Is it possible to cancel my gym membership?

pinkstars · 13-09-2016 09:20AM #1

I'm paying by direct debit - I just want to join a different gym. I've emailed them twice and have gotten no reply. Very annoying.

Atlantic Dawn · 13-09-2016 09:21AM

Did you sign a contract?

BrokenArrows · 13-09-2016 09:26AM

pinkstars wrote: »

I'm paying by direct debit - I just want to join a different gym. I've emailed them twice and have gotten no reply. Very annoying.

It all depends on your contract you signed. Call them or go and talk to someone in person.

pinkstars · 13-09-2016 09:27AM

I really can't recall? I want to cancel my membership of two gyms - one that I paid up front for 6 month membership. I just emailed them there.
I haven't used the gym at all with the one I paid up front.
Sorry to be annoying - I sound like I'm off my head!!!

pinkstars · 13-09-2016 09:28AM

BrokenArrows wrote: »

It all depends on your contract you signed. Call them or go and talk to someone in person.

Yea I suppose that's the best advice!

Thanks so much!!!

pinkstars · 13-09-2016 10:39AM

pinkstars wrote: »

Yea I suppose that's the best advice!

Thanks so much!!!

Well I cancelled both memberships! Hopefully I'll get the money back for the 6 months upfront I paid!

Zillah · 13-09-2016 11:08AM

pinkstars wrote: »

Well I cancelled both memberships! Hopefully I'll get the money back for the 6 months upfront I paid!

I will eat the keyboard I'm typing with if they give you money back.

pinkstars · 13-09-2016 11:10AM

Oh you wouldn't think I will?

Zillah · 13-09-2016 11:17AM

Why would they give you money back? You made a deal for six month access to the gym and in return you paid them a fee. Unless they specified to the contrary, 'cancelling' would just mean that your contract will not renew at the end of the six months.

eeguy · 13-09-2016 11:20AM

Call them up. Best way to get an answer.

Too easy for them to ignore emails. Plenty of places only reply to emails first thing in the morning too.

pinkstars · 13-09-2016 11:37AM

Zillah wrote: »

Why would they give you money back? You made a deal for six month access to the gym and in return you paid them a fee. Unless they specified to the contrary, 'cancelling' would just mean that your contract will not renew at the end of the six months.

Cause I am suffering with severe anxiety, depression and panic attacks.

Zillah · 13-09-2016 11:41AM

Which must be difficult and you have my sympathy but they would essentially be giving you charity by refunding the membership fee. What did they say when you cancelled?

averagejoe123 · 13-09-2016 11:45AM

If you provide a doctors note to confirm this perhaps they will freeze your membership for a few months an let you pick it up again at a later date but I would be very surprised if you got any money back.

Sorry to hear about the depression but if you are joining another gym I struggle to see how this is a valid reason to leave and join somewhere else.

Hanley · 13-09-2016 11:48AM

averagejoe123 wrote: »

If you provide a doctors note to confirm this perhaps they will freeze your membership for a few months an let you pick it up again at a later date but I would be very surprised if you got any money back.

Sorry to hear about the depression but if you are joining another gym I struggle to see how this is a valid reason to leave and join somewhere else.

They're canceling both gym memberships to be fair.

It'd be a nice gesture to refund some of the payment I guess but they're well within their rights not too. The position the OP is in sucks, but every tom, dick or harry who wanted to get out of a gym commitment would start giving those reasons if they were accepted.

Zillah · 13-09-2016 11:51AM

Hanley wrote: »

They're canceling both gym memberships to be fair.

And joining a third.

pinkstars · 13-09-2016 12:05PM

Zillah wrote: »

Which must be difficult and you have my sympathy but they would essentially be giving you charity by refunding the membership fee. What did they say when you cancelled?

I'm now getting a full refund.

averagejoe123 · 13-09-2016 12:07PM

pinkstars wrote: »

I'm paying by direct debit - I just want to join a different gym. I've emailed them twice and have gotten no reply. Very annoying.

Zillah wrote: »

I will eat the keyboard I'm typing with if they give you money back.

Good thing its coming up to lunch time.

eeguy · 13-09-2016 12:08PM

pinkstars wrote: »

I'm now getting a full refund.

I hope that keyboard is tasty

Zillah · 13-09-2016 12:10PM

Well, I'm a man of my word. See you at the hospital.

Hanley · 13-09-2016 12:24PM

Zillah wrote: »

And joining a third.

What seriously?! Did I miss that? That's really low quality.

pinkstars · 13-09-2016 12:25PM

pinkstars wrote: »

I'm now getting a full refund.

