X4L Hull - Harlands

[selrahc]

Good evening,

 

I'm yet another person who didn't think before acting when it comes to a gym membership. I've had a read of quite a few threads before joining so I'm not exactly worried as I see the majority outcome is overwhelmingly positive from the members here, but I hope it's okay that I could seek some personal advice regarding dealing with Harlands myself?

 

I assumed that "no contract membership, no ties, cancel any time, no joining fee" meant I could cancel my direct debit through my banking app within my first month if I decide I don't like the gym (which I didn't) and absolutely nothing would come of it, I just wouldn't be able to get in the gym anymore. So I cancelled it a couple of days before my second payment was due, which I now see was a stupid thing to do.

 

After already cancelling my DD I then thought I'd better cancel it on X4L's website as well. Turns out "no ties, cancel any time" should actually read "30 day minimum cancellation window requiring two further payments". As they said my final payment would not infact be due 24th October, but instead be 24th November, even though when I cancelled my membership through the website, the 24th November was OUTSIDE of their 30 day cancellation window. Since I cancelled my DD during my first month without telling the gym and awaiting their cancellation window (which seems like such a scam when you read "no ties, cancel any time") it meant that my payment due 24th October bounced.

 

I feel extra foolish by the way, because I was certain I took a screenshot of my cancellation notice but cannot find proof of it anywhere, so I really hope that doesn't come back to bite me either.

 

Anyway as of today I began recieving text messages (which I cannot block - if someone could advise on that, that would be great!) and they also sent me this email:
 

Quote

 

Dear Mr ********,

 

Please find attached a letter regarding your direct debit instruction, reference number ------------- for Xercise 4 Less.

 

If you have any questions, please call the Harlands customer service team as per the attached letter, quoting reference number ---------------.

 

Yours sincerely,

Harlands Customer Service Team

 

 

And that letter reads:

 

Quote

 

Dear Mr ********,

re: Harlands Agreement No: ------------

Xercise 4 Less Reference Number: -------------

Your bank has advised us that your final instalment has been returned unpaid "instruction cancelled". We have,

therefore, added a £ 25.00 administration charge which means there is a balance due of £ 39.99.

To bring your Agreement to an end, call the HARLANDS HELPLINE immediately on 01444 449033 as we can

collect the £ 39.99 by debit/credit card, please ensure you have your card details to hand.

Alternatively, you may send in a cheque which must reach us by no later than 3 NOV 20 to ensure that no further

administration charges are incurred.

We have assumed that you do not wish to renew your membership. If this is not the case and you do want to retain

your membership at Xercise 4 Less, please discuss this with one of our Customer Services team when you call to

make payment.

Our telephone lines are open 8am to 8pm, Monday to Friday and 9am to 12pm on Saturday. We look forward to

receiving your call.

Yours sincerely

Harlands

 

 

I am well aware that from this point I will need to offer to at least pay the £14.99 for the bounced payment, which I am more than happy to do. I'm just worried that I'm also going to have to owe them £14.99 for November (despite it being outside of their 30 day window).

I was just wondering at this stage do I send a letter to Harlands offering to pay the bounced payment but say I will not be paying the admin fee, and give them 14 days to accept that offer?

And should I also send a letter to X4L explaining the situation, and ask for their pursuasion in getting Harlands to accept my offer?

 

Many thanks in advance to whoever responds, hope you can help a fool out!

[slick132]

Hi Selrahc and welcome to CAG

 

Please be in no hurry to contact X4Less, Harlands or CRS - they can do nothing for now.

 

Before you do anything, we need more info. Please confirm :-

 

1. Approx date you joined.

 

2. Were you told it was a rolling monthly m/ship by a staff member, or a longer minimum contract.

 

You have no need to reply to any demand from Harlands/CRS so ignore them for now.

[dx100uk]

50 minutes ago, selrahc said:

I was just wondering at this stage do I send a letter to Harlands offering to pay the bounced payment but say I will not be paying the admin fee, and give them 14 days to accept that offer?

[selrahc]

Hi Slick,

 

Amazingly fast reply, thank you!

