Xercise 4 less / Harlands / CRS

[KasiaG]

Hi All,

 

I am new to CAG, and I just lost the previous message I wrote

 

So starting again, I read previous post about Xercise 4 less and their customer policy. Just like to say, what you are doing is amazing.

 

Getting to my story:

 

We (me and my boyfriend) signed for Xercise 4 less membership in August 2015, before they opened on 28th August 2015.

 

 

We knew it was 12 month contract, so we kept it for a year, even we didn't use it much.

But we wanted to cancel as soon as contract came to the end.

 

We went to the gym on beginning of September to cancel our membership, receptionist mentioned something about Website.

 

 

we get on the website,

I am really sorry I looked everywhere for cancelation link ,

but I couldn't find it.

 

 

My boyfriend went to the gym to ask they referred him to the Website.

I logged on my profile again with same effect.

 

 

And the story goes on for a while.

 

Finally we've gave up, gone to the bank to cancel our DD. And everything was fine till

 

 

yesterday, we received two debt collection letters from CRS, with no previous communication.

(we changed the address, so that may be the reason).

Each letter asking for payment of over £200, for both of us is over £400.

 

Obviously we called CRS start saying our story,

guy just stopped me in the middle said I need to pay minimum of £76 per person,

and I have "let say a month" to pay after which they will take a court action against me.

 

We went to the gym requested to talk with the manager, I thing everyone knows what happened there :/

 

We are not willing to pay as we don't believe we owe them anything.

 

 

As far as I got the point from previous posts

We should ignore any form of communication and write them a letter informing we don't accept any charges as we find them unlawful.

 

 

I would appreciate any help or advise, as after reading the forum I expect to be harassed by the company for next few years and I would rather not.

 

Many thanks

Kasia

[Bazooka Boo]

Hi and welcome to CAG.

 

IMHO you pay them nothing.

 

And please STOP talking to them over the phone, CRS/Harlands et al are completely powerless and clueless. You owe them nothing IMHO.

 

You MIGHT owe them one months fee, but no more.

 

Lodge a formal complaint IN WRITING to the gym, also make a formal complaint to trading standards, who're looking into X4Less and their gym contracts.

 

Also jump onto social media and embarrass them on there, get onto their twitter and FB accounts and highlight their treatment of customers so others can avoid them.

 

You won't be harassed for years either, harassment is a criminal offence, so tel X4Less that you hold them ultimately responsible for any harassment their chosen third party carries out.

 

Please don't call CRS again, unless you're baiting them, they really are powerless and have zero legal rights to do anything.

[KasiaG]

Hi,

Thanks.

 

 

To be honest I called them as soon as I received the letter, before I did any research and have no plan on doing so again.

 

 

How could I complain to trading standards.

[Bazooka Boo]

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/get-more-help/report-to-trading-standards/

 

click on the link...

[slick132]

Hi Kasia,

 

Telling the gym staff you wanted to cancel was adequate notice of your wishes. The date you told the gym staff, is the effective date of giving notice. The staff were wrong to refer you to the website but they tend to make cancelling more difficult than they need.

 

After you gave notice, you only had to pay one final month's fee so I think you each owe this.

 

Let us know what you think about this but do NOT call Harlands/CRS again for any reason. They are chancers who have neither power nor authority.

 

Read other threads here and you find a suitable draft I've posted offering to pay the gym 1 final gym fee but no admin charges added by Harlands/CRS.

 

You want one of my drafts that offers 1 month's fee ; offer valid for 14 days only; after that the offers is withdrawn; and further demands may be reported to TS and The CMA.

 

Have a look for one but I'll link one for you if I have time.

 

[KasiaG]

Hi Slick,

 

 

Thanks a lot.

 

 

I believe I cancel DD month after I first gone to Gym to cancel membership, as we tried few times to and it took us bit of time before we gave up. I will double check that later, it was both coming from my bf account. So that shouldn't apply I believe. Should I still pay them one month?

[KasiaG]

Just checked, last DD gone 28th October 2016, I become a member 28th August 2015

[slick132]

Hi Kasia,

 

You told the gym you wanted to cancel in September (per your post #1, para 6) and you paid the last DD in October.

 

So I think you've done all you need and you owe them nothing more !

 

Write to X4Less Head Office in Leeds. Correct anything as necessary but write no more than I suggest :-

 

Dear sir or madam,

 

I/we joined your gym at xxxxxxx [town/city] before it opened on 28th August 2015.

 

In September 2016 I told the gym I wanted to cancel.

 

Instead of processing my cancellation, staff referred me to your website. I couldn't see how to cancel online so I went back to the gym who, again, referred me to the website.

 

I allowed the DD to be paid at the end of October 2016 and then cancelled the DD mandate.

 

Despite the fact that I owe you nothing more, I am now being harassed by Harlands/CRS. Please instruct them to cease all contact with me immediately.

 

If Harlands/CRS or anyone else contacts me with any further demand, formal complaints will be made to Trading Standards and The CMA.

 

Yours faithfully,

 

Send to X4Less by letter and get a free Certificate of Posting at the PO.

 

Ignore Harlands/CRS completely for now - you have no need to communicate with them at all, despite the threats they make.

 

Keep us posted.

 

[KasiaG]

Will do.

 

 

Thank you very much. You are awesome

[KasiaG]

Hi,

 

 

Coming back to you guys, as this letter didn't work I am still receiving text messages from CRS asking to call them asap ( I didn't call them and am not planning to do so) and automated phone calls from CRS/Harlands number, I answered once but the number is very easy to recognize so am not doing that either.

 

 

Any advise on what to do with that?

 

 

Thanks Kasia

[slick132]

Hi Kasia,

 

Continue to ignore all contact from Harlands/CRS for now.

 

Did X4Less reply to your letter ?

 

See here about making complaints to The CMA and Trading Standards - http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?424491-Harlands-and-Xercise-4-Less&p=5004672&viewfull=1#post5004672

 

Don't simply copy the letters. Adapt to reflect you own case so the letters aren't obviously copied from CAG

 

[KasiaG]

Hi Slick132,

 

 

No I never received any reply from X4Less.

 

 

I pretty much used your letter in original version with really small adjustment as it's describing my case very well.

 

 

I will look into that link and try to make the complain with Trading Standards. I will let you know if anything comes up.

 

 

Thank you

K

[slick132]

Hi Kasia,

 

Can you send a further letter to X4Less saying :-

 

I refer to my letter of xxth February to which I've had no reply. I have proof of postage for this.

 

For reference, I enclose a copy and I'd like your considered reply within 14 days, failing which formal complaints will be made about your conduct to Trading Standards and The CMA.

 

You are condoning the actions of Harlands/CRS including their harassment of me which is a criminal offence and this will be the focus of my complaints.

 

Get another free Cert of Posting.

 

Wait 14 days before complaining.