2008
Read the small print – or risk becoming financially unfit, warns Consumer Direct Scotland
15th January 2008
Credit agreements buried in the small print could trip up thousands of people who rushed to join a gym as part of their New Year’s resolutions, warns Consumer Direct.
Whilst the New Year is a peak time for joining gyms and getting fit, Consumer Direct Scotland cautions that financial fitness could be compromised if the novelty of a work out regime wears off.
People joining gyms are often oblivious to the fact that a lot of contracts include credit agreements covering membership fees. In many cases the agreements are based on a fixed period of time – typically one to two years. Cancelling a gym membership will not cancel the credit agreement.
Consumer Direct Scotland Manager Gordon Macdonald advises:
'Don’t put your financial fitness at risk in pursuit of physical fitness. If you’re joining a gym it’s always worth checking the small print.
The law relating to gym membership is the same as that for any goods and services. A contract cannot always be cancelled simply because the member has a change of heart.
Even life changing events like moving home, changing job or starting a family may not affect your contract.'
Gyms are legally obliged to give copies of contracts to customers who ask for them, so it is always possible to double-check your terms and conditions.
Gordon Macdonald continued:
'The best advice I can give someone who is tied into gym membership and wants to cancel is to read the terms and conditions of the contract before stopping your direct debit.
'If you’re not sure where you stand and you’d like further advice, Consumer Direct is on hand.'
Consumer Direct Scotland offers the following advice:
- Read the terms and conditions of the membership contract carefully
- Don’t be pressured into signing the contract immediately – take it away and read it at your leisure
- If you are unsure about your membership terms, you are entitled to see a copy of your contract and the gym is legally obliged to provide it
- If you join your gym over the telephone or online you are entitled to a seven working day ‘cooling off’ period
- Check the terms for rights to suspend or terminate the membership
- If you want to terminate your membership put it in writing, send the notice recorded delivery and keep a copy of all correspondence
- You may be able to stop your gym membership within the contract period if the gym fails to provide a satisfactory quality service
- If you have a dispute and you are still tied into the contract it is best to keep paying, but do inform the bank and gym that you are paying under protest. Don’t stop paying monthly direct debit payments until your membership has concluded. If you do the gym could claim outstanding arrears
- Even if your contract is coming to an end, you should still give your gym notice if you do not want to renew your membership. It may be worth keeping a note of key dates in your diary.
Consumer Direct is available six days a week on 08454 04 05 06. Callers are connected to specially trained consumer advisers.
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Notes to editors:
1. Consumer Direct is a telephone and online consumer advice service, supported by the Office of Fair Trading and delivered working in partnership with Local Authority Trading Standards. It provides clear, practical, impartial advice to help resolve problems and disagreements with suppliers of goods or services.
2. Consumer Direct has around 350 trained advisers in 11 centres based in London, the South East, the South West, the East of England, the West Midlands, the East Midlands, Wales, Yorkshire and the Humber, the North West, the North East and Scotland.
3. The information and advice helpline is available on 08454 04 05 06 from 0800-1830 Monday to Friday, and 0900-1300 Saturday, excluding bank holidays and public holidays.
Minicom users only should call 08451 28 13 84.
4. Calls cost a maximum of 4 pence per minute from a BT landline. Calls from mobiles or other networks may vary. Your service provider may charge a minimum cost per call. The advice and information given is free.
Media contacts – Jean Mackenzie - Tel: 01851 822300
