People must research gym membership plans before committing to overly expensive contracts, says charity

Citizens Advice helps around 290 people a month who have problems with their fitness club

Stephen Little
Friday 29 December 2017 01:55 GMT
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One in seven complaints were about terms and conditions
One in seven complaints were about terms and conditions

People looking to make a healthy start to the new year by signing up to a gym are being urged by Citizens Advice to do their homework first to make sure they don’t end up out of pocket or trapped in a contract they don’t want.

The charity said on Friday that it advised nearly 3,500 people who encountered problems relating to gyms, health clubs and fitness studios in the 12 months to the end of November – an average of 290 cases every month.

Over a third of the complaints, or 35 per cent, related to substandard services such as a gym being closed for long periods of time, classes being shorter than advertised or poor quality facilities.

Many people also felt they had been unfairly held in a contract. A total of 14 per cent of complaints concerned terms and conditions, while 9 per cent related to misleading claims. People were, for example, promised bespoke exercise plans which never materialised.

“At this time of year we’re bombarded with offers for health and fitness memberships, which can ask for a lot of money or commitment up front,” said Kate Hobson, consumer expert at Citizens Advice.

“It’s really important to do your homework before you sign up to any gym, health club or fitness studio,” she added.

“Make sure you know how long you’re committing for, how much it will cost you, and think about how often you’ll need to use it for it to make sense on your budget.”

Citizens Advice provided one case study of a man who had turned to the charity seeking help to get out of a 12-month gym contract. The group said that he had been unable to use the gym as expected because it had been so oversubscribed, leading him to have to queue to use equipment, changing rooms and showers.

Another woman was said to have signed up to her local health club on the promise that it was going to be fully refurbished. But those improvements, Citizens Advice said, were never made.

Previous research by Citizens Advice has found that many people get trapped paying subscriptions that they don’t use, costing them hundreds of pounds a year.

An analysis of cases to the Citizens Advice consumer service between June and August 2017 showed nine in 10 people were initially refused by the company when they tried to cancel their subscription.

Here are Citizens Advice’s top tips for people looking to spend money on getting fitter in the New Year:

Save the evidence

Keep a copy of any adverts or special offers that attract you to that particular gym. Make sure you are promised these features in writing, either in your contract or in an email.

Know what you’ve signed up for – read the contract so you fully understand what you’re committing to, how long for, and whether you can leave before the end of the contract.

Check it’s fair

Make sure that the contract is reasonable, for example that it’s not tying you in for a very long time and that there are options to pause your membership or switch locations if you move away, lose your job or can’t train because of injury.

Know your cancellation rights

Some gyms might offer a “cooling off” period if you change your mind within 14 days of signing up. However, if the membership doesn’t work for you or doesn’t offer what you expect, many will charge you an exit fee if you want to leave before the minimum term is up.

Make a complaint

If your gym does not meet your expectations but won’t allow you to cancel, make a complaint to the company in writing. Explain why you think it is unreasonable that you’re not able to leave a membership. If you’re still having problems then contact Citizens Advice for help.

Make sure it’s worth it

Consider how often you will go, and then work out your price per visit. If you’re going once a week or less, pay-as-you-go or individual classes may be cheaper and won’t tie you into a contract.

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