Good morning, first of all this is the first time i’ve Used a forum so pardon my ignorance.

I was a member at lifestyle fitness on Hagley road, Birmingham. I paid for a 12 months membership and only went twice. I cancelled my membership and received a “Sorry you’re leaving” email.

Maybe a year later I rejoined. The building having changed Hands to “TheGymGroup”.

I was paying by the month and I was using the gym. I got really fed up with the gym and the lack of equipment

. I quit my membership through the members app.

Again I received a “Sorry you’re leaving” email. That was maybe 4 months ago.

My lifestyle membership i think ended sometime in 2016.

I realised to my Horror last week that the Gymgroup are still taking my £18.99 a month!

I have contacted them and they said because I no longer have the email, there is nothing they can do.

To make matters worse, she said that my lifestyle membership was still running!

Now i’m Terrified that they have also been charging me for 2 years without me realising!

I don’t even know how to contact lifestyle as they no longer run the gym

. I have now cancelled my direct debits, which I will do in the future. I feel such an idiot. I just trusted the companies were professional!

I feel so upset and totally powerless. It’s such a mess and I don’t know what to do

Go get them back from your bank under the dd guarantee scheme

Ok good advice. I’ll visit the bank tomorrow and give it a try!

No do it by their phone banking line

Tell them they have never sent notification each month as requir

Hi TL and welcome to CAG

First off, please read the following guide about cancelling your m/ship properly - https://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?452671-Cancelling-your-Gym-Agreement-Get-it-right-!(1-Viewing)-nbsp

You shouldn't simply cancel the DD without first checking what you've signed up to, and what notice you need to give.

Check with your bank first to see if :-

1. The more recent m/ship with the Gym Group is still being paid by DD. You should reclaim all DD's paid EXCEPT 1 for the month you failed to give notice to cancel. So if you quit, for instance, using the gym's App on 1st Feb, reclaim all DD's paid after the next DD was paid, ie all DD's from 1st March onwards.

2. The Lifestyle DD's were being paid despite you having cancelled. If so, again reclaim all DD's paid from 30 days after you gave notice to quit.

The bank may argue or question your request but it is NOT for them to argue with you about this- they're obliged to refund what you request but just make sure you ONLY reclaim what you're entitled to.

Let us know what you find has been paid before contacting Harlands further. Don't contact the gym either for now.

Thank you. My only concern is I don’t know exactly when I cancelled either membership. I guess all I can do is take an educated guess

Use whatever you can to guess as accurately as possible.

Just be as fair and reasonable as you can and let us know what you think has been paid and when you think the m/ships were cancelled.

I have called Barclays and asked for my Direct Debit refund.

They have apparently refunded the money and logged a claim.

He did say however that if the claim is disputed and they call me for more information, they may need evidence to prove the cancellation of my gym membership.

I do not have the cancellation emails anymore. I’ve done everything I can think of to try and retrieve them.

I’ll keep you updated.

Thanks again for the support, it means so much!

Hi TL,

The claim will almost certainly be disputed but Harlands will usually just write threatening letters to you telling you they needed paying back.

You should not be compromised (with the bank) for not having proof of the cancellation as long as your dates leading to the refunds are reasonable.

Ok i’ll Do my best. Best thing i’ve Don’t is finding this forum!

*done

I have received a letter from Harlands group today.

They said they have received an indemnity claim from my bank to refund the sum of £139.93.

I was under a membership agreement and they received no notice to cancel my agreement.

The agreement also states that such payments are non-refundable and ask that I request my bank to withdraw it’s claim immediately.

Should I not withdraw the claim and rectify this breach of my agreement within 14 working day I will incur a £25 admin charge and the matter with be referred to a debt recovery company to pursue the full amount and cost incurred.

tough ignore them!!

Are you sure? Bit worried now!

Then again I can’t prove that I cancelled the membership, but they can’t orove that I didn’t!

Worried about what??

Get reading other threads

Cant see youve read any..unless done when not logged in

Just about this £25 charge they’re threatening me with and debt collectors.

I’ll have a look at the other threads too. Thanks

Dca's are NOT BAILIFFS

And have ZERO legal powers

The charges are a PENALTY and are unlawful

Ok I’ll stand firm.

Many thanks!

Hi TL,

Their current threats are no different to their previous ones - desperate please to get money from you as per my post #9 above.

Ignore their letter!

Keep us posted and let us know if the bank writes to you any further about your reclaiming your money.

I will do. I really appreciate this

Hi all, today I have received an email from “Credit resolution services”.

It states they have been employed by Lifestyle Fitness so another £66.50 has been added to my account balance which now stands at £231.43.

They want me to call and discuss payments. I’m not well and these people are causing so my stress i’m Considering paying the money so they leave me alone. It’s just so much money! I wish they was a method of retrieving old emails so I could prove to these people that I cancelled the memberships

well don't!!

block and bounce their emails

dx

Really? I’m not compounding the problem?

I don’t want some bailiff showing up at my house trying to take my tv

bailiff...where the hell did you get that idea from?

a DCA is NOT A BAILIFF

and have

ZERO legal powers...

 

 

 

 

I wish they was a method of retrieving old emails so I could prove to these people that I cancelled the memberships

 

 

 

 

Where are your old emails?