Company that shut down allowing direct debits?

dartboardio

I was recently searching online for a decent gym in my area with a good monthly deal.

I came across 'Energie' fitness, all looked great, the website was active, the opening hours were on show, they had a Facebook page etc.

It allowed me to sign up and sent me confirmation and everything, welcome to the gym etc here's your pin to access the locker room blah blah,

The confirmation said it would take the money out of my acc via dd in a few weeks,

Then I found out the gym is closed since November, and no notification or word of this on their website so they're still taking money from people for a closed gym.

Now I'm struggling to cancel the direct debit as the company isn't responding and some of the information my bank needs to cancel it, I don't have..

What do I do?

Not only is it annoying, but extremely unprofessional for a chain gym that's closed four months, to allow new memberships to be set up online and money taken.

Ten Pin

2 options...

1. Search for more details so that the bank can block it. The bank might get advance notice of the DD so you can contact them closer to the date it's "due" and block it.


2. Wait for the DD to be paid out, then get the bank to refund it (they have to issue a refund without any further justification from you so long as you request it within 8 weeks). Then block future direct debits from that "payee".

Card payments are handled differently, so long as it's an IBAN that you gave to the gym then the options above apply.

Darc19

Has it taken money out yet?

And which club is it?

If it's Tallaght, the name is Fit4Less


And would you not have thought about checking it out before agreeing a membership?

Energie is a franchise, so possibly they still had the club listed in error.


Also, all clubs here are closed since the weekend due to the coronavirus

dartboardio

Darc19 wrote: »

Has it taken money out yet?

And which club is it?

If it's Tallaght, the name is Fit4Less


And would you not have thought about checking it out before agreeing a membership?

Energie is a franchise, so possibly they still had the club listed in error.


Also, all clubs here are closed since the weekend due to the coronavirus

Its energie in waterford.

Yes I did check it out and selected the waterford location as the club and proceeded to buy the membership, they should not have the option whatsoever to buy a waterford membership online if the club closed in November.

Grab All Association

What bank are you with? If AIB, they have the ability to block direct debits on their app or kiosk

Darc19

Can't see waterford listed - but why on earth would you not check the club out first?

On a press release about waterford they stated that all direct debits would be stopped immediately so I would not be worried

killbillvol2

Have they actually taken money from your account?

And did you really sign up online for a gym that you'd never seen or visited?

endacl

killbillvol2 wrote: »

Have they actually taken money from your account?

And did you really sign up online for a gym that you'd never seen or visited?

It’s the next step in fitness evolution. Most would visit, join, and then never go. Saved the hassle of the initial visit.

MOH

Might be a bit late for you now, but your bank should be able to blacklist the company, which is a step further and will block any current or future direct debits from them. I had to do the same before with Meteor when they set up a new DD after I had already cancelled a previous one (and notified them).

dartboardio

Update:

Have emailed the company multiple times, no response.

Have provided details to my bank with BOI and they have cancelled the direct debit, however I received an email from the company saying I was ' in arrears' and they would be adding an extra €20 to my unpaid DD.

HA! as if.....

A company closing down three months ago and no mention of it on their website when signing up to a membership, there should be absolutely no need to 'check out' that a gym is open, if it has good reviews, and an active website and facebook acc.

I can't ring them now either as they're completely closed due to covid-19.

Will be contacting ombudsman's office if they communicate with me one more time demanding money.


You should not have to 'check out' a gym that is a chain gym with many good reviews and an active site. Jesus like, what's wrong with people/companies.

dartboardio

dartboardio wrote: »

You should not have to 'check out' a gym that is a chain gym with many good reviews and an active site. Jesus like, what's wrong with people/companies.

Says the person that has been significantly inconvenienced because they didn't know the establishment was closed.

dartboardio

Deleted User wrote: »

Says the person that has been significantly inconvenienced because they didn't know the establishment was closed.

That's not really the issue though, is it :rolleyes:

I'm not mad because the place is closed, or because I didn't know it was closed, I couldn't care less if they're open or closed with 5 years

But the fact that a well known chain gym with multiple open gyms across Ireland let me sign up and pay for a membership for a specific location that actually had closed 3 months previous, is unacceptable completely, come on now!

Sent me a pin to get in the door also?

dartboardio

dartboardio wrote: »

That's not really the issue though, is it :rolleyes:

I'm not mad because the place is closed, or because I didn't know it was closed, I couldn't care less if they're open or closed with 5 years

But the fact that a well known chain gym with multiple open gyms across Ireland let me sign up and pay for a membership for a specific location that actually had closed 3 months previous, is unacceptable completely, come on now!

Sent me a pin to get in the door also?

The pin was triggered by an automated response to sign up.



The extra charge for missing a payment email might be automated or a centralised payment processing place that saw a DD due and not paid (without knowing which gym it related to).