Hi everyone! I've dealt with Harlands before and have managed to pull through it with a lot of determination and sassyness but am having trouble this time. I joined a no-contract membership at JD gyms back in March or April or something like that. In June, I attempted to cancel my membership as I was moving back home after finishing university. I emailed JD gyms, saying that as there was no instructions on how to do this on their website and I received no contract, please accept this email as my cancellation notice. They replied saying it would take two weeks and to contact Harlands: "To cancel, you will need to contact Harlands Group (who collect the payments on our behalf) and issue 2 weeks notice. We’ve attached the T&C’s you accepted when you joined along with the cancellation form." An exact quote from their reply to me, in which I had made it clear I was cancelling for good, moving away and everything. Two weeks notice, fine, seems reasonable. Emailed Harlands saying I was cancelling, waited the two weeks, cancelled my direct debit. No further payment was taken in these two weeks as there wasn't any due to be taken, or any mention of a cancellation fee. Finally get a reply from Harlands saying that it is infact a month cancellation period as well as a £15.99 cancellation fee. I reply saying no, it isn't, and there is no fee, referring to my exchange with JD who confirmed this in the first place. No reply for several weeks, thought all was fine. I then go back up to my unversity house for my graduation to find three letters from Harlands, all stating different amounts that i allegedly owe them. The final one states £46.98, which I can't work out where they have gotten from. Probably just made it up on the spot as they seem to do with almost all of their 'rules and regulations'. So I email again, explaining in detail how and why I did not owe them any money and asking for letters to stop being sent as I had moved away. Had no reply so decided to ring Harlands (bad idea, I know, but I was sick of being ignored. Was on hold for 15 minutes before any one answered and was then put on hold again, they must have two people working for the whole company judging from how long it takes them to do anything). Anyway this guy tells me again that its a month cancellation period as well as the fee. I again say no, it isn't JD Gyms have clearly told me it isn't, any further issue you have with this needs to be taken up with them. They say that the 14 days I have mentioned is just the joining period thing, which may be true, but as far as I am concerned JD gyms have told me that its 14 days to cancel at any point. So apparently he's going to get in contact with them. Its been two days and I have emailed both JD and Harlands again trying to make all of this clear but have had no reply. Its really hard to get anything sorted out when they both just have such horrendous customer service! Anyway, the guy on the phone was adamant that I would have to pay this random £46.98 in full, which I am not doing. I am fully expecting them to not bother reading my emails or contacting JD and just to keep adding money to this bill, so am here to ask what I should do! Sorry for how long that was, and I hope it all makes sense. I'm just so sick of Harlands, I got scammed into paying them £120 when i was younger and didn't know any better so I am not willing to let that happen again! Any advice you can provide would be great!! Emma x

Hi, I'm having a lot of trouble with my gym. I am signed up with a 12 month contract to David Lloyd. A couple of years ago I was with them as well but ended the membership as I sprained my neck and my spine during a session with one of their personal trainers. Ever since the accident I have had problems. I can just be sat down, just relaxing and then suddenly my back/neck will go and my movement will be very limited. I took out the membership again as I wanted to try to train my body to become stronger, develop around the injuries and hopefully stop this from happening. I used the membership a few times over a two week period, just going for a gentle swim but it was too much and I was in a lot of pain with my back causing work to be very difficult. I phoned the gym, they told me if I got a letter from my GP, they would cancel the membership. Having had to cancel the membership once before, I asked them if I still had to give notice. They said no, just hand in the letter and they will cancel it straight away. So I went to the GP, got a letter and handed it into the gym. I didn't hear anything from them so I went into the gym to find out what was happening, they said the letter was not accepted due to the wording on the letter, the GP has put that I have gone to him and requested the letter. He has also put that he has reccomended gentle exercise e.g walking, that a gym membership is not required for. 1 - I don't understand how else the GP is supposed to know if I am coping or not unless I approach him to discuss the problems with my spine. 2 - It is the doccumentation they asked for. 3 - They say that the letter doesn;t rule out walking which they have treadmills for, why should I have to pay £70 a month for this? So I spoke to the GP and they said there is no reason why they should not accept the letter. I called the gym, one of the girls at reception said she would leave a message with the manager in membership sales. I didn't hear anything so I have cancelled the Direct Debit. The gym are now chasing for payment. I have now had conversations with management via email advising of the above. They have replied informing me that I am a liar and that I have not been miss informed as I was never told such things. They insist that I WAS NOT told that a letter would service and I WAS NOT told that notice was not required and they will not accept the letter. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO!! They keep changing the rules and then making me out to be a liar. I have just returned to work after 3 months sick leave and can not afford the membership. They want me to pay £70 a month to use a treadmil to walk? If they won't accept a letter from the GP then what can I do? I'm livid with the emails. A manager calling me a liar. It's my word against theirs. How would they know? arghhh... Please help.

Fitness First wont stop taking money from my bank account even though I have paid all their (unfair) exit fees. They agree that my contract is finished and that they shouldn't take money.I have already dealt with them xxxxxx the membership money after the membership was terminated - this was a couple of months after they should have stopped taking money. Now it is many months after the contract was terminated and they are taking money again. It is not a system or clerical error because they dont do it every month, only now & then.I believe it is deliberate theft which relies on people not keeping close tabs on their bank statements.