Membership Option

Anonymous Deflector

Hi,

I've recently moved to a new area and there is only one Gym. They are only offering two membership options:

• Annual (€600eur)
• Monthly DD (€56 p/m)

Ideally I would like to pay it all up front and get it out of the way but with rent etc I just don't have that kind of cash spare. I have offered to pay the monthly charge with cash, however they refused saying I must set up a Direct Debit. I don't have a bank account as I use a credit union who unfortunately don't have DD capabilities.

Are the Gym allowed to insist on a Direct Debit? I don't see why I should have to have a bank account to use their service, or are they covering themselves with the Annual Payment option?

Thanks for reading, I know this isn't exactly the type of thing that's usually posted here but I was hoping some of the viewers here might have come across this sort of thing before.

EDIT:
Min direct debit term is 3 months, fairly reasonable by the gym
I would have no problem cancelling a direct debit (have done so in the past), however the original point of this post was to avoid setting up a bank account again

runawaybishop

The gym are entitled to take payments in whatever way they want, so yes - they can insist on a direct debit for monthly payments. If you pay cash then you can just feck off after 2 months.

Kenno90

i never liked the idea of paying it al upfront, happened to two friends of mine, they paid for a year.

Gym closed a month later, they got nothing back

bumper234

runawaybishop wrote: »

The gym are entitled to take payments in whatever way they want, so yes - they can insist on a direct debit for monthly payments. If you pay cash then you can just feck off after 2 months.

You can do this with a DD takes 30 seconds to cancel one

runawaybishop

bumper234 wrote: »

You can do this with a DD takes 30 seconds to cancel one

No you can't, not legally.

bumper234

runawaybishop wrote: »

No you can't, not legally.

I did it years ago. Joined gym stayed a couple of years then i was moving house, too far to drive to gym so i cancelled DD. They phoned a couple of times and i just said am not working so can no longer afford it end of.

runawaybishop

bumper234 wrote: »

I did it years ago. Joined gym stayed a couple of years then i was moving house, too far to drive to gym so i cancelled DD. They phoned a couple of times and i just said am not working so can no longer afford it end of.

That gym could have pursued you for the outstanding balance.

bumper234

runawaybishop wrote: »

That gym could have pursued you for the outstanding balance.

Could being the operative word. If you say you are not working and cannot afford membership anymore do you think a gym bother taking you to court over it?

runawaybishop

bumper234 wrote: »

Could being the operative word. If you say you are not working and cannot afford membership anymore do you think a gym bother taking you to court over it?

I don't know, maybe the OP would be happy to take the chance but we should be providing him with all the info he needs and not just saying "you can cancel a direct debit".

bumper234

runawaybishop wrote: »

I don't know, maybe the OP would be happy to take the chance but we should be providing him with all the info he needs and not just saying "you can cancel a direct debit".

Oh i agree, Op can you get a credit union loan and pay up front then use the money you would normally pay per month to pay off the credit union?

Anonymous Deflector

bumper234 wrote: »

Oh i agree, Op can you get a credit union loan and pay up front then use the money you would normally pay per month to pay off the credit union?

This would be an option, however taking out a loan to pay my gym fee isn't ideal!

Hanley

This is f*cking bizarre.

Someone wants to dictate to a private business how they want them to operate.

And another advises illegally not fulfilling a contract you agreed to.

What the hell is going on with this place?

The Davestator

Op - sometimes gyms will agree to a third option. Ask them can you pay a few months of DD and then pay the balance off after maybe three months.

Lots of gyms I've worked in have done this, but others don't.

redzerredzer

david lloyd riverview recentely threatened me with a debt collection agency.
3 months notice was in the contract but I had hoped not to be stuck there the 3 extra months.