Total Fitness Membership

[poza78]

can someone help here, i'm trying to cancel my membership with total fitness because i am having an operation on my knee in november. I rang them but was told that I will have to pay the remaining 7 months subscription or freeze the membership at a one off fee of £25. I would rather call it a day on the whole thing now. any help please??

 

originally posted 24th September

[poza78]

okay so I decided to freeze the rest of the membership and pay one month so that would be £25 to freeze and a month at £40. They froze from 1st October to 1st March. Then i saw that they still charged me on 1st October so I phoned the gym and was told that there was no way the person I spoke to could have stopped the October payment so this would be frozen from 1st November. Because I did not trust them I cancelled my direct debit

[poza78]

Today I received a letter because I cancelled my direct debit. Upon phoning head office in Manchester on 0161 440 2667 and explaining the situation, firstly they girl I spoke to only knew about the membership being frozen from october to march until I pointed out that my October payment had been collected. I then went on to explain that I had cancelled my direct debit due to a pending knee operation and that was going to cancel my membership after my 12 month contract expired the same time the 6 month freeze expires, so did not need to renew the direct debit. However this is not the case as she then explained that if the membership is frozen for 6 months then the remainder of my 6 month contract continues after the freeze expires. But that they can cancel membership on medical grounds! what a joke, the guys at TF preston never once mentioned this, all they wanted was my money. She then put me through to another lady who was actually very helpful and asked me to send a letter from my doctor or details of the op and they would organise membership cancellation. I now have a doctor's appointment in the morning and will send the letter directly to this lady along with a letter of complaint and I also intend to claim back my £65 which I was conned into paying for no reason.

[andie_303]

POZA - I know this is a little late and I hope you got your money back I'm an Ex Total Manager and the reason the sales person in club would nothave told you about cancelling on medical grounds is that the clubs are targeted on cash paid in club and so you paying money to the club would have gone towards them getting a bonus - I really hope you got your money back

[poza78]

Hi andie,

 

yes thanks I did get my membership cancelled and £40 back as soon as they got the letter from my doctor, they did not refund the £25 fee for freezing the membership and the doctor's letter cost me £20 but still a small price to pay. I've vowed never to get stuck in a 12 month membership again, after problems with fitness first and virgin in the past I only sign up for 3months at a time maximum.

 

thanks again for your reply.

[karanight]

I very foolishly enquired about membership to a total fitness gym, and after choosing another gym I've been bombarded with text messages from total fitness, I've asked and asked them to stop sending the text but they seem unable to complete this simply task.

I made the enquiry on my mobile

Does anyone know how to stop these infuriating text coming to my phone. I never gave them authority to send text messages but that doesn't cut mustard with total fitness.

 

There's a lesson here, Always withhold your number when making inquires to any company.

[karanight]

I very foolishly enquired about membership to a total fitness gym, and after choosing another gym I've been bombarded with text messages from total fitness, I've asked and asked them to stop sending the text but they seem unable to complete this simply task.

I made the enquiry on my mobile

Does anyone know how to stop these infuriating text coming to my phone. I never gave them authority to send text messages but that doesn't cut mustard with total fitness.

 

There's a lesson here, Always withhold your number when making inquires to any company.

[andie_303]

I very foolishly enquired about membership to a total fitness gym, and after choosing another gym I've been bombarded with text messages from total fitness, I've asked and asked them to stop sending the text but they seem unable to complete this simply task.

I made the enquiry on my mobile

Does anyone know how to stop these infuriating text coming to my phone. I never gave them authority to send text messages but that doesn't cut mustard with total fitness.

 

There's a lesson here, Always withhold your number when making inquires to any company.

 

Ring the club you enquired with and ask to speak with the manager - give them your name and mobile number ask them to search their system and delete both your name and number details.

You can find that they have generated your record twice and so if they just search your name and delete it won't delete the number.

 

Chances are though they have just ignored you when you asked - if the manager doesn't do it - ring head office 0161 440 9000.

 

But yes you're right when people are desperate for sales always withold mobiles!!

[cerberusalert]

See http://www.consumerforums.com/the-news/latest-news/614-gym-membership-clubs-are-forced-to-get-fair-

[karanight]

I've been in touch with the original club and the head office several times but to no avail.

There just a crappy outfit.

[andie_303]

Hi Kara,

 

What have you been trying to get in touch with them about - if you give me some more details I may be able to point you in the right direction.

[karanight]

Re my post of 7th September 2009, 12:02 and your answer of

7th September 2009, 12:55

[andie_303]

sorry Kara didn't read the whole of the thread again.

 

Did you manager to speak with the manager at club level?

 

You can email them as well on manager@totalfitness(CLUB BRANCH).co.uk and membership@totalfitness(clubbranch).co.uk

 

Tell them you are reporting them to the information commisioner and the OFT for failure to comply with your data protection request.

 

I would then send a written copy to

 

Robin Johnson Managing Director

Total Fitness Head Office

Wilmslow Way

Handforth

Cheshire

SK9 3PE

[karanight]

Thank you

I'll do as you say, though I should have to.

[Plodder]

Hi Kara, and anyone else who has a problem with Total Fitness - if it is not too late. Each time you get a text, why not send an e-mail to the Managing Director - [email protected] and tell him to stop sending you text messages. That should help -especially if a number of your friends also send him an e-mail to ask him why you are being hounded.

