Reader Question:
Hi,
My wife joined a gym some 3 years ago, before we were married. The rate was roughly £75 per month. Since she joined she went for the first year, but as we moved around the country (I'm in the RAF) she stopped attending- indeed she forgot she was even a member.
This has recently come to light and as you can imagine I'm fairly underwhelmed about her lack of financial awareness.
Is there any possible way of claiming a refund for those unused years and if so, what would be the best way to go about it?
Your advice would be warmly received.
My response:
Hi,
Unfortunately this is typical of gym membership. In essence that's how gyms make a lot of their money by recruiting lots of members who never use their facilities yet still pay for the privilege.
The only way in which you would likely be able to claim back any money from the gym is if there had been a breach of contract of some kind. Or alternatively your wife did in fact ask to cancel the contract and the gym continued to deduct payment regardless.
So go back through the terms and conditions of the contract your wife signed to see your rights under cancellation. But assuming that your wife never attempted to cancel the contract it's likely that you are going to have to chalk this one down to experience.
Obviously the first thing to do is contact the gym and cancel the ongoing contract, as no doubt you have.
Best Wishes
Damien
Money to the Masses
Website: www.moneytothemasses.com
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