Ashbourne management- require payments

[Strongman1996]

Joined a gym ( team kaobon, in Liverpool speke) at the beginning of the year before covid.

 

I don't have any t&C's

but the gym owner verbally said it's a minimum 6 month contract.

Which I have made 6 payments too.

 

I've emailed the gym to make sure that their t&C's are in fact 6 month contract.

Wouldn't be surprised if they don't get back.

One of the reasons I left is that, there seems to be no care given to people who aren't pro fighters. ( MMA gym) 

 

I've gotten a email off Ashbourne management saying my DD has been cancelled (because I did in fact cancel it via my banking app) and that I need to set it up again to pay the monthly bill on the 1st of October. 

 

I've replied back saying I have cancelled and I don't want to go back to the gym.

No mention of any contact as I haven't gotten any t&C's, plus reading this thread makes me think they won't even provide me with the t&C's if I request them.  

 

Any advice.

Thanks. 

 

Edit- payment was scheduled to come out on the 1st or 3rd of every month.

I cancelled a few days ago ( I think the 25th) and sent a email to Ashbourne management that I have cancelled the DD and don't wish to go the gym anymore. 

[BankFodder]

Site team member @slick132will be along later to advise you - but basically, don't worry.  Read the other threads on this subforum.

Ashcroft are well known here.

[Strongman1996]

Thanks. Yeah I read a few before posting.. should have researched before getting a membership

[BankFodder]

Yes, you probably should have done more research – but so should all the other people in the same boat – and anyway we have lots of stories about people being told one thing when the gym is trying to sign them up and then finding out something completely different when they try to get out the contract.

It's all a rather suspicious industry.

I think where people fall down is that they take the gym on trust and don't bother to have a look at the written word in the contract or bother to get written confirmation of what they have been told before they sign up.

Three months notice is excessive – if this is what you are being told. As I have said, wait until @slick132 comes along who deals with these gym issues all the time

[Strongman1996]

I wasn't told any notice time.

They sent me a email about the price going back to full price since they are opening again after covid.

This is what prompted me to cancel as I have made commitments elsewhere.

In doing so, they sent me a DD guarantee attachment which said I could cancel at anytime with my bank, just to notify them( Ashbourne management).

 

 I've sent a few emails to reply to their automated ones, where they are requested payments for the 1st. ( Nothing about arrears ect. Yet!)

 

Communication seems impossible.

Even the security code they sent me on the most recent email is wrong, according to the number I ring when trying to get through to their customer service. 

 

Edit- I opted to pay half price through the covid period as they gave me a choice to keep paying full price/go half/freeze for 1 month or a few until it's over. 

Hence the' going back to full price'

[dx100uk]

you send one LETTER to ashbourne

 

dear sirs

 

i now realise that i have failed to abide by the industry standard of giving one month notice before cancelling my gym Membership.

 

i hereby offer to pay one months gym membership fee of £xx , without the addition of any unlawful penalty charges.

 

this offer is open for 14 days only, after which you will be ignored.

 

should you accept the above offer please write to me at the above address giving me your sort and account details.

 

type signed.

 

dx

 

[Strongman1996]

Never knew there was a 1 month notice. The DD guarantee they send says I can cancel at any time. Guessing they don't mention that in doing so, brings a monthly fee cost. 

 

According to a lot of reviews and Ashbournes own Google update, they are struggling to get through the backlogged emails. So I doubt they would even get back to me. 

[dx100uk]

which is why you WRITE by royal mail

and get free proof of posting from any PO counter 1st class will do.

 

yes a DD guarantee can be cancelled at anytime, but thats nothing to do with contract T&C's.

 

dx

 

[slick132]

Hi Strongman,

 

When you joined, did you sign anything or click an online box confirming you accept their T&C's. Can you check online and see what notice period is required and what minimum m/ship period is mentioned.

 

You say you paid for 6 months already but are you sure. Gyms were closed for Covid19 unless you were paying a reduced fee while the gym was closed.

