody disgusting thing to say, there are people here with spinal cord injuries who have actually experienced a broken neck/back and yes when it happened I was able to suspend my gym membership for an indefinite period, in my case three years with no penalties whatsoever. I've just suspended it again for twelve months as I'm about to undergo a major spinal operation.
I don't know about the naughty step, you should go hang your head in shame.

MarthaArthur · 30/11/2018 22:16

Holy shit pregnant cannibal women welp!!

Utter bastards op maybe someone will come along with all info if you can appeal and get the 2 months late fee back?

OlennasWimple · 30/11/2018 22:21

The gyms I've belonged to have had clauses which allow you to suspend membership for three months in case of medical need, including pregnancy. I suspect that with some conversation it would be possible to extend the period in extenuating circumstances like a broken neck

AliceRR · 30/11/2018 22:21

I don’t think you read my post on the naughty step. Pregnant women can leave for MEDICAL REASONS. If your bad back means you’re unable to exercise you can also leave for MEDICAL REASONS

Yes this is the case, certainly with my gym

AnchorDownDeepBreath · 30/11/2018 22:35

You can, usually, suspend your membership if you are injured or pregnant. That doesn't help OP because she doesn't want her membership at all.

OP; unless you have proof that they misled you over when you could give notice or your contract does not tell you that you need to give notice; you're stuck. Under the circumstances; I'd forget it as quickly as possible and focus on more important things. It's annoying but not something that's worth too much stress.

Hayles88 · 30/11/2018 22:40

Anyone that uses "nuff said" in an argument is ridiculous. How cringe inducing and childish.

Hellomatey001 · 30/11/2018 23:41

I had this happen to me twice from 2 well known gyms. So you are not alone! First time was pretty similar to yours. Second time, salesperson said I could join up for just 3 months.

Two years later I got a call from a debt agency telling me I owed over £2,500. The gym salesman had not cancelled my membership after 3 months (though I had personally reminded him twice face to face) and though I had stopped the direct debit, he left me on the gym books.

Luckily I had taken written evidence of the 3 month promise ( thank God) and when I showed it to the gym management they apologised and said this salesman had done this to a number of people.

I also remember at the first gym when I signed up, the saleswoman printed out a membership card which misspelled my surname into a swear word. I pointed out the error and she rolled her eyes and REFUSED to give me a new card. She angrily said they were running low on cards when I think she just couldn't be bothered.

So I had a bloody membership card with a sweary name. That saleswoman was a complete monkeyarsefaced shitbag.

Hellomatey001 · 30/11/2018 23:44

complete monkeyarsefaced shitbag.

Which is slightly polite than what she'd printed on my membership card