Klick Fitness - payment issues

[kregrs]

Back in February, me and my partner signed up to Klick fitness, at a cost of £12.99 a month each. The direct has been collected on the 15th of each month, until this month, when they went for the payment on the 1st of the month. As I wasn't expecting this, both payments bounced, so causing me to pick up a couple of charges on my account.

I've had an email from Klick, informing me that payment has bounced, and that membership is now suspended, and I've replied stating the above facts, although this is the only contact details I have for them, despite searching the net, no contact numbers and the staff at the gym just refer you to the website, so does anyone have any other contact details for them?

I've asked for an explanation of why the payment was attempted to be taken 2 weeks early, and why I wasn't informed of this change of payment date. I've also asked, as a gesture of goodwill, owing to what seems to be their mistake and the fact I've now picked up some bank charges due to it, that they credit both Klick accounts with this months payment.

So, is this a reasonable request, under the circumstances? And if they refuse, what would be my next course of action?

[slick132]

Hi Kregrs,

 

If the gym gave you no notice of the date change, I think you're protected by the DD Guarantee Scheme.

 

See here - https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&sqi=2&ved=0CEwQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bacs.co.uk%2FBacs%2FBusinesses%2FDirectDebit%2FCollecting%2FPages%2FCustomersRights.aspx&ei=4tWIUeq4GqKq0QX6v4EQ&usg=AFQjCNGo6VWKJx5fc4GrhmMbibXffauX0w&sig2=6Xbq-IAojy9b3fc0xTTmFg

 

Never mind trying to call the gym - you need to keep everything in writing only.

 

You should tell the gym you need them to refund the bank charges that you incurred as a result of their DD date error. You should also establish what date the DD is to be taken in future. If the gym does not agree to refund quickly (I'd give them just 7 days to respond), complain to the bank that the DD was taken contrary to the DD mandate and ask THEM to refund the pay'ts. Tell them you also want the default charges refunded and see how they respond on this aspect.

 

If you don't want to remain members because of this, I think you have grounds to cancel, based on their breach of your m/ship agreement, regardless of whether you agreed to a minimum m/ship period.

 

Edited May 7, 2013 by slick132

[kregrs]

Thank you for the advice. To be honest, I don't want to cancel, as the monthly fee seems to be the cheapest around, I know its a basic, no frills membership, but it doesn't come with things I won't use, just use of the gym and equiptment.

I've emailed them on the address they emailed me from to notify me payment had bounced (nice to see they can let me know its bounced, but not to inform me they were changing the date), so I'll give it a few days.

The same thing happened to a friend a few weeks ago, but they were talked into starting another membership by Klick.

[slick132]

Hi Kregrs,

 

The fact that you want to maintain the m/ship will affect how you try to resolve this.

 

You should tell the gym's admin dep't that they must compensate you for the bank's default fees which you incurred as a result of the gym's error. Send a copy of the relevant bank statement showing the default fee but hide other personal info.

 

You also need to agree with the gym the DD payment date so the gym doesn't cause this problem again.

 

[kregrs]

Thank you Slick, I've asked that they credit me this months membership to start with, as a goodwill gesture, I honestly haven't got a clue what I'll be charged by the bank yet, as I haven't had a bounced dd for ages.

[slick132]

When you find out how much the bank stings you for the failed DD's, tell the gym they need to pay you to compensate or offer however many month's of free m/ship instead.