What a bunch of rent seeking jobsworth so and so's! Only a lawyer would fight them like this...Most normal people would have cancelled the direct debt and if they like that, told them to swivel on thee middle finger. Businesses like this need to be named and shamed.
Every single person, (bar one) that I have ever known, that pays for Gym Memberships, has been ripped off. Sometimes their story is similar to the one detailed in this video (regarding when they want to end/cancel their membership). Oftentimes the Gym/chain just goes bust and everyone who paid upfront for an expensive "Life Membership" loses everything. Sometimes just the local branch closes and the only option is in another area entirely, many miles away. I will never in a million years "join" a Gym for those very reasons. If for some special reason I want to attend at a Gym, I will pay a set daily/weekly whatever fee for use. Payable in cash at their front counter. They aren't ever gettin' a bank account number or Credit Card details from me. What is it about Gym Memberships that literally 99% of people wanting to cancel their membership, have this sort of carry-on, and on, and on, and on !
That might well result in the gym going to court and winning. When faced with such behaviour, you need to able to prove your case. Ignoring them is a what a fool would do.
David Lloyd's gym tried to keep my membership fee when I wanted to cancel my membership during the cooling off period while I never used their gym, I told them that I will not leave until they refund the membership fee and after 15min they refunded the fee in full. They tried to keep part of the fee but I was assertive on the fact that they can't keep it, their rip off methods didn't work on me and I ensured they know I was very upset at the way they treated me. I have allergies towards rip off gyms.
My daughter was gifted David Lloyd membership by 'relative', right up until that relative stopped paying the fees. Sometime later my daughter got a demand for 3 months + fees to cancel membership. Not being able to pay, she started getting debt collectors letters, which caused her much distress. It was only after a visit by me to speak to the management, pointing out that the membership agreement was paid by a third party and that my daughter wasnt liable, we came to an agreement that only the period of time that the facilitities were used that should be paid for. I made it quite clear, that the contract was with the fee payer, not the member.
Every single person, (bar one) that I have ever known, that pays for Gym Memberships, has been ripped off. Sometimes their story is similar to the one detailed in this video (regarding when they want to end/cancel their membership). Oftentimes the Gym/chain just goes bust and everyone who paid upfront for an expensive "Life Membership" loses everything. Sometimes just the local branch closes and the only option is in another area entirely, many miles away. I will never in a million years "join" a Gym for those very reasons. If for some special reason I want to attend at a Gym, I will pay a set daily/weekly whatever fee for use. Payable in cash at their front counter. They aren't ever gettin' a bank account number or Credit Card details from me. What is it about Gym Memberships that literally 99% of people wanting to cancel their membership, have this sort of carry-on, and on, and on, and on !
Took me a day and a half to convince Argos that they too are bound by the consumer rights act. The only way I could finally get them to take their faulty washing machine away and refund me is to say "Let me be blunt, I don't have call handling targets. I do however have a house fully of dirty laundry, and a faulty washing machine. I can do this all day. The consumer rights act says it has to be of satisfactory quality, this isn't of satisfactory quality. I'm not required to contact the manufacturer, but I have done so, they failed to fix it. The contract is terminated, come and take your faulty property away and return my money" It shouldn't take a day and a half of constant back and forward with their online chat and social media teams for them to follow the consumer rights act. At the very least someone saying those words should be a "Go get a manager" flag, but better yet, write policies and proceedures that actually follow the damn law. Don't try to tell me that their contract somehow trumps consumer rights.
Had much the same with Argos from a misleadaingly described USB card to a dodgy microwave. I treat them now as low on the list of people I'll buy from. For backup ALWAYS buy with a Credit Card, even below the £100 CCA threshold it gives some leverage - above the £100 let the card Co sort it with the vendor.
My experience with Argos as well. Brought a strimmer and took it back the same day as it was not working. They told me to go away and take it up with the manufacturer. Wrote to Argos head office and threatened to take them to small claims court which got a rapid refund!
Used to work in store as a manager. Let me be honest, what level of customer service you got was determined by your attitude towards me. Be a c*nt and I made your life harder and made you jump through hoops. Be reasonable and polite and yeah sure, have a replacement, in some cases, have a free upgrade 😂
@@_Ali. Fair enough if you are playing a straight bat. Not all managers do tho (worst I ever came across was the woman managing Kandal Aldi) Whilst some customers are total 🐓s too
David Lloyd have a notorious reputation for predatory behavior towards their own clients. I wouldn't touch them with a bargepole having heard BlackBeltBarrister's account. Its totally unnecessary. Its terrible business practice. It shows them to be morally bankrupt and dishonorable.
for my mate to leave them, he basically opened a second bank account, waited a month for all his bills to be swapped over to that account (a month before the early renewal) then he closed the bank account after telling them he was terminating his account. They did the usual "no you cannot leave without X documentation or we will just take the fee regardless." When they attempted to take said money, the account was closed and he received a letter demanding he open a new bank account or would loose his membership. He replied with "I told you I have no intention of returning, I sent the letter to explain why. I'm not paying anymore. Dont waste your time sending me letters, they just go in the shredder."
I have found very often that people representing companies have a very poor understanding of their contractual terms and conditions. All too often they don’t read any correspondence sent and act unreasonably and arrogantly.
I don't think it's the public facing people. It'll be that a solicitor or some other "expert" once explained how things work to the manager and the manager didn't fully understand and just applied the rules and laws as they thought they applied to cases, and instructed their underlings to do the same. I wouldn't be surprised if they were told that they risked losing their job if they made cancelling easy.
@@andrewbrian7659 I’ve dealt quite a lot with engineering and construction contracts over the years and I am still amazed at the tendency of people, particularly during disputes, to selectively pluck conditions of contract and mix them up with home spun logic and “imagineered” justifications all in an attempt to nullify obligations. All manner of red herrings and inaccurate sequences of events are put on display to convince that black is white and vice versa. There also seems to be a tactic of putting up the thickest most belligerent person available to simply tire people out.
Digging their heels in when dealing with customers usually works out to the detriment of a company in the long term. In a previous career, I was involved in the delivery of public / customer service training; the evidence we used suggested that people will tell 5 times as many family, friends and acquaintances about a bad experience as a good one, and word of mouth remains the most trusted form of advertising.
This is exactly why, when looking at reviews, I look at the negative ones. It's easy to pick out the genuine from the petty and get a proper impression as opposed to the good reviews which are often only confirmation that things went as they should have done.
I find people will highly value a business if they've heard of it a lot but not heard bad things. They tend not to value glowing endorsements much at all.
