To not want to pay sign up fee

[Rhayader]

DC1 did a sport activity with a local gym pre lockdown. They changed the rules while we were there to make it direct debit instead of pay per time. We signed up to the direct debit and paid for about 6 months before the pandemic closed all the gyms.

They are now just reopening the kids classes again and we’ve been told we need to re-sign up for the class as they aren’t running them at the same times/days as before. The direct debit cost has gone up by £10 a month to £75 a month - but they also want us to pay £180 sign up fee. AIBU to not want to pay this, DC isn’t a new member. It’s unclear what this fee is for too as there isn’t an “induction” or anything like that.

I have a few emails kicking about from when they closed taking about “freezing” the account while gyms were closed and that they would start up direct debits once back open (don’t want to drip feed).

No way, sounds like a money grabbing exercise.

Have you asked what the sign up fee is for?

Was the direct debit take from your account during lockdown or did your Ds make use of all funds that were paid up to lockdown? I wouldn't want to pay the £180 sign up fee and be expected to then pay even more per month than before. I'd look elsewhere if possible.

That sounds ridiculous. Is it possible that they didn’t realise how much you have paid to date? That someone has made an error. If you check again and it is correct then tell them you are having to leave as the whole thing has got too expensive. They might suddenly find a way around it!!!!

They stopped taking the dd in April 2020 (we didn’t cancel it they just emailed to say it would be frozen until they were allowed to resume).

I’ve asked them about the sign up fee and they say it’s imposed by head office who don’t care that some kids were already signed up. It’s a chain gym running a local authority sports centre.

It’s a fairly specialist sport and although we could go to another centre it would be a lot further to travel. We’ve been paying for private 1-2-1 lessons while the group sessions haven’t been running while the gym has been legally allowed to open, so we’ve been doing our best to keep dc going with the sport!

They're trying to make up their losses over the last 14 months. I'd tell them to stick it, and I'd go somewhere else! CF's!

Lots of places have pulled stunts like this. Nothing you can do if you want to carry on. You have to suck it up and they know that.

They have to be clear what the sign up fee is for and what ‘processes’ it’s covering.

I’d go public with it and post on their / the chains fb page asking why you’re being charged a signup fee when you’ve been signed up for a year already and your account has been frozen?

They may not respond but you May also galvanise more to pile in on it and shame them into not charging existing customers.

In that case, ask who you escalate it to at Head Office.

I would also find someone at the local council to complain to. The purpose of the franchise is to make sport available. Charging 180 joining fee surely goes against that?

You should cancel your DD with the bank. They'll take the fee otherwise

They may end up not charging a sign up fee if it's unpopular so I would wait to see what they do.

Kicked up enough of a fuss and they’ve backed down. Saying they can just start charging to the dd again. 👍

Well done!