Fitness First, Ethics Second!

[Packers01]

The fitness industry used to have a terrible reputation; unethical contracts and then blocking cancellation in any way possible.  Luckily things have changed! Or have they?

 

  I cancelled my Fitness First subscription having not used their facility for almost 18 months.  That's 18 months that I paid for a service I wasn't getting...it was a small subscription (£30 odd pounds a month) and I'd simply forgotten about it after I changed jobs.  Fair enough.  My bad.  Cancellation was easy enough.

 

..I called my Centre and spoke to chap.

  He was cheerful and said he'd sort it out.  Yeah right

 

  I cancelled my Direct Debit just in case, and that was the last I heard of it..... for 3 months. 

 

Whereupon Cars Recovery Solutions sent me a letter of demand!!

  For x 2 months subscription + expenses!

  (By law its capped because they used to leave it even longer before notifying the poor sods.  There's a mistake I said!

 

 I called up the same FF Centre and spoke to the Centre manager, Lucy.

  She said she'd investigate. 

 

Next day 'Alex' called. 

Alex was equally cheerful as the first person I spoke to. 

She cheerfully said that I'd have to prove I'd cancelled my subscription otherwise *shrug* its my word against theirs!

 

  I asked if I should have received a cancellation reference?

Nope, but they send a confirmation email.

Well I didn't get one! 

Ah, we have your old email address. 

Um that's years old. 

Oh and we have your old mobile number. 

 

Turns out that Fitness First don't monitor returned messages..

..why? Because if they ask you to update your details, you might remember that you don't need your subscription and cancel it! Clever

 

So whilst Cars Recovery Solutions managed to get hold of me straight away (via snail-mail), Fitness First were unable to contact me because they only use electronic.... and cross their fingers that it's out of date ;)  Which they don't keep current in case you cancel your subscription.

 

Oh, I'm sure this is in line with the word of the law, but is it the intention of the law that these businesses rely on extracting revenue from unsuspecting people?

 

Well, I intend to spread the word

They've converted me!  I shall evangelize against joining their clubs for evermore!

[dx100uk]

Pers i'd be reclaiming all the months you paid and didnt use under the dd guarantee

how long did you sign up for

 

ignore the threats

cant harm cra

cant get ccj

totally powerless

 

Dx

[slick132]

Hi Packers and welcome to CAG

 

Big respect to my colleague DX but I think you have no right to reclaim any DD's over the 18 months. You were free to use the gym but failed to do so, and failed to cancel the DD Mandate.

 

Ignore any demands from CARS for now - they are powerless chancers !

 

Stop talking to anyone by phone - it's a waste of time and will NOT help resolve this matter.

 

The only contact you should make should be to the gym, in writing !

 

But I suggest you ignore all demands, requests for contact, etc for the next 14 days at least.

 

Let us know what further demands or contact you get, and from whom ........ 

[dx100uk]

how long did you sign up for ?

if they claimed DD after that period …….

[Packers01]

It was monthly not a fixed term :( I joined so long ago that I can’t remember if there was an initial fixed term.....

[dx100uk]

this is the point I was raising...

 

if it was a fixed term contract initially agreed to, then a DD cant simply be used to facilitate a then 'default' monthly rolling term membership...

surely the DD mandate is only for the fixed term [say 12mths] of what you agreed to.?

 

if a company then take sums once the fixed term is over using the same mandate its not what was agreed on the mandate, so is against the DD guarantee as they should then be informing you in writing each month informing you they are doing so...I bet they have not!!

[slick132]

Hi Packers,

 

DX makes a good point and it would be well-worth your while checking to see if you initially joined for a 12 month minimum period, as opposed to a rolling monthly agreement.

 

If it was the former, we'll probably recommend you reclaim any DD's paid by the bank beyond the initial 12 payments.

 

Check as best you can and let us know.

 

[dx100uk]