I'm actually delighted - I never used that gym - it wasn't for me. And I can now join another!

Mellor · 13-09-2016 01:06PM

Hanley wrote: »

What seriously?! Did I miss that? That's really low quality.

In the OP

pinkstars wrote: »

I'm paying by direct debit - I just want to join a different gym. I've emailed them twice and have gotten no reply. Very annoying.

Cancelling a direct debit is fair enough and ending that membership is fair enough.
It's a bit misleading to play up anxiety, and panic attacks in order to get upfront money back, only to go and join a different gym.

pinkstars · 13-09-2016 01:08PM

Oh I didn't mention any of that!!!

givyjoe · 13-09-2016 01:14PM

Zillah wrote: »

And joining a third.

Having started a thread a few weeks ago wondering if it was a good idea to join 2 gyms or not....

Zillah · 13-09-2016 01:57PM

pinkstars wrote: »

Oh I didn't mention any of that!!!

But, you said that's why they would give you a refund...

Penny Tration · 13-09-2016 02:07PM

OP, I really hope I don't sound too harsh here, I mean all of the following only as a way to help you.

Think about forgetting the gym for now.

You've posted numerous times on boards about diets, weight loss, exercise, gyms, etc. Even last week you joined a second gym that you're now cancelling to go to another!

It seems that whatever you're doing with diet/exercise isn't working for you right now. And that's okay. It'll happen in time.

For now, before jumping from gym to gym, and diet to diet, why not relax? I don't mean go eat crap food and gain weight, but take some pressure off yourself.

You mention mental health difficulties. So, if you're struggling as much as you seem to be, why not stop setting these massive goals that stress you and inevitably fail?

Focus on your mental health. Get that sorted. With diet and exercise, start small. Less processed food, less white carbs, less chocolate. Aim to walk for 30 minutes a day. Make small changes that you can stick with, instead of putting so much pressure on yourself

meme74 · 13-09-2016 02:28PM

No chance of getting money back for the 6 months up front and rightly so to be honest.

For the one on DD I would suggest calling them and discussing but you signed a contract at the end of the day.

You can also ring your bank and tell them you want to cancel a direct debit and this will prevent the gym from collecting any further money from you by direct debit. Although you may have to deal with the consequences if the gym contact you asking for your membership payment but I would imagine the worst they will do is suspend your membership. the bank do not require any reaosn for cancelling, it is your right to cancel any direct debit at any time.

Nervous Wreck · 13-09-2016 05:40PM

Shenanigans!

Hanley · 13-09-2016 05:47PM

meme74 wrote: »

You can also ring your bank and tell them you want to cancel a direct debit and this will prevent the gym from collecting any further money from you by direct debit. Although you may have to deal with the consequences if the gym contact you asking for your membership payment but I would imagine the worst they will do is suspend your membership. the bank do not require any reaosn for cancelling, it is your right to cancel any direct debit at any time.

people do this all the time and it's real ****ing snakey.

imagine if the gym didn't honour their end of the contract and just shut the doors for a week and took money. people'd be outraged.

pinkstars · 13-09-2016 06:41PM

Penny Tration wrote: »

OP, I really hope I don't sound too harsh here, I mean all of the following only as a way to help you.

Think about forgetting the gym for now.

You've posted numerous times on boards about diets, weight loss, exercise, gyms, etc. Even last week you joined a second gym that you're now cancelling to go to another!

It seems that whatever you're doing with diet/exercise isn't working for you right now. And that's okay. It'll happen in time.

For now, before jumping from gym to gym, and diet to diet, why not relax? I don't mean go eat crap food and gain weight, but take some pressure off yourself.

You mention mental health difficulties. So, if you're struggling as much as you seem to be, why not stop setting these massive goals that stress you and inevitably fail?

Focus on your mental health. Get that sorted. With diet and exercise, start small. Less processed food, less white carbs, less chocolate. Aim to walk for 30 minutes a day. Make small changes that you can stick with, instead of putting so much pressure on yourself

I appreciate the lengthy reply! I am down a stone with Slimming World tonight so I am thrilled.

meme74 · 14-09-2016 09:13AM

Hanley wrote: »

people do this all the time and it's real ****ing snakey.

imagine if the gym didn't honour their end of the contract and just shut the doors for a week and took money. people'd be outraged.

Not snakey, it is your legal right

But also your responsibility to arrange payment by some other method or agree the terms of cancelling with the gym.

Is it possible to cancel my gym membership?

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