cancelling a gym membership

[joannie10]

I joined L A Fitness back in 2007. I was told the 'good thing' about this gym was that you were not tied in to any contract but clearly remember the sales guy saying that if wanted to cancel in the first 12 months then I would have to write and give one months notice but after that 'you just cancel your direct debit'. I am sure I must have signed something at the time but admit to having not kept a copy or read it properly (stupid I know). Anyway - I have for sometime now been complaining to the gym and the company about cleanliness issues and air conditioning issues. We have for two weeks now not had any hot water so enough is enough I phoned today to cancel. I have paid until the end of the month and believed that to be sufficient. I was told that no, I had to pay another month as needed a months notice and if I don't then I will go into arrears and eventually to a debt collection company - is there any way out of this? Do I need to try and get a hold of my original contract?

[ummmm]

Just pay the one extra month. It's really not worth the hassle. By a months notice I presume they mean a whole month.

[joannie10]

well I pay at the beginning of the month so she said I have to pay at beginning of October and then can use until end of October but as I say, the place is a disgrace. I just feel they don't deserve it - sorry I know it seems like a hassle but just wondered if a way out of it.

[ummmm]

I wouldn't say there was a way out of it.

[mccfluff]

ask for a copy of your contract, if they are breaking it by not providing a clean gym/hot water, then its broken

[joannie10]

thanks for your responses - I suppose I am just being a bit stubbourn as pretty fed up with them. If they need a months notice should I not then just be able to pay up until 16th October so close to only half a month? Also given that we have not had hot water for 2 weeks now (no sign of engineers in the place) we should therefore be given a discount and can call it even stevens!! Just running my thought by you....

[mccfluff]

id write canceling it from the end sept, citing the lack of hot water & cleanliness as the reasons.

[joannie10]

thanks I phoned today as they told you to do it over the phone and they gave me a reference number and told me my last payment would be taken beginning of October and I would be allowed to use until end of October. When i said I was unhappy with this and did not want to be paying any more as did not want to be using it she told me I would have to write to Complaints department but they would only tell me the same thing and said about the debt collection. I have not heard anything back yet but fingers crossed.

[joannie10]

Result - just got an email back from Member relations apologising for the issues I have had and as a gesture of good will they will cancel my membership from end of Sept with no further payments required. Here was me thinking I was going to have a fight on my hands - worse still have to back down!

[bednobs]

glad it's sorted