Harlands Xercise4Less admin fee

[SharNICK]

Hi, i am currently 17 year old in college, just started my second year

I have been attening local gym Xercise4Less in Castleford.
Few months ago i missed a payment and got charged £25 admin fee, additional to £20 for the gym - £45 total
I called them because back then i didnt knew why they charged me more. They explained it to me, i didnt realise that before freezing the membership i need to wait 14 days, so i didnt save any money for the day they were supposed to charge me. 
I called them a few times that day, i dont know why, and 1 lady said that because i am below 18 i shoulnt have been charged £25 admin fee, so as soon as i pay them 45 they will send me 25 back. This is what happened.

Now again, this time due to financial issues i was not able to pay on time, they tried to charge me 45 but i didnt had that, and today when i called them they said i owe them £70. 
They said this was because they tried to DD me again, even tho is doesnt show up on my bank account. 
I was looking for some official information about this admin fee, but i mostly found people ranting about it on forums, some other people responding that they do not need to pay a penny of them.
I do not know if i should be calling them or emailing them.
Should i email them that i offer to pay them £20 and terminate the membership ?

[dx100uk]

write only

 

dx

 

[slick132]

Hi Shar and welcome to CAG

 

Stay OFF the phone from now on. Written letters are best with Harlands but you could email if you want. Just keep copies of all communications.

 

If Harlands have used your DD mandate to collect any amount in excess of the monthly gym fee, contact your bank and arrange a refund(s) under the DD Guarantee Scheme.

 

Any contract you made under the age of 18 cannot be enforced. Even though Harlands refer to admin fees when a payment fails to be made, such fees are not lawful and should be challenged.

 

Have they refunded all admin fees that they took by DD ?

[SharNICK]

After charging me and having my balance negative, they gave the money back,

 

i called them about this admin fee and they said i should have the money in my bank account to avoid further admin fees by 2nd of october, currently they didnt take any money from me including the gym fee.

 

Should i cancel DD and send an email offering to pay £20 for gym membership this month and look for another gym?.

I can not do it via their payflex thing, because it tells me to pay £20 gym fee + 2 x £25 admin fee.

[slick132]

My advice would be to write to Harlands saying :-

 

Dear Harlands,

 

Xercise4Less gym, at Castleford

 

Please note the gym agreement for Xercise4Less was entered into while I was under 18. 

 

Accordingly, I will pay no more gym or admin fees and I have cancelled the DD mandate today via my bank.

 

Please ensure you make no further demands regarding this gym membership.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Shar

 

Send this to Harlands' postal address at Haywards Heath and get a free Certificate of Posting at the Post Office when sending it.

 

[SharNICK]

What about the  £20 pounds gym fee for this month i have not payed, dont i owe them this money legally? If yes how do i pay it to them without paying the admin fee?

Edited September 25, 2019 by SharNICK

[dx100uk]

nothing they can do to you

as well as gym debts not showing on credit files

they don't do court either

 

you were under 18 they should not have ever entered into a contract with you.

 

paid not payed too..

[slick132]

If you've used the gym this month but not paid for it, offer to pay the gym what you owe for this month only. Tell them you'll pay them but not Harlands because the DD mandate has been cancelled.

 

Just let us know :-

 

1. when you last used the gym.

 

2. When the gym fee was payable for this month.

[SharNICK]

2nd of september my gym membership unfroze because i froze it for vacation. I didnt used it after it unfroze because i though it would be blocked for me as i didnt manage to pay. I am supposed to pay at 2nd of everymonth. 

[slick132]

Ok, then just follow the suggestions in post #5 above,  send the letter and cancel the DD via your bank.

 

Keep us posted but don't respond further to Harlands/CRS for now.

[SharNICK]

Hi, today i received this letter. 

Even tho i myself did everything to do with gym, with no adult next to me it is apparently targeted to my parents.

 

Also should i block the harlands mails that say i still owe them money?

Should i just ignore the letter?

 

I got rid an adress and some other possibly important identity related stuff from the picture.

Sorry for the bad quality, if it is necessary i can provide better picture.

 

[dx100uk]

PDF only please read upload

 

yes block and bounce all email addresses.

 

dx

 

[slick132]

Just ignore the letter.

 

Block/bounce their emails or let them come through so you know what they're up to, and keep us posted.............