Hello, I'm new to the forum.

I’ve been reading some of your posts as I too received a letter from Harlands on 20 July demanding a missed payment and administration charge amounting to £42.99 after cancelling my Direct Debit (DD). My thoughts on reading the T&C on Fit4less and the advice given when I joined by the gym crew, was that I didn’t need to give any notice and cancelling my DD would be fine. Little did I realise that the contract with Harlands asks for notice! The letter advises me that 16 July payment has been missed and to contact Harlands by 3 August.

Based on your threads, I did not call Harlands but sent them a letter on 24 July as follows:

I refer to my membership at Fit4Less gym in XXX with Harlands’ unique reference number (XXX).

My agreement with Fit4Less was on the basis of a rolling contract. The first payment of £47.99 was taken by direct debit on or just after 22 February 2017. This payment consists of £25.00 joining fee and the first monthly membership fee payment of £22.99. And then £22.99 was collected from my account via Direct Debit on or just after the 16th of every month

I cancelled my direct debit mandate and this was adequate notice of my intention to cancel. I realize now that I should have given 30 days’ notice to cancel my membership so I am offering to pay one-month membership fee of £22.99 to cover the notice period, to you now. I will not pay you any administration or cancellation fees - these are penalties that are unlawful and unenforceable.

If you confirm in writing that you will accept the amount of £22.99 in full and final settlement of all that I owe, I will pay you promptly. If you fail to accept my offer within 14 days or you demand any other payment, I will pay you nothing and my offer will be withdrawn.

On 27 July I received my second letter from Harlands.

Further to recent contact with our offices,

Harlands can confirm that one months notice is required to cancel all Fit4less memberships. As you cancelled your Direct Debit too early without stating your wish to cancel, your account went into default. Please contact our offices to make your 30 days notice.

We trust you find this in order.

Does this mean I can make a final payment of £22.99? Will this require another letter to confirm how to make the payment to them without me phoning their offices? Will I have a default on my credit history, as I don't want this to happen, and I'd rather have a clean history report if it means just settling the full amount.

Thank you for your help.

Hi Yoss and welcome to CAG

The reply from Harlands simply wants you to call them when they'll try to convince you their admin charges are lawful and enforceable. They are not and we always tell folk to challenge them and never pay them.

Ignore the reply from Harlands. You've already told them if they refuse to accept the offer, it'll be withdrawn.

Stay OFF the phone and, if Harlands/CRS call you, just hang up.

Keep us informed and keep reading other threads here, all of which show Harlands/CRS doing nothing when ignored.

Thanks Slick, it feels a bit unnerving not to at least pay one month notice:|

Hi Yoss,

You made a clear offer but they were too greedy to take it. That's their hard luck and your gain !!

Stick with our suggestion and ignore them for now. Keep us updated ......................

Will do, thanks.