@chrishartley1210 I go to negative reviews first, but... take them with a punch of salt, too. Very often, eg recently, with gazebo and angle grinder, the reviewer was using the product against instructions, stupidly inappropriately, or expecting £500 quality for £50. There's a professional power tool company that used to get top tier reviews for most corded products until about 6 years ago, now they get bottom tier - check dates of reviews
Which should also apply to petrol stations whose prices are much larger than the "including discount" addition, and drinks containers which say "juice" in large letters and "drink" in much smaller ones.
'All the main rules should be written large'..Consumer law already effectively requires this. 'Small print should be illegal'...What are you suggesting? Putting the detailed terms in bigger typeface? 'Small print' is essential is many contracts to cover many eventualities, and mostly works for the good of both parties.
These contracts do not work for the good of both parties when the one of the parties is trapped in a contract because an essential clause in the contract is hidden in the fine print and is written in a manner only a solicitor can translate.. Even this guy had to delve deeply into his contract to make sense of it.. These people when drawing up these contracts do not work for the good both parties.. They give the client the minimum protection required by law and they wouldn't even give them that if the could get away with it..
@@Forestfalcon1 That makes no sense at all - Unless you were unable to follow the logic of Dan's response. In which case, sorry to break it bluntly, *its not the small print that's failing, its your processing capacity* Can you not recognise it was the detailed terms within the 'small print' which enabled the rejection?
Here in Alberta, Canada, any residential rental agreement must have, at the very top of the first page and in a typeface larger than the body text of the agreement, a standard clause that states that the Residential Tenancy Act shall prevail in case of any dispute.
Splendid video Daniel ! A perfect example of how frustrating it can be when dealing with such monstrously pedantic organisations. Sadly, the average person could be confused by such money grabbing and convoluted pedantry ... resulting in them just giving up and accepting such nonsense.
Thanks for this, Dan. So many of us have experienced this kind of hassle with gyms and health clubs. Very helpful that you’ve talked us through this. The gym I had a dispute with used a collections agency who became alarmingly heavy.
Just listening to you go through things in a matter of fact way really helps me find a bit extra confidence in life. Glad you got that sorted, you must be helping thousands of folks. Thank you so much.
In terms of good customer service, adhering to their own terms should be the worst that they insist upon. Any decent company would have some leeway so as to give the illusion of excellence in the hope of having you back as a customer in future. They certainly dashed any chance of that.
companies look at money , i shop online with ocado as disabled with autism hate supermarkets , and sometimes i have a very nive delivery so i say so on twitter , thing is every bloody time i want to say anything positive they ask me in there messages who i am , for 4 yrs its same i finally said look im mee and get fustrated by this rigmarole , there reply is data protection and they wanna know who i am so i said so u think a fraudster is gonna congratulate a company on twitter for excellent service lol
I had a major argument with my bank last month. After 40+ years they were going to close my credit card account with no reason. When I complained they responded by saying 'It is in our terms and conditions to close an account without explaining'. My response was that if they walked into a fish and chip shop and ordered cod and chips and received a punch in the face they would complain. If the proprietor replied by saying that there is a small sign in the window stating that they reserve the right to punch anyone in the face who places an order then I guarantee that they would not find that acceptable.
There is plenty of this kind of legal gaslighting happening these days. With regard to businesses as well as government agencies. It`s almost like there no longer any default decency in people anymore.
Not the kind of thing I do but a very good and handy look into how these businesses operate when trying to get those last few pounds out of your pocket.
The gym I used to go to is a well known one that has gyms up and down the UK. When I told them that I was cancelling because it was the beginning of summer and I do a lot of hiking until the weather turns, they were perfectly fine with it and cancelled my membership straight away. No fees, no arguments and no legal threats having to be made. In comparison to mine yours was a total nightmare. Peace
Completely discussing, but common behavior with a lot of companies. That's why I think it's allways good to back up cancellations with canceling their direct debit
The trouble is they will then give you a bad rating with the credit reference agencies. Even an incorrect rating done like that can be very, very difficult to get removed. ISPs and mobile providers are renowned for it.
I have been watching this channel for about a year now, but I am surprised as to how much this content has skyrocketed from early days. Good on you BBB.
Was a member of a gym some years ago and when trying to cancel membership, it became one of the biggest pains in the ar$e to get out of. I vowed never again to join any gym which wouldn’t accept me as a member on a rolling monthly membership. They will try anything to get you to keep paying.
for many gyms that's their business model. they know most people sign up on some whim and never come back, most will keep paying rather than admit they have given up, and those who remain they will work to make as hard as possible on to keep them from leaving. their ideal customer is someone who pays their monthly dues and doesn't come into the gym.
My son had a similar problem with trying to terminate a gym membership contract. My wife, who is a solicitor, told him what to write to them. It didn't stop their threats of debt collectors. She then sent the same wording on her headed paper. Suddenly all threats were dropped, and a fee refund made. Strange or what?
Every single person, (bar one) that I have ever known, that pays for Gym Memberships, has been ripped off. Sometimes their story is similar to the one detailed in this video (regarding when they want to end/cancel their membership). Oftentimes the Gym/chain just goes bust and everyone who paid upfront for an expensive "Life Membership" loses everything. Sometimes just the local branch closes and the only option is in another area entirely, many miles away. I will never in a million years "join" a Gym for those very reasons. If for some special reason I want to attend at a Gym, I will pay a set daily/weekly whatever fee for use. Payable in cash at their front counter. They aren't ever gettin' a bank account number or Credit Card details from me. What is it about Gym Memberships that literally 99% of people wanting to cancel their membership, have this sort of carry-on, and on, and on, and on !
Really enjoyed this video. It must be really comforting when responding to letters such as these knowing you are a qualified Barrister and well versed in reading and understanding written contract terms and application of them.
my son used to work in WORDINGS and read an insurance policy we bought. He basically said it was word salad and worthless, which proved to be the case when we made a claim. Buy cheap GET cheap
What a rigmarole! When I cancelled my gym membership as I was moving out of the area, they kept sending me begging letters and texts to rejoin the gym! In the end I wrote to them saying that I'm moving 300 miles away and the closest branch of their gym is 1hr+ drive away depending on traffic and I'd be better finding a more local gym. They finally stopped bothering me.
This reminds me of a T&Cs document pushed in front of me just the other day by a hospital. I was in a confused state after a seizure and was unable to comprehend it. They stated they wanted to do a video telemetry which I knew didn't exist at that hospital so I refused to sign the document. Rather than follow professional standards procedure they just dumped me in a taxi and sent me home positively unwell. I ended up being rushed back in a few hours later as a result which may not have happened if they had followed protocol. Too many people sign documents without reading T&Cs.