 

Please check on this and let us know.

[Strongman1996]

I signed a contract in the gym, I'm sure the gym owner said 6 months. But I can't be sure. I don't have the piece of paper, it's gotten lost and I didn't receive anything via email. They said it just goes onto a rolling monthly payment after the minimum period is up.

 

I found a contract pdf online for Ashbourne. It looks similar to the one I signed but I can't be sure as it was over 5 months ago. It does say that written notice much be given with one months notice. Plus where it says "min number of monthly payments" there is a box to write whatever in. Doesn't say anything about 6 months. However I can't be certain this is the one I signed. 

 

The only thing I agreed to online/email is to pay half price during covid, when the gym was shut. I logged into my membership and chose the option to do so. So I've made 6 payments, proven by my bank app. Then on the 10th of August I got a email to say it's going back to full price. I waited until I was sure I wanted to cancel which was a few days ago. And cancelled my DD and sent them a email. 

 

On the direct debit guarantee attachment they send. It says written notice may be given after cancelling DD but it doesn't say to who. 

 

Sorry for the long replies, I'm not the best at explaining

 

This is the file.i found online

contract_13.pdf

 

I ended up finding the contract I signed at the gym and it's the exact same one as the PDF. 

I wrote one for the gym and the one I got was the underlayer so what I wrote was copied onto this, but very lightly. 

 

It does say 6months minimum of monthly payments so happy about that.

This is however if the gym hasn't put their own months. ( It looks to be in pencil, I know, how stupid of me). 

 

But so far, it seems written notice has to be posted to Ashbourne. ( Small text at bottom under HOW TO PROVIDE NOTICE OF TERMINATION. " We would prefer written notice of termination to be sent to us or to Ashbourne, by email or by letter or by letting the staff know. Or by cancelling you DD mandate, which we and Ashbourne will treat as notice from you that you are terminating this agreement. 

 

Not sure if I have the pay the fee for the 1st of September though. 

[dx100uk]

follow my last post.

 

gym debts don't appear on credit files

gyms don't do court

any DCA they get to write is NOT A BAILIFF

and have 

ZERO powers on ANY DEBT - no matter what it's type.

 

dx

 

[Strongman1996]

Speak of th devil. They just sent me a email confirming the cancellation 

Shall I email them back asking about the fee they said I owned or just ignore it?

 

 

 

 

 

 

[dx100uk]

what fee?

dx

[slick132]

Who is the email from, the gym or AMSL ?

 

What exactly have they said ?

 

Don't reply to this at all for now.

[Strongman1996]

The email is from Ashbourne management. And the fee is the one they requested for September 1st after I cancelled my DD earlier this month. 

 

I sent them a email that since I'm out of the minimum membership period I won't be paying for any other fees as I won't be going back. 

[Strongman1996]

Hi Alex,

 

Thank you for your email, I can confirm your membership has been cancelled as requested.  This is what they just sent. 

 

This was a reply to my original email I sent to them, minutes after cancelling my DD. Which said " Hello, I'm just sending this email to notify you that I have cancelled my direct debit to team kaobon. Thank you. 

[slick132]

Hi SM,

 

I suggest you write to AMSL as DX says but say :-

 

 

Dear sir or madam,

 

I refer to your email accepting my cancellation.

 

Regarding the final month's fee due on or about 1st September, I will pay this once you confirm it will settle all that I owe for this gym m/ship.

 

This offer is open for 14 days only, after which you will be ignored.

 

Should you accept my offer please write to me at the above address giving me your sort code,  account number and payment ref. no. so I can pay by bank transfer.

 

Yours faithfully,

[Strongman1996]

Okay thanks. I'll do that and make sure I get a receipt to say it's been posted.  I'll definitely ask for their details because I can't find any other way to pay them other than settings up another Dd

[slick132]

.............. and you really don't want to do that !!

[Strongman1996]

Exactly. I'll send it either tonight or tomorrow. If I hear anything else via email or letter. I'll let you know.