Westwood leopardstown

bs2014

I joined Westwood in January and tbh regret it as it's so over rated. I got duped into signing the clause which states it's a minimum 12 mth contract, I had asked at the time what happened if I wanted to cancel and was told it was a 2 month notice(me wrongly assuming this was at any period during the membership). Anyways I'm likely relocating and I know well from the negative online presence if I approach them and ask to cancel they will prob tell me tough...has anyone here just cancelled their direct debit and sent an email saying ur terminating ur membership or has that ended up in legalities. Thanks

Transform

cancel it with bank directly

id be stunned they would take any further action

djPSB

Does anyone know if the joining fees are just a myth??

The joining fee in Leopardstown at the minute is €499 plus €79 per month but they 'might' be able give a one of discount of €402 if I join in the next two days.

The joining i fee is a total marketing gimmick, they play alot of "oh I'll go speak to my manager and see what they can do" they'll come back with some deal and give it to your for €49, if you haggle more you could get it for less.

As for the monthly rate it had been for a long time €75pm on peak and €50pm if you go off peak.

And yes Leopardstown is very over-rated, it feels more like a kids camp than a private members gym. Despite the building being big the floor-space for free-weights is nothing to write home about, the pool/spa/downstairs changing room area is not that big either. The cleanliness is also bellow par, regularly slimey floors, pungent smell from drains and the soap dispensers either missing or not filled for days. I found Ben Dunne in Northwood cleaner despite being a fraction of the price and having alot more footfall.

I've since started going to the Sandymount WW, it's physically smaller but i find it meets my needs and is much better run and feels like a proper private members gym with no kids running riot. The salt water pool is also very nice

RacoonQueen

I recently rejoined because I needed a pool and its the only one that is really convenient for me. There is always a cleaner about (at least in the ladies) but the showers aren't actually great, the 'seem' grimey. They shelves in the showers are either missing or broken so you can't use them and the water pressure is often extremely poor. I think the changing rooms are a disgrace to be honest and were one of the reasons I left in the first place...

I only use it for the pool so can't comment on gym floor. Pool is clean and I usually use it at either 6am or 12:30/1pm so it's ususally fairly quiet and would very, very rarely have more than one other person in my lane (usually I'm on my own)

I'm off peak at €55 pm which is 6am - 4pm weekdays and 4pm - 9pm weekends.

Used Clontarf once as I was over that way, changing rooms much nicer, showers better, pool grand...parking a nightmare, can't imagine what that's like at peak times? :eek:
Leopardstown needs some serious improvments though - the pool area is great, they just redid the pool a little over a year ago but the changing rooms need improvement.
Parking is never an issue in Leopardstown but you can't use car park on race days, there is a bus from the DCC car park at the racecourse gate - have never gone on a raceday myself though so can't comment on what it's actually like (a pain in the face, I'd imagine)

Any Westwood members know if we can use the 'crunch' gyms now? They send me a letter last week saying the crunch gyms had been rebranded now the takeover etc is complete but nothing on either gym website or facebook?

iwillhtfu

I got some "cheque" in the post off them recently with an offer to wave the joining fee and pay €31/month I haven't been a member there in nearly 20 years :eek:

Always struggled to get passed the bar in reception back then

drdeadlift

iwillhtfu wrote: »

I got some "cheque" in the post off them recently with an offer to wave the joining fee and pay €31/month I haven't been a member there in nearly 20 years :eek:

Always struggled to get passed the bar in reception back then

Have been getting these for years.
Years ago i worked in Clontarf so i joined Westwood there,when i left the job i cancelled the membership so i thought..checked my bank account a year or so later i wont tell you how much money was gone.,
Anyway i liked training there just before the mass exile of the smarter pts.

bs2014

Thanks guys for the tip off. I'll make sure to not step foot in the crunch fitness gyms either in the future. Does this mean the 3 crunch gyms are not to be held victim to the "Sales Process" Westwood "live or die" as they harp about in some of their youtube videos! I hope not as the gym industry in Dublin is doomed to vultures.