For 2 reasons -Lodge formal complaint- 1. It may make them treat others better next time 2. They will be meticulously careful with you in future - That could save your life The easy way is email your MP & ask for their help - They will demand full report as routine.
@@Farweasel Just ask for a Subject Access Request and take them to the GMC Professional Standards. It scares them silly. MPs are a waste of time. I had to sue a hospital for clinical negligence after them letting me fall out of bed 3 times when they should had sides up leaving me with a badly broken shoulder and sending me home saying it was just bruising. This particular hospital is always up to dirty tricks, it's gone on for years. It's one reason I'm wised up to it. One time it went right to the Trust CEO. We had to get the solicitors involved once and take them to judicial review because they were trying to put LO with Alzheimer's in a home even though we had LPA. If more people stood up to them they may tow the line.
I have had this battle in various flavours. I ended up having to go bankrupt. Which was actually the best thing that could have happened at the time. Thanks for this. A focus on the "ordinary" sorts of battles most of us face is very much appreciated. Justice, remember, is only really exacted when one can afford it.
Lots of companies are like this!! I’ve done several letters of claim to companies who let me down!! Not a nice situation, but one we all have to know what to do.
Thanks Daniel, it is both good to know that this sort of thing happens to us all, as well as not wishing it on anyone. The plain fact is that time and time again it is well worth their while, whether this is energy companies, letting agents, BBC licence fee chasers, parking fines. Regulatory bodies need to ensure that they follow their own rules and work harder for the general public, and if this means better funded, then they need to be better funded and fully resourced in terms of properly training staff - no be of this "we are experiencing higher than normal calls, we value you and are working hard (or doing everything we can) to deal with your call as quickly as possible" - when clearly they are not - sorry bugbear of mine
Well done . Its Great to see someone stand up to this type of company . Mobile phone companys are very good at hanging you out to dry re contracts . Thanks
Cancelling all kinds of subscriptions seems to get harder and harder nowadays. Some internet based subscriptions can be really diffiuclt with the very cancellation process being jard to find (deliberately presumably). The worst are continuous payment authorities, which I now avoid conpletely.
i recall hearing about a service that allows you to create virtual cards for exactly that sort of purpose. this way you can make a card just for that service and if you want to cancel the service you can cancel the card and they cannot charge it (they might still take it to claims, mind, but they can't drain your account in the mean time)
@@tuseroni6085Oh, this is what my son was talking about... I didn't really follow what he was saying. I can use my Revolut card for payment, which he says is a virtual card. There you go Daniel, a topic for your financial advice channel @BBB @DanielShenSmith
This is why I will never join a gym, unbelievable! Most individuals would of given up or not have the knowledge or energy to fight it. Well done and thank you for showing this information.
Some years ago, I was posting some vehicle parts for a relative. Unfortunately one of the vehicle bumpers was damaged in transit. I made a claim for compensation, only for the courier to quote from their T&Cs that "car bumpers" are not covered for compensation. I replied with evidence showing it was actually a van bumper, not a car bumper. As such, compensation was eventually paid out and their T&Cs changed from excluding "car bumpers" to "vehicle bumpers"....
Some years ago I 'tried' to terminate my gym membership and was told then I had still a further month's fee to pay, which I disagreed with and did not understand. Long story short, I begrudgingly paid it, yet felt I had been 'duped' !! Your experience has been "entertaining" and convinces me now that I was right, way back then, which in a 'Weird' way is quite consoling ... 🙄😵💫
They just seem like a scam artist. Why in this day and age cannot people and corporations use a little common sense, and compassion rather than just take your money. I despair at the values we have today.👑👑👑👑
This type of story is one good reason why I spent my whole career as a Law lecturer, giving students the tools with which to plan, manage and, if necessary, fight their corner. I still do the same, Daniel, and watch your posts and videos with a professional and generally, approving, eye. Keep it up!!!
What Daniel says is very important. Often we are hit with a barrage of confusing communications from an organisation and that is when the terms and conditions can come in very useful. They set out what has been agreed by the parties at the onset of the contract and are the first point of reference to reach a reasoned argument for resolution. As Daniel says there could be unreasonable terms in a contract so do take formal legal advice if necessary.
Two major things I've learnt from the video. One, we need to teach law in schools as to equip everyone with this type of legal knowledge. Two, we need to regulate these businesses as to ensure they can no longer get away with these cancellation fees and attempt to extract more money out of people.
I once had CEO who said we don't want any unhappy customers so if someone has a reason to leave and we can't make them happy by rectifying something then we let them leave, wish them all the best, give the a friendly exit and say we hope to see them again. Once they experienced how bad some of our rivals were some came back, others praised us on social media for being reasonable and fair when they asked to leave whilst under contract and that's good publicity which then attracted new customers and also got plenty of negative responses about our rivals and their exit process. Maybe something gyms could learn from? Oh and that CEO left, so we then dropped the consumer champion thing and went back to the old ways instead of looking at the bigger picture.
Whenever I have to sign an agreement, people hover over me as I read through the terms and conditions before signing or get frustrated if I ask questions to check something "No one reads all of that!" Actually, I do!
After watching this, I am convinced gyms can seriously damage your health (I mean wealth?). Thanks David S, but instead of sweaty sweatshops, I'll stick to brisk walks and fresh air all FOC.
I am late watching this but what a story! I've been in the same boat. I read my terms and conditions when it comes to it 🙌 often with a legal dictionary too 😅
I was once caught by this ludicrous 3 month gym cancellation policy. Their hot tub, sauna and steam room facilities were often flooded, unsanitary or out of service. They didn't refund me for the times they were unavailable either. I bought my own sauna after that and the facilities were always spotless. 😉
My son had the same experience with a gym that has the name of a famous tennis player, they tried to get three months fees out of him ( more than £600) when he cancelled due to a back injury, he went through all the same rubbish with doctors letters and eventually the fees were waived after a mammoth battle with them, my point here is that he has recovered now, and he would never go back to that gym, they were more interested in trying to steal three months fees from him than maybe getting him back after his injury healed, he now goes to a more modest local gym with a £44 a month membership instead of the original gyms £200 a month membership
For those who enjoy Daniel's tales of woe, may I also recommend both the 'consumer hour' & the 'legal hour' on LBC each week at 9pm Fri & Sat respectively. Dean Dunham & Daniel Barnett are very much on par with our own BBB 😉.
When you're dealing with customer service, it's better to use simple, concise and clear language. Customer service agents often don't understand legalese. If they try to introduce something outside their terms and conditions, just say as much. The more you write, the higher the chance they conveniently ignore something awkward whilst zooming in on something immaterial. Finally, their job is to try and retain you. If you want to leave, be direct and firm, and don't entertain options of suspension or any other mechanism to delay you leaving. That just encourages them, especially if they have retention targets attached to a bonus. When they understand they have no chance of keeping you, they will usually cave, because they understand they are wasting their time, and there is no benefit for them. They don't care about retaining you for their company's sake, that's for sure.
