Help me escape gym membership!!!

Mr.David

Right, I'm 6 months into a 12 month contract with a gym and have gotten a new job which involves a very long commute and means that I now dont have time to go to the gym at all. I rang up to cancel it and was told I had to pay the full 12 months unless one of the following applied:

1) Serious illness
2) Redundancy
3) Moving house (to somewhere >20miles away from ANY of their branches)

So enquired what if i just cancel my d.debit and was told they would refer my case to a debt collection agency.

What are my options? Thinking about calling them and telling them (a lie) that I am moving back to Ireland (in UK currently). What proof may they look for?

Anyone got any suggestions on how to escape this? I know its my own fault regarding t & c's etc but can anyone offer advice?

Cheers

MysticalSoul

How far away is the job. Maybe tell them you are moving to that area? Can you sell the membership on to someone else, if you found someone?

Mr.David

Ya I might tell them I'm moving there.....but its only 10miles (not >20) away from their nearest gym.

If I tell them I'm moving back to Ireland that would cover the 20mile stipulation, I could get a bank if ireland statement for them. Would that be enough?

ShooterSF

Sounds like an out so. I'd tell them I'm moving back to Ireland. Harder for them to check (If they'd even bother). If you have any family/ friends here ask them if they'd mind you telling the gym that your moving to their house, incase they send any mail to you

Gillo

or you could do the honest thing, keep your side of the deal and pay up.

mikemac

Do you drive?
Because that 20 mile distance might seem ok to someone who drives but not everyone does.

So it'd be reasonable to ask if a lower limit applies if you don't own a car or motorbike.
If you'd cycle 10 miles to a gym, use the gym and cycle 10 miles home you're some legend :cool:

Try and sell your membership.
The person buying it won't be locked for 12 months and the joining fee has already been paid. That's how it should work though many gym chains have membership sales staff who would probably look for another joining fee!

mickoneill30

mikemac wrote: »

Do you drive?
Because that 20 mile distance might seem ok to someone who drives but not everyone does.

So it'd be reasonable to ask if a lower limit applies if you don't own a car or motorbike.

Does that matter if he signed a contract saying he could cancel membership if the distance > 20 miles from any other gym?

Guy:Incognito

Gillo wrote: »

or you could do the honest thing, keep your side of the deal and pay up.

Have you not learned from all the threads here? it's only companies that are expected to honour agreeements. People are free to try weasel out of paying for gyms if they dont feel like it anymore.

Cabaal

Hang on, so you signed up to a service and you want people here to help you lie so you can get out of it?

Not the gyms fault you don't have time anymore

Welease

Stekelly wrote: »

Have you not learned from all the threads here? it's only companies that are expected to honour agreeements. People are free to try weasel out of paying for gyms if they dont feel like it anymore.

Couldn't have put it better myself..

Mr.David

Cabaal wrote: »

Hang on, so you signed up to a service and you want people here to help you lie so you can get out of it?

Not the gyms fault you don't have time anymore

Yes, but it is the gyms fault for verbally informing me upon signing up that cancellation would not be a problem and then renaiging on this. Unfortunately I dont have it in writing so its useless but still feel cheated by this empty promise.

Google LA fitness, they have literally thousands of people with bad experiences who cannot escape their contracts even AFTER the intial 12 month period.

accensi0n

Mr.David wrote: »

Yes, but it is the gyms fault for verbally informing me upon signing up that cancellation would not be a problem and then renaiging on this. Unfortunately I dont have it in writing so its useless but still feel cheated by this empty promise.

Google LA fitness, they have literally thousands of people with bad experiences who cannot escape their contracts even AFTER the intial 12 month period.

You agreed to a 12 month contract, you have to honour it.

From what I remember hearing about LA Fitness, you need to give them 2 months notice before telling them you want to finish up with them. So, at around the 10 month mark, let them know in writing that you will be finishing up with them at the end of your 12 months.

At the 12 month mark, you could tell your bank not to accept and DD's to LA Fitness.

Mr.David

Alright guys, well thanks for the advice I'll let you know what happens anyway. I will definitely be more careful in the future and look for all guarantees in writing - life lesson learned I suppose!