 

According to the reference on the payment it says "ON 24 SEP BCC" and the payment cleared 25th September at 11:26

 

I was simply told to sign up on the website by a staff member in the gym, no further information was given to me by them.

The website stated that it's a rolling monthly membership that could be cancelled at any time "No contract membership JUST £14.99 a month, until 2021*"

As far as I am aware there was absolutely no minimum membership length, unless there's some small print I've missed somewhere. But Harlands haven't mentioned anything about me being obliged to pay for a certain length of time so... I've attached a picture to this post of what I signed up for.

 

Also, I'm not sure if this has any relevance at all but the building is plastered with £9.99/month signs EVERYWHERE yet it costs £14.99 when you go on the website. False advertising Could perhaps use that as leverage in a letter if it comes to it, I dunno?

[dx100uk]

its a 12mts contract

else why would it say till 2021

and first month..

 

simply states they don't charge a joining fee

clever marketing ploy as people don't read things.

it IS a monthly payment, that runs for 12mts.

 

but anyway there is stuff and all anyone can do to you.

 

dx

 

 

 

 

[slick132]

It may be that the "£14.99 until 2021" means they guarantee no price rise for 12 months.

 

But, from the rest of the website content shown above, I think it's consistent with a rolling monthly agreement.

 

X4Less usually charge £9.99 for a 12 month agreement and £14.99 for a rolling monthly agreement.

 

In any event, find a thread with a draft to send to X4Less's Head Office, offering to pay the final month's fee for the notice period; offer valid for 14 days only, etc, etc.

 

Follow the advice about using a typed letter and free Certificate of Posting.

 

Letter us know what you've sent, then keep us posted.

[selrahc]

So I ONLY contact X4L and not Harlands, right?

 

Just checking is this their correct address?

XERCISE4LESS Head Office
1 Kirkstall Industrial Estate
Kirkstall Road
Burley
Leeds
LS4 2AZ

 

Here's the letter I intend to send, should I pull the trigger or change anything? (I'll obviously add customer reference numbers and such too so they know who I am)

 

Dear sir or madam,

 

I refer to my Xercise4Less membership in Hull which I chose to cancel.

 

I now realise I should have paid 1 final month's gym fee after giving notice to cancel and offer to pay this gym fee now. I will not pay the unlawful admin fee which you say is also due.

 

Please confirm in writing that you will accept the £14.99 gym fee to settle this matter and supply your payment details and a payments reference number.

 

If you demand any higher amount, or fail to accept my offer within 14 days, the offer will be withdrawn and all further communication from yourself or Harlands will be ignored.

 

Yours faithfully,

[dx100uk]

yep.

 

good work

[slick132]

I'd change sentence 2 of para 2 as follows :-

 

I will not pay any unlawful admin fee which Harlands say is also due.

 

Get free Cert of Posting at the PO Counter and keep us posted.

[selrahc]

Thanks for the help guys!

I'll get that sent first thing tomorrow morning and post here as/when they play their next hand.

[selrahc]

Our favourite blackmailers are back in touch again!

Received the following email a few minutes ago:

 

Dear Mr *********, re: Harlands Agreement No: _________ Xercise 4 Less Reference Number: ____________

 

We refer to our previous letter and note that you have not contacted us.

You have now incurred a further £ 25.00 charge and are £ 64.99 in arrears.

 

Under your Membership Agreement, you have promised to pay this debt. If you continue to refuse to honour that commitment, we will have no option but to take further steps to collect the outstanding balance.

 

We want to help you resolve this situation but you must call us. Ignoring our letters is only resulting in further charges being added. Please call the HARLANDS HELPLINE on 01444 449033 to clear your arrears by Debit/Credit Card and reinstate your Direct Debit. If you are unable to clear your arrears in full then we may be able to help you but you must call us to discuss this.

 

If you do not contact us by 11th December 2020 your balance of £ 64.99 will be passed to a Debt Recovery company who will add their fees to your account. Our telephone lines are open 8am to 8pm, Monday to Friday and 9am to 12pm on Saturday. We look forward to receiving your call.

Yours sincerely Harlands

...

I have still heard nothing from the letter I sent to X4L so my offer to them is now null and void.

Where do we go from here?

[dx100uk]

nowhere ...

 

block and bounce..