What can I do?!?! Refund

[Dunnowhat2do]

my DD attends a recreational club once a week. We paid for the summer term literally the day before lockdown was announced in March (stupid I know, but they made threats to drop people from their database and its a sought after club) then they the closed until August, opening for an intensive summer camp to make more money.

I signed up on a termly basis, so my daughter completed the autumn and winter terms. The annual subscription has come up for renewal, along with insurance which adds up to a sum I cannot afford right now. The club are insisting if I don't pay both sums before next week, they will refuse her entry to the club going forward and keep my money.

I am still in credit from what I paid before lockdown, but they insist the money cannot be used to pay the new sum required (as apparently it can only cover sessions).

Their argument to me is that whilst the club was closed, they offered zoom sessions (which we never took part we don't have the facilities or space at home to accommodate this type of sport). They also said the insurance covered all home sessions and it wasn't their problem I didn't take part in the sessions.

If I don't renew, they are threatening to keep my money. I feel completely at a loss because either way, I lose out. If I renew, its food for a week or so for my family and if I don't, I lose the credit which is a good sum of money.

Am I being unreasonable to report them to someone for this? They have begged parents for money to stay afloat as a business (it has been quite embarrassing as they are currently doing works to the exterior of the building too - something that started when they reopened) but I am just treading water myself and just feel like they are money grabbing at every opportunity. They don't even teach well IMO so not like my DD is learning much anyway.

I'll be really interested to see the replies to this.

My gut instinct is they are morally in the wrong- I have no idea about legally and hope someone who does comes along and enlightens us!

If this was me, I'd be very clear with them. You have paid for a service your daughter has not received. You did not pay for your daughter to do the activities at home, if it was a sport she could do at home you'd not have needed to engage with their services. You are therefore expecting to use the credit paid in March, or you will be speaking to someone regarding your consumer rights. You have paid for a service they have not provided, which is for your daughter to play a sport in X location under their tutorship. Either she continues until your credit runs out, or they can refund you what X amount you have left. I'm sure they can find an adequate compromise to your situation, as I'm sure they wouldn't want any negative escalations during such tough times.

Do you think it is fair that I have to pay for a membership that should have been a year though? I just think it is downright cheeky. Honestly they have no morals and the owner is more concerned with the competitive athletes not the recreational ones because they don't uphold the reputation of the club.

What do the T&C's say?

I’m guessing this is gymnastics Or similar as the attitude sounds like the club my DS used to go to.

If it is gymnastics I’d suggest cutting your losses and finding another club for your DD or maybe a tumbling club or something that she’d enjoy.

Then focus on getting your money back.

I am guessing, from experience, that this is gymnastics, i know insurance is due in Oct. I would struggle to see their logic. I cant imagine a claim against your insurance would have been accepted if you had had an injury at home. I also know from friends that their at home gym classes were pretty much pointless during lockdown. Its not necessarily the clubs fault but if you need equipment etc and a coach its not possible to improve at home. I think they are being ridiculous to not allow the money to be used or to give a discount but I suspect if they do it for you they will have to do it for everyone and some sports are struggling at the moment with not being able to get back to competitions etc so are losing people from their clubs.

Also, if it is gym dont expect any coach to care about the recs, they only want the only to support the club whilst they train their elites

sorry that was meant to say they only want the recs money to support the club

I see both sides, Its not the businesses fault that they havent been able to physically do what they were paid for. But its also not the fault of the parents. The business will be in shock at having extremely low/nil income for a while, but parents are hit badly too.

I think i this situation, IF I culd comfortably afford it, I would just do it. Mainly as I would like said club or whatever to be able to function again when possible. But I would not be stretching our budget in order to pay for something thats not happened.

I would think that clubs are not allowed to keep the cash when they have not delivered the service. But am not upto date on laws and such. You are not doing anything wrong in asking for a refund, and am usure if consumer law covers activities rather than just items? If it does, you did not get what you paid for (even with zoom..which you didnt use) you should be entitled to a refund.

I would not be accepting the argument that zoom is just as good as in person training though, that sounds like the implicatio. Yeah it was the best they could do, and yes, its noones fault. But still..you cannot sell a service to someone, then not provide said service and tell them its just tough, you did something else instead and they should be happy!

