David Lloyd Gym

[courier guy]

Hi

This one goes to Swansea@davidlloyd leisure centre

 

. I was a member at a different leisure complex.

Neath Leisure centre and Aberavon leisure centres,Neath Port Talbot.

The 2nd leisure outlets are i believe council run or buildings rented by said Celtic Leisure

 

.i had been a paid member for nearly 8 or more years.In the Aberavon Afan Lido is it was called had a fab health suite, with private changing rooms.

 

But sadly there closing times got earlier and earlier as in 5 pm on Saturdays and 4 pm on Sundays

 

.Also when the new Aberavon Leisure centre got built it looked great modern but for lack of funding they never had the health suite built to it..The one in Neath is small housing roughly 35 members/visitors at any one time..steam rooms got smaller and sauna well not much bigger..

 

Reasons i left were purely because there poor closing times on weekends..After all its the leisure industry it should open pretty much 24/7. its how the membership works.Membership monthly £26.50 with passport to leisure.

 

So i decided i wanted a fresh chapter in my leisure life one that would hopefully exceed the past i know it was a private owned PLC and membership was somewhat more but you should get what you pay for.my original joining fee was i think £58 a month

 

,I joined in November 2019 As i recall it was a few days before the end of October i went for a trial day..They have an open day for prospective new members to give it a try.

 

I am by no means the strongest or brain type person to quiz a sales membership guy over my options but actually even i got confused to actually how much i would end up paying depending on the level of my membership. I simply wanted basic joining membership.

 

There was a slight twist in that although i was a few days off the start of a month this guy did say that if i did not join on that day i may incure a £50 joining fee .

 paid a joined,So wish i hadn't.

 

I found the changing rooms nice,the gym itself was old and tired and slightly set out different to a few years previous i tried it.The pool area had never really changed either,very dated if i am honest..

 

The steam room wasn't to my required heat level,but having spoken to a few members was told the women wanted the heat less than more,sad i love a good sweat..The sauna was much the same,Also there were issues with the sauna and steam rooms not working 100% correct,but that had been mentioned to members of staff by many members,in one ear and out the other i would say..

 

So many stories about customers memberships,and those saying about cancellation..it was scary subject like David Lloyd really don't like their customers to leave.ir

 

Then December came round and people had e-mails from the company saying an increase in membership fees. not even been a member 2 months and already an increase.. Surely there must be a law in place stating a persons rights regarding membership increase within A time frame 3 months minimum..I learned lots about time scales on customer changes.

 

But to come towards my actual issues,i was told by a membership adviser Kayley Lewis if i went to my doctor i could cancel my membership without issue giving some medical evidence. to which i did.

 

This lady did not accept my doctors e-mail as i made a slight spelling mistake within my e-mail..id put swansea@davidlloyds,not swansea@david lloyd  But then she never believed it came from my doctor, i had sent my copy of my doctors e-mail..

 

I have always known my doctor to be a bit strange to allow myself to go to the gyms mentioned he gave me a lecture one day,but actually how does my doctor expect me to go for walks if i actually am unable to walk more than 3 bus lengths..i prefer riding a bike,i cannot walk far and chose my preferred places based on that reason.

 

Would love to hear your David Lloyd stories and please do add there locations and name and shame.. 

 

[dx100uk]

Im finding it hard to understand what issue you have from the big block of text that i've now spaced into paragraphs above?

 

what is your complaint?

Dx

[courier guy]

Hi Dx

i am not sure what you do not understand and have now really confused me.

 

However David Lloyd made contact with me back in December 2019 regarding membership.

i was upset that i joined DL for that fact my new job would give me more time to spare at this leisure establishment.

 

My job wasn't happening so i ended up putting myself in roughly £90 quids worth of debt a month.

Which i was already in some debt.

 

The membership adviser advised i get a letter from my doctor to cancel early. 

 

Struggling to make ends meet.

The complaint is DL are really making it difficult for me to cancel a 12 month membership..

There maybe that explains it.

i joined November 2019.

 

But with Covid19 it would not be as practical for someone with my health issues to go there.

all the other info was describing how i come to change gyms ,and to try and draw a picture describing how long i had used the other gym and my reasons for leaving it. 

[dx100uk]

gyms don't do court

gym debts don't appear on credit files

any DCA they might get to chase you are totally powerless

a DCA is NOT A BAILIFF on ANY debt no matter what its type.

 

if DL are refusing to cancel you membership, or, as they usually do, state you must give 3mts notice...is WRONG.