Never sign anything w/o reading the T&C . lol. As a lawyer you don't fully realise how nasty Corporations are - because you feel protected knowing the law. The Gym could be living in your house now. Haha.
I had a situation where my daughter’s car insurance was cancelled without her knowledge while she was away for over a month in New Zealand. They cancelled it because the mileage was over what she had declared. I detected early on that the staff at the insurance company were just trying it on and acting unprofessional. I then read through all the terms and conditions on the policy and found holes and discrepancies all over the place. I did what you did l, and managed to win. They had to admit in writing that they had broke their owns terms and had basically acted unreasonably. It pays to look at their terms sometimes.
How unprofessional of them penny pinching at a risk to their reputation. What a joke not even aware of their own T's &C's they make it up as they go. So many companies try this absolutely ridiculous.
The UK is sadly (and rapidly) becoming a place where I wouldn't like to bring children up in 😑 Employees are now trained (and expected) to rip people off. What happened to humanity?
Unbelievable, like you say what chance have most people got unless they are persistent or have the knowledge to do so. Hopefully it will make more of us look into terms and conditions
Your not emailing there legal team just PAYE staff member with basic training. Companies need to stop using small Print and jargon like 'If you wish to not subscribe don't untick the box'
If you get treated like this what hope do we have who are maybe not so forward in knowing our rights and would rather not get into a confrontation. Mind blowing
This could turn out to be extremely valuable advice to some folks caught up in this slippery trap. Very impressive advice and delivered beautifully. It won't touch me as I stay away from any Gymnasiums, one because I had enough of them in the Army and two, its far too late to even consider joining one at my age. Thanks though, am sure many folks will find this excellent advice, as usual.
I had this with fitness first in about 2003. I suspended my membership while I was working out of town - but they didn’t. So I cancelled the direct debit. Then they reinstated it without any input from me. My membership ended up being switched to a complimentary membership (as I made a repair to their gym) - the manager left, they then forgot about the free membership and I used the gym for about another 2 years before I just stopped going - so I had the last laugh. I suspect your gym is very close to the A5 and a branch of macdonalds ;)
Listening to their replies, they sounded exactly like my boss at the job me and my wife left recently, in a mobility shop dealing with elderly and vulnerable people!!
This is exactly what the energy companies do. I'm with ovo and had to ram actual legislation down their throat to get a malfunctioning traditional electric meter replaced with another but NOT a smart meter as there is no legal requirement to have one at this time.
You have just admitted to doing what most people do.... Sign a contract without reading all the terms and conditions before hand! 😃 Health clubs are notorious for taking money and being difficult to cancel. They know after Xmas lots of people think it a good idea to join a heath club with the intention of going for a year but within 3 Months they give up and will want to cancel.
Very interesting Daniel, I award you a medal for patience and perseverance. Thank you very much, I have heard horror stories like this before, but with not such a good outcome! Very helpful.
Harassment and coercion.. I am not a lawyer , just a law clerk, but even if i were a lawyer, i would only cancel, pay no penny further and if they wanted to sue me for money, be my guest, see u in court…they will spend more on courts than í presumably owe them.. i live in Canada and do not buy anybody’s bsh
I walked out of my gym and said I’m cancelling my standing order, they said you can’t I said watch me, a few months later they ask why I said due to a foreign man having a shite in the communal showers , never heard from them again
Sounds like a David Lloyds club. I wont go near them now after having worked for them for some time. Everything mentioned in this vid sounds exactly like DL.
Great video. Not exactly rare nowdays to end up in a Ts and Cs battle with organisations when they believe that their terms supercede the law. Most of the worst organisations appear to have American parent companies in my experience.
I have been there, had to cancel my direct debit and had to deal with debt collectors for this, at the point the debt collectors made threats, which I constantly had to make sure they provide open communication between me and GYM, to hold both the gym and the debt collectors to account, for the policy I signed up for and the collection / sharing of my data. GDPR in this was also a good tool to keep using,
Had same experience with David Lloyd some years ago , corporate said that I had visited the gym after giving medical notice to quit , they were referring to a visit to the gym where I handed over my medical evidence , never again !
I have just started a legal case against a "BID" company because they have not followed their own contract (service level agreement). Their defence will be in by next Friday, it will be interesting to see what they say.
Imagine picking a fight over terms and conditions with a barrister. 😂😅
I think they eventually googled him and, realising who he was, decided to apologise. 😂😂😂
And that is when they knew they had fucked up.
It's an example in the dictionary for the meanings of "Pointless" 😉
Also, fighting over the T&Cs without reading them, is not the wisest course.
@@georgebailey8179 Define 'wisest'. *Its blatantly unethical* but an awful lot of people will cave in and pay
What a bunch of rent seeking jobsworth so and so's! Only a lawyer would fight them like this...Most normal people would have cancelled the direct debt and if they like that, told them to swivel on thee middle finger. Businesses like this need to be named and shamed.
Exactly
Every single person, (bar one) that I have ever known, that pays for Gym Memberships, has been ripped off. Sometimes their story is similar to the one detailed in this video (regarding when they want to end/cancel their membership).
Oftentimes the Gym/chain just goes bust and everyone who paid upfront for an expensive "Life Membership" loses everything. Sometimes just the local branch closes and the only option is in another area entirely, many miles away.
I will never in a million years "join" a Gym for those very reasons. If for some special reason I want to attend at a Gym, I will pay a set daily/weekly whatever fee for use. Payable in cash at their front counter.
They aren't ever gettin' a bank account number or Credit Card details from me.
What is it about Gym Memberships that literally 99% of people wanting to cancel their membership, have this sort of carry-on, and on, and on, and on !
@@KiwiCatherineJemmaIt's a form of high pressure sales (attempted bullying).
That might well result in the gym going to court and winning. When faced with such behaviour, you need to able to prove your case. Ignoring them is a what a fool would do.
David Lloyd's gym tried to keep my membership fee when I wanted to cancel my membership during the cooling off period while I never used their gym, I told them that I will not leave until they refund the membership fee and after 15min they refunded the fee in full. They tried to keep part of the fee but I was assertive on the fact that they can't keep it, their rip off methods didn't work on me and I ensured they know I was very upset at the way they treated me. I have allergies towards rip off gyms.
My daughter was gifted David Lloyd membership by 'relative', right up until that relative stopped paying the fees.
Sometime later my daughter got a demand for 3 months + fees to cancel membership.