[karanight]

Thanks for that Plodder

I'll try it, I've done all thats been suggested on the forum to no avail but I'll try anything to stop the bastards

I once had a firm phone me every day and sometimes twice a day to try to sell me soffits for my house so I phoned there freephone number about 40 times and each time they answered I put the phone down. Eventually I spoke saying "do you want me to stop phoning you" The man who answered went ballistic when he realised it was me phoning and started threatening so I put the phone down and then phoned another 30 times, putting the phone down each time he answered. I then phoned and spoke again asking if he wanted me to stop phoning, Again he went mad, I repeated the above until he managed to remain calm (which must have been very difficult for him) and I told him to remove my phone number from their system. He eventually agreed (after more silent phone calls) I now don't get calls from that crappy outfit and if I ever want soffits fitted to my house their the last firm I'd phone but to stop total fitness is another problem so I'll try as you suggest.

[karanight]

Thanks for that Plodder

I'll try it, I've done all thats been suggested on the forum to no avail but I'll try anything to stop the bastards

I once had a firm phone me every day and sometimes twice a day to try to sell me soffits for my house so I phoned there freephone number about 40 times and each time they answered I put the phone down. Eventually I spoke saying "do you want me to stop phoning you" The man who answered went ballistic when he realised it was me phoning and started threatening so I put the phone down and then phoned another 30 times, putting the phone down each time he answered. I then phoned and spoke again asking if he wanted me to stop phoning, Again he went mad, I repeated the above until he managed to remain calm (which must have been very difficult for him) and I told him to remove my phone number from their system. He eventually agreed (after more silent phone calls) I now don't get calls from that crappy outfit and if I ever want soffits fitted to my house their the last firm I'd phone but to stop total fitness is another problem so I'll try as you suggest.

[Plodder]

No problem karaknight. I know someone who did it - very effective! As for your nuisance phone calls - someone gave me a good tip - keep them talking - it costs them for the phone call, and these call centres are limited to a couple of minutes per call, so you pretend to be interested, and they run out of time, and don't call you again. Love to hear what happens about your Gym thing, so keep us posted

[karanight]

I emailed John Peers and I've had a reply from him promising to take action and remove my phone number from their records.

We'll see!

[andie_303]

No problem karaknight. I know someone who did it - very effective! As for your nuisance phone calls - someone gave me a good tip - keep them talking - it costs them for the phone call, and these call centres are limited to a couple of minutes per call, so you pretend to be interested, and they run out of time, and don't call you again. Love to hear what happens about your Gym thing, so keep us posted

 

Hi Plodder this is not quite correct about limiting the calls.

 

Total Fitness don't work out of call centres they are working out of the clubs and their sales people aren't limited to any time.

 

In fact any call that lasts over 30 seconds reflects positively on the sales persons statistics as a completed call.

 

Therefore it is better to hang on for 28 seconds then hang up

[andie_303]

opps sorry Plodder just read the other posts about call centres - sorry for the confusion

[reptilia82]

hello,

 

i joined total fitness in january 2009 when i was working. i lost my job not long after i joined so i froze my account for 6 months. then after the six months had passed, i was working again. but NOW ive lost my job again, and i am having trouble finding another one. is there anyway i canjust cancel my account....i think i may have around 5 or 6 months left to honour in my membership. i just want this dark cloud lifted from me, i havnt even BEEN in the last 2 months...i was working all the time and now im unemployed, i just cant worry about this monthly £44 bill anymore, its doing my head in,

is there anyway i can ditch this bitch!?

 

thank you

dave

[neverworkfortotalfitness]

I am a Ex Manager of Total Fitness uk Ltd Gorden Brown is an wonderfull person when looking at there Area Manager Christian Lincoln & His side kick Mr Matt Meyler.

 

After a five day Trial in Tribunal over Bullying Harrasment and setting me up to fall the Judge made a 31 Page Report that Is Public Knowledge and can be reported on

 

(Mr Meyler & Mr Lincoln of Total Fitness Ltd used what is by any Standards Bullying Threatenning Behavour, setting this lady up to fall.)

 

After making a Complaint to the Court Usher & the Judge over Intimadation the Judge moved Total Fitness seniour Employees around all seven of then representing Total Fitness, They had a Solicitor & Barrister I represented myself and won.

 

After sending a Complaint to LGV Legal and Genaral Ventures who own Total Fitness they Just Ignoured my complaint

 

Total Fitness even Ignoured the Judge's orders to Pay me lost money within 42 days I had to enforce that Order & Complain.

 

The Company after the 31 Page report did nothing keeping the above Managers, they have no concern for there staff keeping and protecting the Bullys, Teesside had three Bullying Complaints in against the Company in 2008, after my Tribunal another was settled out of Court/Tribaunal.

 

As Andie states and gives good advice, Each Unit Gym's Managers gets a Money Bonus for keeping cash & Members (Cash intake) gets Bonuses so they do not want you to lose there Bonus.

 

Be warned: Anyone wanting to work there, you will be promised Trainning & Development and support, The Judge laughed at my Tribunal and stated "Any body else makes referance to Support I will get very upset"

 

So never give in even If you feel you have been mislead at Point of sale.

 

Remember any Company who back Bullys, uses Intimadation, Ignours Health & safety calls (Protected disclosure) to serouse risk, there not going to think twice about keeping your money.

 

You recieve Texts or constent selling Items complain and It gets you no where then send John Peers a Text MD of Total Fitness.

 

[email protected]

 

Advice Given by: neverworkfortotalfitness

[andie_303]

Hi NWFTF

 

Its been a long time - have sent you a PM re the above.

 

Hope you are well and happy, I know I certainly am