 

the only thing, if you wish, you need to do is once you have informed 'someone' by 'some method' that you wish to cancel..you allow ONE further payment, then cancel the DD and ignore everyone.

 

i think that answers your issue.

[slick132]

Hi CourierGuy and welcome to CAG

 

I see you joined DL in November 2019 but you don't tell us other dates and exchanges.

 

1. Are you still paying the monthly DD ?

 

2. What did the last email from the gym say about your need to cancel ?

 

3. When did you last use the gym ?

[courier guy]

Hi CAG,(slick132)

1, No cancelled my direct debit.

 

2,DL knowing i was due to cancel membership still took a payment of £31.50 from 10/08/20,i was told by membership advisor somewhere between 3rd -8th/8/20 as long as i had a medical issue from my doctor they would except an e-mail,given the Covid19 restrictions 

(Normal d/d was always taken on 1st of every month)

 

3 Only ever used gym once and fell really ill which really wasn't normal for me from my old gym.

I must add i only ever used the bike for a 10 miles bike ride or 16 kms..

My main activity was steam sauna and hot tub, and i tried walking in the swimming pool.

 

As i don't understand your first line dates and exchanges..?

I want to make it very clear to anyone who reads these messages, never give especially David Lloyd's your own phone number unless your very serious about joining.

 

.Me and girlfriend lived across the road in London from a Virgin gym, They hassled us with numerous offers as bate catchers..

Luckily for me i had gone back to Wales, so my excuse was "can you stop phoning me i no longer live in London". 

 

Which i believe afterwards was taken over by DL.

 

This is my true advise try a trail day.

If you know a friend who goes there ask them if they had a recent e-mail from DL about introduction.

 

Goes something like this "introduce a friend for a half price 3 month trail"

You save over 50% Also never join close to the end of the year as i learned to my horror my membership was increasing with in 2 months of joining.

 

David Lloyd's really should have a system in place where new members should get a 12 month package at a flat rate regardless. And if you really want to leave within those 12 months. Your free to do so..Two week notice should be ample.

 

Your direct debit goes out 1st of every month so around the 12th of the month a cancellation letter and you wont be charged on the following month..

 

Really hope that helps people..and or people agree with my comments love to read others reviews on how you were actually treated.. 

[slick132]

Hi CG,

 

Dates and exchanges ? - I was looking for info about what was said between you and the gym (exchanges) and the dates this happened.

 

In any event, you've cancelled the DD and we'll see if the gym continues to make demands.

 

The advice you offer is flawed in several ways - e.g. suggesting you give just 2 week's notice as that should be ample. This is wrong.

 

Also, the time of the year you join is not so important - if the gym raises it's monthly fee, you have the option to cancel and not pay the increased fee.

 

People wil find plenty of good advice about respective gyms on the threads in this sub-forum.

[courier guy]

The dates it took part in ranged from around the 7th - 15th of August.

 

the e-mails from David Lloyd's, was saying if i provided a doctors reasons why i as his patient should not be fit for the gym use of pool,sauna ect. in regards to Covid19. (Need paper from doctor, to cancel gym membership)

 

I did do this but i wrote the correct e-mail address ([email protected]) but on input of it sent to mydoctor,([email protected])

 

This was to go to Membership advisor

.Because i made a 1 letter spelling error S on this occasion..

And they had not received it from my doctor But i requested a copy that he would send them .

used that to send them.

 

They did not except and thought it was from me not my doctor.

.i was trying to send my doctors one but file is to large..

 

They Have to be honest, sent me an e-mail asking me to re-join as a platinum  member dated 04/09/2020 at 14.51pm 

[slick132]

Hi CG<

 

I assume you're not going to take up their offer to re-join.

 

Keep us posted ...........

[courier guy]

15 hours ago, slick132 said:

Hi CG<

 

I assume you're not going to take up their offer to re-join.

 

Keep us posted ...........

There platinum membership is more than my original cost i don't have children.So why would i want to waste more money on a plc such as there's when you possibly cannot have full standard normal use.

I do believe there are far better DL clubs out of Wales,which sadly i never got to explore.And given this vast leisure times people seem to have why is it these sites are not brought up to date i guess its lack of membership within the private sector and the drain on company resources.

I's like to clarify something i did here in one or more e-mails that because our direct debits had been frozen.The general staff never got wages.In my eyes that shows just how bad the company see there staff but also the big chief lives like a king..Wrong really..he should be a team player too..