Transform

bs2014 wrote: »

Thanks guys for the tip off. I'll make sure to not step foot in the crunch fitness gyms either in the future. Does this mean the 3 crunch gyms are not to be held victim to the "Sales Process" Westwood "live or die" as they harp about in some of their youtube videos! I hope not as the gym industry in Dublin is doomed to vultures.

the gym industry is filled with more small business owners than ever before, all of varying quality.

digiman

RacoonQueen wrote: »

I recently rejoined because I needed a pool and its the only one that is really convenient for me. There is always a cleaner about (at least in the ladies) but the showers aren't actually great, the 'seem' grimey. They shelves in the showers are either missing or broken so you can't use them and the water pressure is often extremely poor. I think the changing rooms are a disgrace to be honest and were one of the reasons I left in the first place...

I only use it for the pool so can't comment on gym floor. Pool is clean and I usually use it at either 6am or 12:30/1pm so it's ususally fairly quiet and would very, very rarely have more than one other person in my lane (usually I'm on my own)

I'm off peak at €55 pm which is 6am - 4pm weekdays and 4pm - 9pm weekends.

Used Clontarf once as I was over that way, changing rooms much nicer, showers better, pool grand...parking a nightmare, can't imagine what that's like at peak times? :eek:
Leopardstown needs some serious improvments though - the pool area is great, they just redid the pool a little over a year ago but the changing rooms need improvement.
Parking is never an issue in Leopardstown but you can't use car park on race days, there is a bus from the DCC car park at the racecourse gate - have never gone on a raceday myself though so can't comment on what it's actually like (a pain in the face, I'd imagine)

Any Westwood members know if we can use the 'crunch' gyms now? They send me a letter last week saying the crunch gyms had been rebranded now the takeover etc is complete but nothing on either gym website or facebook?

Also wondering as a crunch member can I use the Westwood gyms as it's much closer to where I work. I'm gonna give them a call tomorrow and find out. I like the sound of the 50m pool in clontarf

RacoonQueen

Got a mailing today that stated I will 'soon' have access to six West Wood clubs.

Also, membership fees up €2 across the board

Lots about the €15 million investment into the clubs. I sure hope some of that is for the showers.

asteroids over berlin

digiman wrote: »

Also wondering as a crunch member can I use the Westwood gyms as it's much closer to where I work. I'm gonna give them a call tomorrow and find out. I like the sound of the 50m pool in clontarf

No you can't, but when you can your membership will be going up circa €20 a month to €79

Bungy Girl

Got notification of the price increase for Westwood (an additional €4 per month for adult membership). Have to say I'm not impressed with the way they seemed to hide the notification in the last paragraph (back page) of a newsletter amongst a load of ads. Because you have to pay by direct debit I'd say the first a lot of people would know about this is when the money comes out in February.

averagejoe123

Bungy Girl wrote: »

Got notification of the price increase for Westwood (an additional €4 per month for adult membership). Have to say I'm not impressed with the way they seemed to hide the notification in the last paragraph (back page) of a newsletter amongst a load of ads. Because you have to pay by direct debit I'd say the first a lot of people would know about this is when the money comes out in February.

First I saw about it was today. This will be the straw that broke the donkeys back for me and Westwood. I have been a member for 2-3 years so am out of the 12 month period and am going to try and cancel this week. Anyone have experience cancelling?

I am happy just to use it for this month and move on from the start of march.

ted1

averagejoe123 wrote: »

First I saw about it was today. This will be the straw that broke the donkeys back for me and Westwood. I have been a member for 2-3 years so am out of the 12 month period and am going to try and cancel this week. Anyone have experience cancelling?

I am happy just to use it for this month and move on from the start of march.

