Hi,

I have been receiving letters from Harlands regarding failed direct debit payments and admin charges etc, similar to many of the other posts on this forum.

Back in August,

I paid for two memberships with Lifestyle fitness(for me and my girlfriend),

both of which were on a "flexible" contract which required a minimum one month commitment.

Both of these direct debits were setup under my bank account.

My girlfriend moved back home in September and I wanted to go to a more local gym and so tried to cancel the memberships.

My girlfriend rang the gym up who informed her that only the owner of the bank account can cancel the contract.

I sent an email off at the beginning of October to Harlands customer support including my name, bank account and sort code and asked them to cancel both direct debit agreements linked to my bank account.

10 or so days later,

after hearing no response from Harlands and it being only a few days before the next direct debit payment was due to be took out,

I decided to cancel both direct debits via my online bank account.

After this, I had no contact from Harlands for around a month or so until I received a letter through the post addressed to my girlfriend with the whole admin fees crap. Strangely enough, I didn't receive the same letter for whatever reason.

I think I read before in the T&Cs that you must give at least a month's notice if you're cancelling, which I didn't realise.

I'd happily pay the last month's fee for my girlfriend but outright refuse to pay the now £50 admin fee.

Is there anything I can do to get them off my back?

just send the std slick132 letter OFFERING the missing membership fee ONLY.

then wait

if they fail to accept you then IGNORE EVERYONE.

admin fees are totally unenforceable. As dx said, read other threads and get slick132's letter adapted to suit, and send it off. Harlands normally back down when they read it. If they dont, then you ignore it and they forget about you and chase someone else

Hi Ilz and welcome to CAG

Here's one of my letters that you could adapt and use for the 2 accounts.

But before you do that let us know :-

1. Date your GF called the gym telling them you wanted to cancel.

2. Date you emailed Harlands confirming you wanted to cancel.

3. Date you last paid the gym's DD.

The gym was right to say only the person paying the gym m/ship can cancel the DD. However, her action that day put the gym on notice of intent to cancel.

That's why I want this info before you do anything further. In the meantime don't reply to any contact from Harlands/CRS.

Hi sorry for the late response, to answer your questions:

1. My GF rang them on the 26th September

2. I emailed them on the 9th October

3. The date I last paid the Gym's DD was 11th September.

I already sent off a letter using the template on this forum and have received no response back.

Today I received a letter addressed to my gf - this time from CRS asking for over £300. I'm assuming this is just scare tactics?

Thanks

it is yes

ignore totally

never forget a DCA [CRS] are not bailiffs

and have

ZERO LEGAL POWERS on ANY debt.

Send this to Harlands' Haywards Heath address and get a free Certificate of Posting at the PO when sending.

Dear Harlands,

I refer to demands from Harlands/CRS for our Lifestyle Gym memberships.

The gym were told on 26th September that we wanted to cancel our memberships. This was backed up by email on 9th October.

I cancelled the DD mandate on xxdate but now realise I should have paid the DD due around 11th October.

I now offer to pay the m/ship fees due for October of £xx.xx in full settlement of all that's payable. If you accept my offer within 14 days and give me account details to pay, you will be paid promptly.

If you fail to accept my offer within 14 days, or if you demand any admin or cancellation fees (unlawful penalties), my offer will be withdrawn and I may ignore further demands from you and/or CRS.

Such demands may be reported to Trading Standards and The CMA

Yours sincerely,

Send this off quickly and let us know how they reply.

Stay OFF the phone completely.

post 5

I already sent off a letter using the template on this forum and have received no response back.

Thanks DX

Whoops !!

No reply needed until they reply specifically to your letter offering to pay the final fee.