Hi there
I'm really hoping someone might be able to offer me some advice here as I don't know what to do
I joined a local gym in July 2008. The T&C state that it was a 12 month contract. In June 2009 after i paid my 12th payment I wrote to them requesting to cancel my membership as my 12 months was up. Today (7th November 09) I received a letter from a debt collection agency saying that I owe a years membership of £390 plus £136.50 legal fees. The letter's dated 23rd October and it says i have to contact them by the 30th October or they may take me to court! I didn't even get the letter until today.
This is the first I've heard about any debts I owe. The gym has never contacted me prior to this via letters, email or telephone.
Their cancellation policy states "You may cancel your membership at any time after the initial twelve months contract with written notice addressed to the manager of the club, received by the manager before the end of the eleventh month of the contract. If you have not cancelled your membership by the beginning of the twelfth month of your membership you are deemed to have entered into a new twelve month membership contract of the same type as before and will owe the relevant fees that are published for that membership type at the point that the new contract begins."
How can I cancel my contract AFTER the initial 12 months and cancel it before the end of the 11th month at the same time?! It doesn't make any sense!
Please tell me if there's anything I can do about this as I really can't afford to pay them £526.50. I don't understand why they didn't contact me to discuss this before getting the debt collectors in. I'm getting incredibly stressed about this at the moment.
Thank you in advance
I'm really hoping someone might be able to offer me some advice here as I don't know what to do
I joined a local gym in July 2008. The T&C state that it was a 12 month contract. In June 2009 after i paid my 12th payment I wrote to them requesting to cancel my membership as my 12 months was up. Today (7th November 09) I received a letter from a debt collection agency saying that I owe a years membership of £390 plus £136.50 legal fees. The letter's dated 23rd October and it says i have to contact them by the 30th October or they may take me to court! I didn't even get the letter until today.
This is the first I've heard about any debts I owe. The gym has never contacted me prior to this via letters, email or telephone.
Their cancellation policy states "You may cancel your membership at any time after the initial twelve months contract with written notice addressed to the manager of the club, received by the manager before the end of the eleventh month of the contract. If you have not cancelled your membership by the beginning of the twelfth month of your membership you are deemed to have entered into a new twelve month membership contract of the same type as before and will owe the relevant fees that are published for that membership type at the point that the new contract begins."
How can I cancel my contract AFTER the initial 12 months and cancel it before the end of the 11th month at the same time?! It doesn't make any sense!
Please tell me if there's anything I can do about this as I really can't afford to pay them £526.50. I don't understand why they didn't contact me to discuss this before getting the debt collectors in. I'm getting incredibly stressed about this at the moment.
Thank you in advance