Cabaal

Mr.David wrote: »

Yes, but it is the gyms fault for verbally informing me upon signing up that cancellation would not be a problem and then renaiging on this. Unfortunately I dont have it in writing so its useless but still feel cheated by this empty promise.

Its your own fault for agreeing to a contract where this was not written down,

Besides you mention you've moved jobs, have you actually moved?
If you haven't
1) Serious illness
2) Redundancy
3) Moving house (to somewhere >20miles away from ANY of their branches)
Don't help you

catch88

They may ask you to provide a copy of a bill from your ''new address'' to prove that you have in fact moved. I don't think you simply saying that you have moved will suffice.

Blue_Wolf

just cancel your direct debit its not like its a contract or anything

delllat

at the risk of sounding old fashioned you should just honour your part of the bargain,you used the services and you owe them the money,if you wanted you could have joined a gym and paid monthly or per session but you chose to take the cheaper option and sign a 1 year contract

you wouldnt get away with not paying for any other service so why should a gym be any differnt?

Nody

Blue_Wolf wrote: »

just cancel your direct debit its not like its a contract or anything

It is a contract, that is the whole point...

MagicMarker

OP, just cancel the direct debit. They won't get onto a debt collectors, it's not worth it for them. They just said this to scare you so you wouldn't do what EVERYONE ELSE DOES.

mickoneill30

MagicMarker wrote: »

OP, just cancel the direct debit. They won't get onto a debt collectors, it's not worth it for them. They just said this to scare you so you wouldn't do what EVERYONE ELSE DOES.

How about his credit rating?

Rented Mule

Mr.David wrote: »

Google LA fitness, they have literally thousands of people with bad experiences who cannot escape their contracts even AFTER the intial 12 month period.

I know that hindsight is 20/20 but perhaps this is the first thing you should have done before you signed a contract. I have heard horror stories about a number of gyms (here and in the States) and have avoided them like the plague.

If anything this is a great lesson for everyone else reading.

Sorry that I don't have any advice for you.

MagicMarker

mickoneill30 wrote: »

How about his credit rating?

A gym membership will never have anything to do with your credit rating even in the most extreme cases.

Mr. Incognito

Ring ring.

"Hello, I've been let go from my job. I've cancelled all my direct debits and I'm just ringing to let you know".

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that"

"So am I, Goodbye".

Mr.David

MagicMarker wrote: »

OP, just cancel the direct debit. They won't get onto a debt collectors, it's not worth it for them. They just said this to scare you so you wouldn't do what EVERYONE ELSE DOES.

Thats the thing - they will! Google la fitness, they have their own debt collectors. Theres even a website dedicated to them, its lafitnessarescum.com or something similar.

I know im in the wrong in this particular instance regarding the contract, but these guys are cowboys.

dub45

Blue_Wolf wrote: »

just cancel your direct debit its not like its a contract or anything

You really should not be giving glib advice like this. A direct debit is simply a way of paying a bill nothing more nothing less. The contract you have with the gym, service provider or whoever is a different matter entirely. Cancelling a direct debit mandate simply means that method of payment is no longer available but you are still liable to pay for the balance of the contract.

eth0_

MagicMarker wrote: »

OP, just cancel the direct debit. They won't get onto a debt collectors, it's not worth it for them. They just said this to scare you so you wouldn't do what EVERYONE ELSE DOES.

Trust me - THEY DO (LA Fitness anyway).

I lived in Belfast a few years ago and went in to look at the LA gym there, got a major hard sell from the salesman, eventually left after just signing my name on a contract after being told it won't be valid til I come back to pay the joining fee (which I never did).

I wrote them a letter saying I was not interested in joining. They sent me an invoice. I then moved back to the Republic, and bizarrely they managed to get hold of my home address there - or rather their debt collectors did.

Took me over a year to get rid of them, I had to go right to the top of LA Fitness to get them to prove I had entered into a contract with them - which they couldn't do.

They are tenacious.

Gillo

Is this even a valid consumer issue since the OP has admitted to being at fault and not LA Fitness (yes, I know they tie you in but you make the decision to sign into the contract in the first place)?