Not being able to pay, she started getting debt collectors letters, which caused her much distress.
It was only after a visit by me to speak to the management, pointing out that the membership agreement was paid by a third party and that my daughter wasnt liable, we came to an agreement that only the period of time that the facilitities were used that should be paid for.
I made it quite clear, that the contract was with the fee payer, not the member.
Every single person, (bar one) that I have ever known, that pays for Gym Memberships, has been ripped off. Sometimes their story is similar to the one detailed in this video (regarding when they want to end/cancel their membership).
Oftentimes the Gym/chain just goes bust and everyone who paid upfront for an expensive "Life Membership" loses everything. Sometimes just the local branch closes and the only option is in another area entirely, many miles away.
I will never in a million years "join" a Gym for those very reasons. If for some special reason I want to attend at a Gym, I will pay a set daily/weekly whatever fee for use. Payable in cash at their front counter.
They aren't ever gettin' a bank account number or Credit Card details from me.
What is it about Gym Memberships that literally 99% of people wanting to cancel their membership, have this sort of carry-on, and on, and on, and on !
outside the box move , all memberships should be paid for by a 'Relative' preferably deceased
@@whaleoilbeefhooked2564 That is called fraud. Signing a contract in anyone else's name, whether alive or dead, could earn you a criminal record.
Your daughter is a sugar baby
Took me a day and a half to convince Argos that they too are bound by the consumer rights act. The only way I could finally get them to take their faulty washing machine away and refund me is to say "Let me be blunt, I don't have call handling targets. I do however have a house fully of dirty laundry, and a faulty washing machine. I can do this all day. The consumer rights act says it has to be of satisfactory quality, this isn't of satisfactory quality. I'm not required to contact the manufacturer, but I have done so, they failed to fix it. The contract is terminated, come and take your faulty property away and return my money"
It shouldn't take a day and a half of constant back and forward with their online chat and social media teams for them to follow the consumer rights act. At the very least someone saying those words should be a "Go get a manager" flag, but better yet, write policies and proceedures that actually follow the damn law. Don't try to tell me that their contract somehow trumps consumer rights.
Had much the same with Argos from a misleadaingly described USB card to a dodgy microwave.
I treat them now as low on the list of people I'll buy from.
For backup ALWAYS buy with a Credit Card, even below the £100 CCA threshold it gives some leverage - above the £100 let the card Co sort it with the vendor.
I think that the takeaway from this is DO NOT do this on the phone. You must have the evidence in writing if the matter escalates.
My experience with Argos as well. Brought a strimmer and took it back the same day as it was not working. They told me to go away and take it up with the manufacturer. Wrote to Argos head office and threatened to take them to small claims court which got a rapid refund!
Used to work in store as a manager. Let me be honest, what level of customer service you got was determined by your attitude towards me. Be a c*nt and I made your life harder and made you jump through hoops. Be reasonable and polite and yeah sure, have a replacement, in some cases, have a free upgrade 😂
@@_Ali. Fair enough if you are playing a straight bat.
Not all managers do tho
(worst I ever came across was the woman managing Kandal Aldi)
Whilst some customers are total 🐓s too
David Lloyd have a notorious reputation for predatory behavior towards their own clients. I wouldn't touch them with a bargepole having heard BlackBeltBarrister's account. Its totally unnecessary. Its terrible business practice. It shows them to be morally bankrupt and dishonorable.
for my mate to leave them, he basically opened a second bank account, waited a month for all his bills to be swapped over to that account (a month before the early renewal) then he closed the bank account after telling them he was terminating his account. They did the usual "no you cannot leave without X documentation or we will just take the fee regardless." When they attempted to take said money, the account was closed and he received a letter demanding he open a new bank account or would loose his membership. He replied with "I told you I have no intention of returning, I sent the letter to explain why. I'm not paying anymore. Dont waste your time sending me letters, they just go in the shredder."
I have found very often that people representing companies have a very poor understanding of their contractual terms and conditions. All too often they don’t read any correspondence sent and act unreasonably and arrogantly.
I don't think it's the public facing people. It'll be that a solicitor or some other "expert" once explained how things work to the manager and the manager didn't fully understand and just applied the rules and laws as they thought they applied to cases, and instructed their underlings to do the same. I wouldn't be surprised if they were told that they risked losing their job if they made cancelling easy.
@@andrewbrian7659 I’ve dealt quite a lot with engineering and construction contracts over the years and I am still amazed at the tendency of people, particularly during disputes, to selectively pluck conditions of contract and mix them up with home spun logic and “imagineered” justifications all in an attempt to nullify obligations. All manner of red herrings and inaccurate sequences of events are put on display to convince that black is white and vice versa. There also seems to be a tactic of putting up the thickest most belligerent person available to simply tire people out.
Digging their heels in when dealing with customers usually works out to the detriment of a company in the long term.
In a previous career, I was involved in the delivery of public / customer service training; the evidence we used suggested that people will tell 5 times as many family, friends and acquaintances about a bad experience as a good one, and word of mouth remains the most trusted form of advertising.
Many times I've read it's a factor of 10 !
Very few people remember good service, everybody remembers and shares bad service.
This is exactly why, when looking at reviews, I look at the negative ones. It's easy to pick out the genuine from the petty and get a proper impression as opposed to the good reviews which are often only confirmation that things went as they should have done.
I find people will highly value a business if they've heard of it a lot but not heard bad things. They tend not to value glowing endorsements much at all.
@chrishartley1210 I go to negative reviews first, but... take them with a punch of salt, too. Very often, eg recently, with gazebo and angle grinder, the reviewer was using the product against instructions, stupidly inappropriately, or expecting £500 quality for £50. There's a professional power tool company that used to get top tier reviews for most corded products until about 6 years ago, now they get bottom tier - check dates of reviews
Small print should be illegal.. All the main rules should be written large.. They should be punished when caught trying to hide essential facts..
Which should also apply to petrol stations whose prices are much larger than the "including discount" addition, and drinks containers which say "juice" in large letters and "drink" in much smaller ones.
'All the main rules should be written large'..Consumer law already effectively requires this. 'Small print should be illegal'...What are you suggesting? Putting the detailed terms in bigger typeface? 'Small print' is essential is many contracts to cover many eventualities, and mostly works for the good of both parties.
These contracts do not work for the good of both parties when the one of the parties is trapped in a contract because an essential clause in the contract is hidden in the fine print and is written in a manner only a solicitor can translate.. Even this guy had to delve deeply into his contract to make sense of it.. These people when drawing up these contracts do not work for the good both parties.. They give the client the minimum protection required by law and they wouldn't even give them that if the could get away with it..
@@Forestfalcon1 That makes no sense at all - Unless you were unable to follow the logic of Dan's response.
