Virgin Gym Problems

[Donnie999]

Hi I wondered if anyone has ever had a problem with Virgin Gym memberships. I joined the gym signing up for 12 months, when the 12 months was up they continued to take my direct debit from my bank account but never sent me a reminder to say did I want to renew.

At the outset they never gave me a contract when I signed and I never received one in the post. When I noticed that the direct debit was still going out I cancelled it and then the problems started. They started off with phone calls telling me I couldnt cancel the membership that this has to be done straight away after the 12 months was up. I argued with them that how was I to know this when they had never given me a contract. They then sent me a threatening letter saying they would pass the matter onto ARC so I wrote to them. They replied stating the time limit when the membership could be cancelled I reiterated I had never had a contract would they please send me one. I then received a letter from ARC giving me 10 days to pay or go to court. I wrote to Virgin again and ARC and told them I was in dispute. Virgin ignored the letter. I sent another letter recorded delivery and also sent a letter to Richard Branson at their head office. I then received a phone call from Virgin to say they would send me a copy of the contract, 5 days later I still havnt had it. Today another phone call asking me if I have received the contract I havnt. I have reported the whole sorry saga to Trading Standards. the phone calls and letters have now been going on for 2 months. Does anyone know if there is a time limit on how long they should have had to supply me with a contract before I phone them back again. A word of advice never join a gym they are rob dogs.

[cds]

If you read around the forum you will find threads about gym memberships very similar to your own. My own experience with virgin centered on them denying I ever cancelled my membership after many months of twoing and frowing I challenged Trevor munn, arcs solicitor, to put up or shut up and I haven't heard a thing since. Even if they do send a contract it usually is in blatant contravention of the utccr regulations and they know it. I don't think you will find one case where these clowns go to court just don't let them bully you.

 

cds

[Conniff]

Don't phone Donnie, only do your corresponding to them by letter, you need hard copy because of the threat of court. Send them recorded delivery.

 

Personally, I would write that you will not correspond with them any further until you receive your contract ie as cds done, a put up or shut up.

 

They are obviously reluctant to send it to you as it not in keeping with some regulation.

 

If the gym is near to you, why not get a friend to go in and when they get out the contract to be signed, have them pick it up and walk out with it.

 

Is this the address you used:

 

Active House,

21 North Fourth Street,

Central Milton Keynes MK9 1HL.

 

That's their registered office.

Edited July 21, 2009 by Conniff

[Donnie999]

Thanks guys for your support. I have now had 4 more calls from Virgin. The first was to say they are sending the contract. Then another call asking if I had received the contract, the answer is no. Then another call to say the manager of my branch of virgin has left and there will be a delay in sending the contract. Then today another call from them to say they have requested that the contract be sent from the branch to their office and they will send me a photocopy, however they point out there will be a delay as my branch's fax has broken so the contract will have to be sent to them by post, copied and then posted to me. At the same time they say as it is a photocopy my signatures may not be very clear.

It all sounds very suspicious to me dont know what they are playing about at. I am not happy that they are communicating by phone as they will be no record.

 

I will check through the forums for other peoples problems with Virgin.

 

I just wondered if there was a time limit imposed on them to supply me with the contract.

[cds]

Thanks guys for your support. I have now had 4 more calls from Virgin. The first was to say they are sending the contract. Then another call asking if I had received the contract, the answer is no. Then another call to say the manager of my branch of virgin has left and there will be a delay in sending the contract. Then today another call from them to say they have requested that the contract be sent from the branch to their office and they will send me a photocopy, however they point out there will be a delay as my branch's fax has broken so the contract will have to be sent to them by post, copied and then posted to me. At the same time they say as it is a photocopy my signatures may not be very clear.

It all sounds very suspicious to me dont know what they are playing about at. I am not happy that they are communicating by phone as they will be no record.

 

I will check through the forums for other peoples problems with Virgin.

 

I just wondered if there was a time limit imposed on them to supply me with the contract.

 

I would say no unless it came under cca 1974 as a credit agreement, until they provide the contract with your sig they don't have a leg to stand on. Even if they do send one virgins contracts are decidedly dodgy. Keep all contact in writing in the meantime.

 

cds:)