Ashbourne Management strikes again...

[tonij]

Hi there..

 

after doing some research online this morning, I see that I am not the first person to fall foul of Ashbourne Management's poor customer service and blatant disregard of their own T&Cs.

 

I informed the company via email that I would be moving out of the area and wanted to know their cancellation policy. I was told to refer to the T&Cs which I didn't have as I was not prompted to download a copy when I registered online for Clifford Health Club & Spa in Long Eaton, Nottingham.

 

On checking their T&Cs it clearly states that I can cancel during the minimum membership period with NO further obligation if I move over 15 miles from the gym and provide written confirmation of this. I have moved over 80 miles away and provided them with my new driving license and also 2 bank statements showing the new address.

 

My cancellation has been refused as they do not accept bank statements and I am unable to provide them with any other documents yet as I have moved back in with my parents and waiting for other docs to come through.

 

 

I have told them I am not happy as bank statements are certainly a formal piece of ID (lenders and solicitors use these every day!), and by waiting for further documents to come through before they cancel will make me liable for an extra months payments I do not wish to pay (mainly out of principle!).

 

I have raised the issue with the CMA who are now investigating, trading standards have been informed and I have also let the gym in question know.

 

 

I have numerous email threads with Ashbourne Management but most of my points have been ignored and my repeated requests for their complaints procedure have also been ignored.

 

My next DD is due to go out on 1st November - am I safe to cancel this?

 

Thanks in advance for you help,

 

Toni

[slick132]

Hi Toni,

 

Should you cancel the DD mandate yet ? - This depends on the dates involved.

 

Generally, you need to give a month's notice to cancel. Eg, if you gave notice to cancel on 5th September, you would allow the next payment to be taken on 1st October and cancel the DD mandate after that happened.

 

Don't worry about AMSL refusing to accept what you provided - they have no authority to demand specific items as proof. I think what you've supplied is adequate already so ignore further demands from them for now. You don't need to engage in further communications with them for now.

 

If the next DD is due on 1st November, it may already have been processed but that's no problem at all. If we think the Nov'r DD is NOT payable but the bank has already sent it, you can easily reclaim it using the DD Guarantee Scheme.

 

To enable us to advise properly, let us know :-

 

1. Date you moved.

 

2. Date you first told the gym or AMSL you were cancelling.

 

You should have gathered, from other threads here, that it's OK to ignore the demands from gym admin companies. You've no need to respond to them. As long as they have your correct address you can simply monitor their actions and seek advise here from time to time.

 

[tonij]

Thank you for your response.

 

I first told them I was moving on the 5th October. I was told that because I have moved, as soon as they have their required If they would cancel the contract immediately as there is no notice period. It does say in my contract they will cancel with "no further obligation" which in my eyes means there is no 30 day cancellation period.

 

This is why I was thinking about cancelling the DD. They've had there proof and I moved on 22nd October so under their "no further obligation" rule I should not be liable for another payment.

 

Funnily enough my log book and car insurance docs arrived today. Should I email these to them on Monday and confirm that the contract should be cancelled immediately with no further payment to be taken?

 

Thanks again for your help.

 

Toni

[slick132]

Hi Toni,

 

You have no need at all to send AMSL any more doc'ts, If you do that, they'll probably say, "We have rec'd the doc'ts on 3rd November and THIS is the date we accept your cancellation." So they'll want MORE money !

 

Stop taking them so seriously !!

 

Can you please post here exactly what is said about cancelling in the event of relocation, per your T&C's, as I'm not convinced you 're right about "no further obligation".

 

Edited October 29, 2016 by slick132

[tonij]

Hi..

 

The exact wording in the contract is as follows:

 

 

Your right to cancel this agreement.

We will cancel your membership during the minimum membership period without any further obligation on your part if you are not reasonably able to access the gym in the following circumstances. You must either (a) provide a letter from your doctor to prove that you have been advised not to use the gym for the foreseeable future for a medical reason; or (b) provide written confirmation (e.g. letter from your employer) to prove that the location of your main place of work has changed and is more than 15 miles from the gym; or © you provide written confirmation (e.g. utility bills) to prove that you have moved more than 15 miles from the gym.

 

I suppose I'll just have to wait and see.. I'll let you know how I get on.

 

Thanks for your help

[slick132]

Hi Toni,

 

Based on the T&C's above, you're right to cancel with no notice period.

 

Cancel the DD mandate via your bank immediately.

 

If the pay't due on 1st Nov has already been sent from your bank, reclaim it using the DDGS.

 

Let us know what you get from AMSL but don't communicate with them further until you've got advice here. Remember they do not have authority or rights to demand this and that, as a means to delaying the cancellation.