In which case, sorry to break it bluntly, *its not the small print that's failing, its your processing capacity*
Can you not recognise it was the detailed terms within the 'small print' which enabled the rejection?
Here in Alberta, Canada, any residential rental agreement must have, at the very top of the first page and in a typeface larger than the body text of the agreement, a standard clause that states that the Residential Tenancy Act shall prevail in case of any dispute.
Superb video thank you - I worry about my elderly Mother, the world has become a total mine field of underhanded skulduggery.
I am reminded of mobile phone and home broadband conpanies with their lengthy contracts, unnecessary and sometimes even unexplained fees
Splendid video Daniel ! A perfect example of how frustrating it can be when dealing with such monstrously pedantic organisations.
Sadly, the average person could be confused by such money grabbing and convoluted pedantry ... resulting in them just giving up and accepting such nonsense.
That is sadly true ......
Its ALSO why they do it.
Most people would just give up and pay , , , this is what they count on. I've often had situations like this , I NEVER GIVE UP.
Thanks for this, Dan. So many of us have experienced this kind of hassle with gyms and health clubs. Very helpful that you’ve talked us through this.
The gym I had a dispute with used a collections agency who became alarmingly heavy.
Just listening to you go through things in a matter of fact way really helps me find a bit extra confidence in life. Glad you got that sorted, you must be helping thousands of folks. Thank you so much.
In terms of good customer service, adhering to their own terms should be the worst that they insist upon. Any decent company would have some leeway so as to give the illusion of excellence in the hope of having you back as a customer in future. They certainly dashed any chance of that.
companies look at money , i shop online with ocado as disabled with autism hate supermarkets , and sometimes i have a very nive delivery so i say so on twitter , thing is every bloody time i want to say anything positive they ask me in there messages who i am , for 4 yrs its same i finally said look im mee and get fustrated by this rigmarole , there reply is data protection and they wanna know who i am so i said so u think a fraudster is gonna congratulate a company on twitter for excellent service lol
I had a major argument with my bank last month. After 40+ years they were going to close my credit card account with no reason. When I complained they responded by saying 'It is in our terms and conditions to close an account without explaining'. My response was that if they walked into a fish and chip shop and ordered cod and chips and received a punch in the face they would complain. If the proprietor replied by saying that there is a small sign in the window stating that they reserve the right to punch anyone in the face who places an order then I guarantee that they would not find that acceptable.
There is plenty of this kind of legal gaslighting happening these days. With regard to businesses as well as government agencies. It`s almost like there no longer any default decency in people anymore.
Not the kind of thing I do but a very good and handy look into how these businesses operate when trying to get those last few pounds out of your pocket.
The gym I used to go to is a well known one that has gyms up and down the UK. When I told them that I was cancelling because it was the beginning of summer and I do a lot of hiking until the weather turns, they were perfectly fine with it and cancelled my membership straight away. No fees, no arguments and no legal threats having to be made. In comparison to mine yours was a total nightmare.
Peace
That's a crazy gym , if you're not using a service you should not be paying for it and should never need to give notice
Completely discussing, but common behavior with a lot of companies. That's why I think it's allways good to back up cancellations with canceling their direct debit
The trouble is they will then give you a bad rating with the credit reference agencies. Even an incorrect rating done like that can be very, very difficult to get removed. ISPs and mobile providers are renowned for it.
I have been watching this channel for about a year now, but I am surprised as to how much this content has skyrocketed from early days. Good on you BBB.
Was a member of a gym some years ago and when trying to cancel membership, it became one of the biggest pains in the ar$e to get out of. I vowed never again to join any gym which wouldn’t accept me as a member on a rolling monthly membership. They will try anything to get you to keep paying.
for many gyms that's their business model. they know most people sign up on some whim and never come back, most will keep paying rather than admit they have given up, and those who remain they will work to make as hard as possible on to keep them from leaving.
their ideal customer is someone who pays their monthly dues and doesn't come into the gym.
My son had a similar problem with trying to terminate a gym membership contract. My wife, who is a solicitor, told him what to write to them. It didn't stop their threats of debt collectors. She then sent the same wording on her headed paper. Suddenly all threats were dropped, and a fee refund made. Strange or what?
Every single person, (bar one) that I have ever known, that pays for Gym Memberships, has been ripped off. Sometimes their story is similar to the one detailed in this video (regarding when they want to end/cancel their membership).
Oftentimes the Gym/chain just goes bust and everyone who paid upfront for an expensive "Life Membership" loses everything. Sometimes just the local branch closes and the only option is in another area entirely, many miles away.
I will never in a million years "join" a Gym for those very reasons. If for some special reason I want to attend at a Gym, I will pay a set daily/weekly whatever fee for use. Payable in cash at their front counter.
They aren't ever gettin' a bank account number or Credit Card details from me.
What is it about Gym Memberships that literally 99% of people wanting to cancel their membership, have this sort of carry-on, and on, and on, and on !
I'm impressed that you appear to have had so much patience in dealing with this matter and the amount of your time it consumed.
Really enjoyed this video. It must be really comforting when responding to letters such as these knowing you are a qualified Barrister and well versed in reading and understanding written contract terms and application of them.
You have a lot more patience than I do! 🙂
my son used to work in WORDINGS and read an insurance policy we bought. He basically said it was word salad and worthless, which proved to be the case when we made a claim. Buy cheap GET cheap
It’s all stressful for those of us without your knowledge Daniel
Thank you for this
What a rigmarole! When I cancelled my gym membership as I was moving out of the area, they kept sending me begging letters and texts to rejoin the gym! In the end I wrote to them saying that I'm moving 300 miles away and the closest branch of their gym is 1hr+ drive away depending on traffic and I'd be better finding a more local gym. They finally stopped bothering me.
So many times a company will make statements around " sorry but that is in our terms and conditions". I always ask "where?"
This reminds me of a T&Cs document pushed in front of me just the other day by a hospital. I was in a confused state after a seizure and was unable to comprehend it. They stated they wanted to do a video telemetry which I knew didn't exist at that hospital so I refused to sign the document. Rather than follow professional standards procedure they just dumped me in a taxi and sent me home positively unwell. I ended up being rushed back in a few hours later as a result which may not have happened if they had followed protocol. Too many people sign documents without reading T&Cs.
For 2 reasons -Lodge formal complaint-
1. It may make them treat others better next time
2. They will be meticulously careful with you in future - That could save your life
The easy way is email your MP & ask for their help - They will demand full report as routine.
@@Farweasel Just ask for a Subject Access Request and take them to the GMC Professional Standards. It scares them silly. MPs are a waste of time. I had to sue a hospital for clinical negligence after them letting me fall out of bed 3 times when they should had sides up leaving me with a badly broken shoulder and sending me home saying it was just bruising.