A price increase is a change in contract so even if you are in contract you can get out of it

RacoonQueen

averagejoe123 wrote: »

First I saw about it was today. This will be the straw that broke the donkeys back for me and Westwood. I have been a member for 2-3 years so am out of the 12 month period and am going to try and cancel this week. Anyone have experience cancelling?

I am happy just to use it for this month and move on from the start of march.

Just cancel your direct debit before the next payment and then stop going.

bs2014

RacoonQueen wrote: »

Just cancel your direct debit before the next payment and then stop going.

When you sign the famous Westwood contract, your actually signing a "direct debit mandate" which means you give permission to them to take money out of your account and they are the only ones who can cancel it.....Supposedly even if you close your bank account and switch bank/set up a new one, it is possible to trace....I've been down all avenues to cancel my account and in the end up the only way was to advertise on the internet and transfer my account to some random woman who was looking to join

Del2005

bs2014 wrote: »

When you sign the famous Westwood contract, your actually signing a "direct debit mandate" which means you give permission to them to take money out of your account and they are the only ones who can cancel it.....Supposedly even if you close your bank account and switch bank/set up a new one, it is possible to trace....I've been down all avenues to cancel my account and in the end up the only way was to advertise on the internet and transfer my account to some random woman who was looking to join

With SEPA they can't access your bank account if you cancel it with the bank, you only need to inform them as a curtsey.

http://www.howbankingworks.ie/index.php/banking-instruments/direct-debits

Transform

Del2005 wrote: »

With SEPA they can't access your bank account if you cancel it with the bank, you only need to inform them as a curtsey.

http://www.howbankingworks.ie/index.php/banking-instruments/direct-debits

exactly, ive no idea how people think the gyms have ANY rights in this regard

They've had a hard sales process for years and people are very slowly realising its very over priced for that it offers

I do fear Raw might go down that direction with all the new sales staff they took on v's the zero BS approach Ben Dunnes and Fly fit have taken.

I asked for a class pass to Raw gym the other day (typically €60 for 8 sessions as i like to drop in when ever i like but dont want a contract or year membership) and was told this was on longer an option and now €20 per drop in visit, i passed on that 'offer'.

thunderbolt

Bungy Girl wrote: »

Got notification of the price increase for Westwood (an additional €4 per month for adult membership). Have to say I'm not impressed with the way they seemed to hide the notification in the last paragraph (back page) of a newsletter amongst a load of ads. Because you have to pay by direct debit I'd say the first a lot of people would know about this is when the money comes out in February.

That's exactly how I found out! I didn't get the newsletter as I've moved house. You'd think they'd have the courtesy to send a mail or something. Did they justify the increase in the newsletter?

Bungy Girl

thunderbolt wrote: »

That's exactly how I found out! I didn't get the newsletter as I've moved house. You'd think they'd have the courtesy to send a mail or something. Did they justify the increase in the newsletter?

It's a bit cheeky all right. I had cancelled just before Xmas anyway as I wasn't going enough to justify the price but my OH was still a member and got the newsletter. I can't remember the text exactly but I think it was just a statement of the increase by membership type, without explanation. TBH even if you'd got the newsletter you could have easily missed it as it was on the back page hidden among the ads. The OH promptly cancelled his membership so we'll be signing up elsewhere or else buying a few sets of weights for the house.

RacoonQueen

bs2014 wrote: »

When you sign the famous Westwood contract, your actually signing a "direct debit mandate" which means you give permission to them to take money out of your account and they are the only ones who can cancel it.....Supposedly even if you close your bank account and switch bank/set up a new one, it is possible to trace....I've been down all avenues to cancel my account and in the end up the only way was to advertise on the internet and transfer my account to some random woman who was looking to join

Trust me, all you need to do is cancel your direct debit. You don't even need to tell them. If you online bank you can cancel through your online account.

They'll even let you rejoin again a few months later, no questions asked (rejoin fee of ~€50)