Problem with cancellation fees and Reebok Gym

[CGTT]

Hi,

 

I'd be grateful for any advice you could give me for a problem I'm having with my gym cancellation.

 

I joined Reebok Gym in Mar 2014 on a rolling contract with no minimum period.

 

 

After 3 months I wished to cancel the contract as I was due to have a foot operation and would be unable to use the Gym.

I'd been previously told by the Gym that they only required a weeks notice but

 

 

when I tried to cancel I was told that I was 4 days too late for that months cancellation

and that I would need to pay for another full month's use of the Gym.

They said that the weeks notice was for a payment holiday, i.e. not using the gym for a short period, not for cancelling the contract as I wished to do so.

 

I signed the cancellation as they requested and went home and cancelled my direct debit

as I felt it unfair that I should have to pay for a full month when they had told me verbally that a week was all that was required.

 

Reebok sent me an email or two saying that they had not received the payment

- which I ignored (as I did not use the gym at all ) I didn't hear anything from them for a couple of months and

 

 

now I'm receiving letters and text messages from ARC insisting that I should pay and my fee has gone from the £146 to £172

and also threatening to take me to court.

 

I object to paying the £146 cancellation fee as I maintain I was told verbally that only a weeks notice was required

but accept that the contract states a months notice,

 

 

if this the correct thing to do I am prepared to do this.

 

 

However should I also have to pay the fee that ARC have applied?

 

 

If I do not could it affect my credit rating?

 

 

Can they take me to court?

 

Any help, much appreciated.

[dx100uk]

hi & welcome.

 

 

don't worry about the silly no powers DCA

 

 

they are NOT BAILIFFS

and have

NO LEGAL POWERS whatsoever.

 

 

if you read a couple of threads here

you'll soon get the idea

 

 

and no they have no legal remit to add anything to the 'debt'

 

 

dx

[slick132]

Hi CGTT,

 

Most gym agreements require a full month's notice before cancelling. The final payment that's required depends on the date your monthly DD is normally taken.

 

 

1. When was the DD normally paid each month.

 

2. What was the monthly fee.

 

3. What date did you sign the cancellation form at the gym.

 

Ignore ARC's demands for now. As DX says, they have no powers and, despite what they threaten, they are very limited as to what they can actually do.

 

Also, any admin fees that they add should not be payable as we maintain they are unlawful penalty charges.