This particular hospital is always up to dirty tricks, it's gone on for years. It's one reason I'm wised up to it. One time it went right to the Trust CEO. We had to get the solicitors involved once and take them to judicial review because they were trying to put LO with Alzheimer's in a home even though we had LPA. If more people stood up to them they may tow the line.
You should have told them,
“You can’t take me to court for cancelling my DD, that’s Ludicrous!”😆
I have had this battle in various flavours.
I ended up having to go bankrupt. Which was actually the best thing that could have happened at the time.
Thanks for this. A focus on the "ordinary" sorts of battles most of us face is very much appreciated.
Justice, remember, is only really exacted when one can afford it.
Gyms don’t make money from their active members, they make their money from people who don’t use the gym they pay for.
Lots of companies are like this!! I’ve done several letters of claim to companies who let me down!! Not a nice situation, but one we all have to know what to do.
Thanks Daniel, it is both good to know that this sort of thing happens to us all, as well as not wishing it on anyone.
The plain fact is that time and time again it is well worth their while, whether this is energy companies, letting agents, BBC licence fee chasers, parking fines.
Regulatory bodies need to ensure that they follow their own rules and work harder for the general public, and if this means better funded, then they need to be better funded and fully resourced in terms of properly training staff - no be of this "we are experiencing higher than normal calls, we value you and are working hard (or doing everything we can) to deal with your call as quickly as possible" - when clearly they are not - sorry bugbear of mine
Well done . Its Great to see someone stand up to this type of company . Mobile phone companys are very good at hanging you out to dry re contracts . Thanks
They’re “making it up as they go along” to use that common expression when someone is trying to ‘pull the wool over your eyes’.
Cancelling all kinds of subscriptions seems to get harder and harder nowadays. Some internet based subscriptions can be really diffiuclt with the very cancellation process being jard to find (deliberately presumably). The worst are continuous payment authorities, which I now avoid conpletely.
i recall hearing about a service that allows you to create virtual cards for exactly that sort of purpose. this way you can make a card just for that service and if you want to cancel the service you can cancel the card and they cannot charge it (they might still take it to claims, mind, but they can't drain your account in the mean time)
Have you tried cancelling regular payments from Google Play - it doesn't work, well not for me, I had to speak to someone in the end!
@@tuseroni6085Oh, this is what my son was talking about... I didn't really follow what he was saying. I can use my Revolut card for payment, which he says is a virtual card.
There you go Daniel, a topic for your financial advice channel @BBB @DanielShenSmith
This is why I will never join a gym, unbelievable! Most individuals would of given up or not have the knowledge or energy to fight it. Well done and thank you for showing this information.
Trying to get out of a gym membership, is like escaping taxes, it’s possible but highly improbable
Some years ago, I was posting some vehicle parts for a relative. Unfortunately one of the vehicle bumpers was damaged in transit. I made a claim for compensation, only for the courier to quote from their T&Cs that "car bumpers" are not covered for compensation. I replied with evidence showing it was actually a van bumper, not a car bumper. As such, compensation was eventually paid out and their T&Cs changed from excluding "car bumpers" to "vehicle bumpers"....
Some years ago I 'tried' to terminate my gym membership and was told then I had still a further month's fee to pay, which I disagreed with and did not understand. Long story short, I begrudgingly paid it, yet felt I had been 'duped' !!
Your experience has been "entertaining" and convinces me now that I was right, way back then, which in a 'Weird' way is quite consoling ... 🙄😵💫
And this is why I refuse to buy a gym membership and instead just train at home. Especially the need to give notice to terminate your membership.
And the moral of the story is; don't join a gym. Eat cake.
This refusal to let you escape is part of their strategy.
They just seem like a scam artist. Why in this day and age cannot people and corporations use a little common sense, and compassion rather than just take your money. I despair at the values we have today.👑👑👑👑
This type of story is one good reason why I spent my whole career as a Law lecturer, giving students the tools with which to plan, manage and, if necessary, fight their corner. I still do the same, Daniel, and watch your posts and videos with a professional and generally, approving, eye. Keep it up!!!
Exactly the reason why i'd never sign up to any gym. This era of monthly payments for a gym is frankly, vile.
At this point they sound worse than TV Licence!
Only if I knew!😮
As always, thank you Sir for this information, I am learning a lot from you!
What Daniel says is very important. Often we are hit with a barrage of confusing communications from an organisation and that is when the terms and conditions can come in very useful. They set out what has been agreed by the parties at the onset of the contract and are the first point of reference to reach a reasoned argument for resolution. As Daniel says there could be unreasonable terms in a contract so do take formal legal advice if necessary.
Two major things I've learnt from the video. One, we need to teach law in schools as to equip everyone with this type of legal knowledge. Two, we need to regulate these businesses as to ensure they can no longer get away with these cancellation fees and attempt to extract more money out of people.
I once had CEO who said we don't want any unhappy customers so if someone has a reason to leave and we can't make them happy by rectifying something then we let them leave, wish them all the best, give the a friendly exit and say we hope to see them again.
Once they experienced how bad some of our rivals were some came back, others praised us on social media for being reasonable and fair when they asked to leave whilst under contract and that's good publicity which then attracted new customers and also got plenty of negative responses about our rivals and their exit process.
Maybe something gyms could learn from?
Oh and that CEO left, so we then dropped the consumer champion thing and went back to the old ways instead of looking at the bigger picture.
That's this country/society all over. Constantly trying to squeeze every penny they can out of you.
Whenever I have to sign an agreement, people hover over me as I read through the terms and conditions before signing or get frustrated if I ask questions to check something "No one reads all of that!" Actually, I do!
After watching this, I am convinced gyms can seriously damage your health (I mean wealth?). Thanks David S, but instead of sweaty sweatshops, I'll stick to brisk walks and fresh air all FOC.
You can checkout any time you like but,
You can never leave.
This in a hotel in California?
I am late watching this but what a story! I've been in the same boat. I read my terms and conditions when it comes to it 🙌 often with a legal dictionary too 😅
I was once caught by this ludicrous 3 month gym cancellation policy. Their hot tub, sauna and steam room facilities were often flooded, unsanitary or out of service. They didn't refund me for the times they were unavailable either. I bought my own sauna after that and the facilities were always spotless. 😉
I left David Lloyd gym and had a very similar experience. I have not joined a gym since.
I think this woman should be put in charge of the retention team, she certainly tried to make it impossible to leave!
Love the way they started back pedalling when they realised they'd lost his generous offer.
