Is it possible to cancel my gym membership?

pinkstars

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

Did you sign a contract?

BrokenArrows

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

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

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

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

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

Oh you wouldn't think I will?

Zillah

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hanley wrote: »

They're canceling both gym memberships to be fair.

And joining a third.

pinkstars

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

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

pinkstars wrote: »

I'm now getting a full refund.

I hope that keyboard is tasty

Zillah

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

Hanley

Zillah wrote: »

And joining a third.

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

pinkstars

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

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

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

givyjoe

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

pinkstars wrote: »

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

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

Penny Tration

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

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

Shenanigans!

Hanley

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

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

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.

givyjoe

meme74 wrote: »

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.

It is not anyone's 'legal right' to a refund whenever they feel like it. The gym was not obliged to provide a refund, they did so out of their own good will.

Plenty of stores give refunds or exchanges on clothes for example, however they are not legally obliged to if there is nothing wrong with them (i.e. not faulty).

meme74

givyjoe wrote: »

It is not anyone's 'legal right' to a refund whenever they feel like it. The gym was not obliged to provide a refund, they did so out of their own good will.

Plenty of stores give refunds or exchanges on clothes for example, however they are not legally obliged to if there is nothing wrong with them (i.e. not faulty).

I am merely talking about cancelling a direct debit mandate not getting refunds. Cancelling a direct debit mandate is not a refund of any kind.

Your post isn't exactly helping or informing the OP in their situation as you don't seem to be informed on the topic of direct debits yourself

Mellor

meme74 wrote: »

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.

You know exactly what he is refer to. Talking about the "legal right" of cancelling is not the point, as you are aware.

Yes, you have the legal right to cancel a direct debit. Nobody claimed otherwise.
You also have a legal obligation to fulfil the terms of the contract you signed.

Using the first to circumvent the second is sneaky. No matter what way you want to dress it up.

meme74

Mellor wrote: »

You know exactly what he is refer to. Talking about the "legal right" of cancelling is not the point, as you are aware.

Yes, you have the legal right to cancel a direct debit. Nobody claimed otherwise.
You also have a legal obligation to fulfil the terms of the contract you signed.

Using the first to circumvent the second is sneaky. No matter what way you want to dress it up.

I think you'll find the poster above did claim otherwise

pinkstars

Can someone tell me what does Corporate Membership actually mean?

averagejoe123

In what context?

pinkstars

averagejoe123 wrote: »

In what context?

Corporate gym membership

grogi

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.

I'm surprised nobody quoted this yet...

It seems nothing has changed in the way Gyms operate...

averagejoe123

pinkstars wrote: »

Corporate gym membership

I think this is a question for the gym you are looking to join.

I would imagine that it has to do with an employee discount for some of the surrounding businesses.

Alf Veedersane

pinkstars wrote: »

Can someone tell me what does Corporate Membership actually mean?

Usually means something along the lines of employees of a company getting a discount on membership by signing up through the company.

It's essentially a discount offered to a group - in practice it's not that different to the Ben Dunne offers where there's a decent discount where 3/4 people sign up together.

Mellor

meme74 wrote: »

I think you'll find the poster above did claim otherwise

I think you'll find they said you're not entitied to a refund. Which is true.

meme74

Mellor wrote: »

I think you'll find they said you're not entitied to a refund. Which is true.

Get over it mr petty

pinkstars

Well I got my full refund today! Delighted!!!