Yes it is Gymnastics, I didn't want to be obvious hence the name change and no mentioning of the sport (and generic title!).

They are so money hungry, you're absolutely right they use the money from recs to invest in the elites and it is such a clear them and us divide. They have the untrained coaches to teach recs and ex professionals to teach the others. I think for the money, it is a complete waste and the way they have treated me has really put me off signing up to future terms. Its only because they have my money i'm trying to be polite about the situation but i know a lot of people in my situation that didn't pay in March and just ended up leaving because they knew what they would be like. Truly regret it, feel like an idiot.

We are on limited income and i signed up my daughter because she had a genuine interest (for those with autistic children, you'll know the struggles of engagement in the hope it leads to forming friendships etc) but to be honest the whole set up is ridiculous now, she probably jumps on a trampoline 4 times, a couple of turns doing a cartwheel and the lesson is over as I also forgot to mention, they have also reduced the time so it was an hour class and now it is 45 minutes. When I questioned this again I was told they pay for PPE and disinfectant and have to have time to clean so we buck the bill for that. Biggest waste of money.

I think I'm going to get my husband to draft an email and then I'll send it on, as you're right it not what I signed up for and whilst I appreciate the predicament they are in, I am in worst!

If it's gymnastics you have to pay for the insurance. They won't be able to pay that out of their own pocket

Something to consider is that if you pay you risk losing more money if there's another lockdown, and it doesn't look like the club will work with you to make up for it.

Gymnastics , from a very personal and difficult experience, is a cut throat and horrible sport to be in. take your daughter somewhere else, please x

@mummumumumumumumumumum absolutely agree, I have no intention of enrolling her into the competitive ones again.

There is a local YMCA one which is reasonably priced, no yearly "membership" fee, no £35 leotard requirement and its full of kids! I will probably look to enrol her into that, or athletics as she is keen on running at the moment.

@hedgehogger1 last year they took payment for the insurance (unknowing to me at an inflated price) and membership at the same time. This year I have had the insurance separately but not willing to pay until this is all sorted. Tbh I think I am done with this club

perfect, well done @Dunnowhat2do I love to watch the sport but it destroyed my daughter

Good idea not saying the name of the sport, gymnastics is so niche. I think only 2 million people in this country currently do it.

You’ve posted this exact thing before, absolutely sure I read it a few weeks back.

@BoggledBudgie

You’ve posted this exact thing before, absolutely sure I read it a few weeks back.

I wouldn’t be at all surprised if it’s two different clubs. I did a double take because it sounds like my daughter’s club: money grasping, recs as money making machine for elites, right down to the building works 🤣 It was so obviously gymnastics! I’d steer her towards any other club I could, tbh!

Nope, never posted anything like this before.

@Cocomarine I would love to know if ours are the same club! PM me 😄

The one posted before was a parent that wanted a refund for 2 cancelled lessons at the end of March, I’m taking it this is a whole terms worth of lessons?

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4023841-To-not-pay-for-gym-classes-cancelled-by-the-instructor

@BoggledBudgie, the OP of above thread was in a very similar situation, probably the one you're thinking of. Might be worth a read @Dunnowhat2do, I only read the opening post myself so don't know what the consensus was

Don’t throw good money after bad. You don’t want to shell out any more going forward, especially if as you said your DD isn’t learning anything and is being treated as a second class citizen. Your only problem is whether you get a refund for last term. They’re saying they fulfilled the terms of the contract by offering zoom sessions, you’re saying they didn’t. Ask for a copy of the contract!

So for clarity, my issue isn't a one off cancellation or anything. They make it very clear that any sessions missed because the club was closed WILL be offered again. I paid in March for the full summer term. My sessions then were 1 hour. The club offered zoom sessions a couple months into lockdown and then reopened in August with intensive clubs, we did not attend either.

They started the Autumn term a few weeks ago and we were told the classes are now 45 minutes (so the extra 15 minutes we pay for covers their PPE and cleaning equipment plus time for cleaning) so not only did I lose out on 6 months membership fee, im expected to pay full price for 45 minute lessons.

I will request a copy of their T&Cs from the time I signed up if I can't find it in my inbox. It is just so wrong.