I noticed they mentioned your cancellation "request"
As far as I can tell, there was no request - it was an instruction
Funny. Sounds exactly like me trying to contact EDF or Birmingham Council 😂
My son had the same experience with a gym that has the name of a famous tennis player, they tried to get three months fees out of him ( more than £600) when he cancelled due to a back injury, he went through all the same rubbish with doctors letters and eventually the fees were waived after a mammoth battle with them, my point here is that he has recovered now, and he would never go back to that gym, they were more interested in trying to steal three months fees from him than maybe getting him back after his injury healed, he now goes to a more modest local gym with a £44 a month membership instead of the original gyms £200 a month membership
imagine not being a barrister and trying to cancel the membership .... us ordinary folk stand no chance.
Yes we do. Don't sign up with these companies in the first place. Simple.
My gym shut during covid. I lost 3 months fees and received nothing.
For those who enjoy Daniel's tales of woe, may I also recommend both the 'consumer hour' & the 'legal hour' on LBC each week at 9pm Fri & Sat respectively. Dean Dunham & Daniel Barnett are very much on par with our own BBB 😉.
When you're dealing with customer service, it's better to use simple, concise and clear language. Customer service agents often don't understand legalese.
If they try to introduce something outside their terms and conditions, just say as much. The more you write, the higher the chance they conveniently ignore something awkward whilst zooming in on something immaterial.
Finally, their job is to try and retain you. If you want to leave, be direct and firm, and don't entertain options of suspension or any other mechanism to delay you leaving. That just encourages them, especially if they have retention targets attached to a bonus. When they understand they have no chance of keeping you, they will usually cave, because they understand they are wasting their time, and there is no benefit for them. They don't care about retaining you for their company's sake, that's for sure.
Never sign anything w/o reading the T&C . lol.
As a lawyer you don't fully realise how nasty Corporations are - because you feel protected knowing the law.
The Gym could be living in your house now. Haha.
I had a situation where my daughter’s car insurance was cancelled without her knowledge while she was away for over a month in New Zealand. They cancelled it because the mileage was over what she had declared. I detected early on that the staff at the insurance company were just trying it on and acting unprofessional. I then read through all the terms and conditions on the policy and found holes and discrepancies all over the place. I did what you did l, and managed to win. They had to admit in writing that they had broke their owns terms and had basically acted unreasonably. It pays to look at their terms sometimes.
How unprofessional of them penny pinching at a risk to their reputation. What a joke not even aware of their own T's &C's they make it up as they go. So many companies try this absolutely ridiculous.
The UK is sadly (and rapidly) becoming a place where I wouldn't like to bring children up in 😑
Employees are now trained (and expected) to rip people off.
What happened to humanity?
Unfortunately most companies other than small family affairs, treat their customers with contempt
Unbelievable, like you say what chance have most people got unless they are persistent or have the knowledge to do so.
Hopefully it will make more of us look into terms and conditions
Your not emailing there legal team just PAYE staff member with basic training. Companies need to stop using small Print and jargon like 'If you wish to not subscribe don't untick the box'
Now imagine a gym that copies the BBC licence fee. ££££
If you get treated like this what hope do we have who are maybe not so forward in knowing our rights and would rather not get into a confrontation. Mind blowing
Normally I shop in Sainsbury's on a Saturday night, but today I'm watching this. Partaaaay! I may go to Sainsbury's later.
This could turn out to be extremely valuable advice to some folks caught up in this slippery trap. Very impressive advice and delivered beautifully. It won't touch me as I stay away from any Gymnasiums, one because I had enough of them in the Army and two, its far too late to even consider joining one at my age. Thanks though, am sure many folks will find this excellent advice, as usual.
Thank you 😊
I had this with fitness first in about 2003. I suspended my membership while I was working out of town
- but they didn’t.
So I cancelled the direct debit. Then they reinstated it without any input from me.
My membership ended up being switched to a complimentary membership (as I made a repair to their gym) - the manager left, they then forgot about the free membership and I used the gym for about another 2 years before I just stopped going - so I had the last laugh.
I suspect your gym is very close to the A5 and a branch of macdonalds ;)
Listening to their replies, they sounded exactly like my boss at the job me and my wife left recently, in a mobility shop dealing with elderly and vulnerable people!!
This is a well known phenomenon. Just look at the Friends episodes that show some of the trials and traumas of quitting the Gym.
I just stopped my direct debit and refused to pay for a service I didn't use, job done.
Who on earth do they think they are? The BBC?
This is exactly what the energy companies do. I'm with ovo and had to ram actual legislation down their throat to get a malfunctioning traditional electric meter replaced with another but NOT a smart meter as there is no legal requirement to have one at this time.
You have just admitted to doing what most people do.... Sign a contract without reading all the terms and conditions before hand! 😃
Health clubs are notorious for taking money and being difficult to cancel. They know after Xmas lots of people think it a good idea to join a heath club with the intention of going for a year but within 3 Months they give up and will want to cancel.
As soon as the spectre of suing comes up, amazing never fails.
Very interesting Daniel, I award you a medal for patience and perseverance. Thank you very much, I have heard horror stories like this before, but with not such a good outcome! Very helpful.
Harassment and coercion.. I am not a lawyer , just a law clerk, but even if i were a lawyer, i would only cancel, pay no penny further and if they wanted to sue me for money, be my guest, see u in court…they will spend more on courts than í presumably owe them.. i live in Canada and do not buy anybody’s bsh
Fitness clubs are desperate to get money because so many people come and go. It's a dreadful business.
I walked out of my gym and said I’m cancelling my standing order, they said you can’t I said watch me, a few months later they ask why I said due to a foreign man having a shite in the communal showers , never heard from them again
Sounds like a David Lloyds club.
I wont go near them now after having worked for them for some time.
Everything mentioned in this vid sounds exactly like DL.
Great video. Not exactly rare nowdays to end up in a Ts and Cs battle with organisations when they believe that their terms supercede the law. Most of the worst organisations appear to have American parent companies in my experience.
I have been there, had to cancel my direct debit and had to deal with debt collectors for this, at the point the debt collectors made threats, which I constantly had to make sure they provide open communication between me and GYM, to hold both the gym and the debt collectors to account, for the policy I signed up for and the collection / sharing of my data. GDPR in this was also a good tool to keep using,
Had same experience with David Lloyd some years ago , corporate said that I had visited the gym after giving medical notice to quit , they were referring to a visit to the gym where I handed over my medical evidence , never again !
I will never join a gym, I'd rather be fat and happy then fit and poor.
Great video Blackbelt. Thanks for sharing
I have just started a legal case against a "BID" company because they have not followed their own contract (service level agreement). Their defence will be in by next Friday, it will be interesting to see what they say.