Hi,

I cancelled my DD with Harland's earlier this year after speaking to a member of staff at the gym who told me this was an adequate way to cancel since I was pregnant and could no longer fully use my membership.

This month I received an email from Harland's asking me to pay £100+ in fees due to cancelling my direct debit.

I rang as instructed and was asked to provide proof of pregnancy and that by doing so the amount would be cleared and the account cancelled.

After sending proof I received an email saying I was required to pay £52+ in order for them to cancel my account as I hadn't let them know before payment was due.

I refuse to pay anything since two members of their staff instructed me, I followed staff guidance and am now required to pay more which I wasn't told and frankly can't afford. This is causing me a lot of stress and with pregnancy this is not a good situation to be in.

Any advice on what to do would be greatly appreciated.

Nothing they can do

Stop ringing these powerless people and block/bounce their emails

If you want, send them the slick132 letter by post offering one month and no unlawful admin fees

Hi Rose and welcome to CAG

Harlands would like you to believe they have the right to demand the proof from you - they simply don't !!

As DX says, make no further contact with Harlands by phone - you have no need to communicate with them by phone.

Use this to send to Harlands at their Haywards Heath address :-

Dear sir or madam,

Xercise4Less gym in [town/city]

Due to pregnancy, I told the gym staff I needed to cancel my membership and they told me to simply cancel the DD Mandate.

I cancelled my direct debit mandate but realise now that I should have given 30 days notice to cancel my membership. So I now offer to pay a final month's fee of £xx.xx to cover the notice period. I will not pay 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 £xx.xx in full & 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you fail to accept my offer within 14 days or you demand any other payment, I will pay you nothing and my offer will be withdrawn.

Given my physical condition, I will deal with this in writing only and will report any harassment to the relevant authorities.

Yours faithfully,

Send this by letter, not email and get a free Certificate of Posting at the PO.

You could also use social media to contact X4Less publicly saying :-

Due to pregnancy, I cancelled my DD as advised by X4Less staff. Harlands/CRS then demanded over £100 and wanted proof of pregnancy which I sent.

Since then they are demanding over £50 which I will not pay.

I have offered Harlands/CRS just one months fee which is the very most I owe. X4Less staff advised me wrongly and then leave me at the mercy of Harlands/CRS which is not nice when I'm pregnant !

Stay off the phone and keep us posted

Hi Slick update on my case!

After my last email to them I received no reply so assumed that the case was settled after explaining they were putting unneeded stress on a pregnant woman!

Today I received an email from CRS claiming I owe £268 now!!

Considering my last email was a month ago to which I received no reply, I don't know how they dare send a debt collector after me wanting more than quadruple what they last said I needed to pay to settle me account!

Hoping for some advice on my next steps as this is panicking me and at 7 months pregnant it's definite the last thing I need.

ignore

Hi Rose,

As DX says, ignore anything from Harlands/CRS for now.

Did you post publicly to, or about, X4Less as suggested in my post above ?

Depending on your answer, I have some ideas for you.

I didn't post publicly no but it's for lifestyle fitness not exercise for less

Regardless, get onto social media and embarrass them on there, funny how quickly things change when you embarrass them in public and let the whole world know just how they treat their customers.

IGNORE the powerless useless toothless debt collector, use their dumb missives for hamster bedding.

So I should post on lifestyle fitnesses Facebook, twitter etc?? Even if the issue is with Harlands?

No they haven't sent letters so far just emails so makes it seem less important if they can't even be bothered to send an official letter!

So I should post on lifestyle fitnesses Facebook, twitter etc?? Even if the issue is with Harlands?

ABSOLUTELY!

The gym has sole responsibility for the actions of it's third party clowns, they carry the can.

Hi Rose,

Sorry but we deal with so many X4Less cases here, I mistakenly thought yours was with them too. No matter, just replace any reference about X4Less to Lifestyle Fitness.

In addition to posting on their public media, I suggest you also write to the gym direct to tell them of your situation and how they should call Harlands off immediately.

Adapt my suggestion in post #3 above (the second 3 paragraph draft I made) and send this by post to the gym's head office (get the address from the local gym).

Keep us posted and don't worry at all about any demands from Harlands/CRS.