Fitness First Halifax Road

[blade77]

I have mentioned before about my experiences with fitness first being less than happy. Never really done into details, but have now decided to because I am getting some really nasty letters through the door from a debt collection agency because I owed them one months payment!

 

In September 2002 I had a back operation to trim a disc in my back, that was causing me pain down my legs. This was the result of 2 accidents, that resulted in the aforementioned disc problem and 4 broken vertebrae.

 

As you can imagine, my fitness levels dropped after the accidents and while I was recovering from this operation. In March 2005 I drove past Fitness First on Halifax Road, there was a big banner stating “No joining fee for joining in March”. I thought “Great” and the next Saturday packed my gym bag and headed off. After not exercising properly for over 3 years, I felt really positive about myself.

 

When I got there, had an interview with someone who then told me there was no joining fee, but a start-up fee of £65.00. For this start-up fee, you get 3 sessions with a personal trainer worth £x (sorry can't remember the actual figure) and a bag, water bottle, t-shirt etc. I was a bit miffed, but determined to actually have a gym workout session that day and paid the fee (not a joining fee, but a start-up fee). To me a joining fee is a fee you pay when you join something.

 

Went into the changing rooms and found a big pile of leaflets stating 3 sessions with a personal trainer for £5.00 less than previously be told it was worth (10 minutes beforehand!), the information from the interview was not strictly true. If any member can get 3 sessions with a fitness instructor for £5.00 less than I had been told it, it is not worth the higher figure. I was actually still happy because I had joined a gym and ignored the false advertising and carried on.

 

A couple of days later I had my first session with the personal trainer. During the session I enquired about how long he had been a personal trainer for and was amazed to find out he was actually a trainee personal trainer. He really pushed me during the session and afterwards I was standing against the wall, looking really ill and could barely stand. He just made a joke about having a good hard workout and left! Back in the changing rooms I was sick in the toilets and ended up bed bound in the afternoon. I now realise the sickness was because I was dehydrated and pushed too far for my fitness level.

 

This experience with the trainee personal trainer really put me off going to the gym and never really got into it again.

 

For some reason I kept the gym membership going for 11 more months and only visited a couple of more times. It is a physiological thing, if I am paying I will go. Then I cancelled my direct debit and wrote to fitness first with my complaints.

 

My points were:-

False advertising the joining fee.

False advertising the cost of the personal trainer.

Supplying a trainee personal trainer, therefore falsely selling the

 

They wrote back saying, thank you for your letter, we have informed the club, can we have your missing payments now please. There was no effort to explain each complaint, for all I know they didn't even read it. The amount I owe them has increased, when I enquired about the increase they said it was because I was sent a duplicate of my contract. I never requested or was sent this. When I pointed this out to the person on the phone, they then said the increase was due to membership fees!!!! Yes again I wrote requesting a breakdown of the money outstanding, for all I know it could be a mistake. Yet again, a letter back stating it was all for fees and I could have a breakdown, but it would cost a tenner. Nice!

 

The above is my personal opinion of my experiences with Fitness First, but ASA have withheld an actual complaint about there advertising policy before.

 

During my problems, I have investigated Fitness First further and found out they have been in trouble with the advertising standards authority for false advertising there “no joining fees' before.

Do a search on the bbc news website for Fitness First and ASA

 

This was from the 12th May 2004 and I was amazed to see Fitness First on Halifax road in June 2006 advertising a big banner at the front of their railings stating “No Joining Fee'. The actual amount was not in the main headline as requested by the ASA. I went in and was told there is no joining fee, but a 30 administration fee. I got the membership interviewer to write this figure down I have sent the picture of the banner and a photocopy of the figures to ASA.

 

ASA wrote back saying because Fitness First have been in trouble with this before, they have passed my complaint onto there compliance team.

 

Would you take your business to a company that has to resort to false advertising to get its business? If I had known this beforehand, there is no way I would of joined them.

 

Stuart

[Shiesh]

I am a member of Fitness First and originally joined at Chesterfield (although since Archer Road Millhouses opened a couple of years ago I actually attend that one now 100% of the time)

 

I think customer service various massively from branch to branch !!

 

I cannot comment on the joining fee/start up fee aspect of things because I joined when no such offer was advertised but on paying £75 joining fee I was offered 'associate' membership at only £20 pcm - because they were actively pushing for new members for targets etc etc

 

Anyway, my almost immediate complaint was I specifically joined because I had a young baby and wanted to lose some 'baby' weight and the Chesterfield branch 'sold me' membership on the basis they had a creche facility.

 

Within 6 weeks of joining the creche closed and I was mortified to learn that this had been in the pipeline for many months as they wanted to introduce a 'Spinning Room' ....

 

I complained and the Manager phoned and wrote to me personally to apologise and to compensate give me 3 mths free membership by suspending by direct debit for a while....I accepted his offer and managed to attend in the evenings when my Hubby was around for childcare etc Not my intended plan but I was very happy with the outcome.

 

I can honestly say at Millhouses I have never witnessed any of the PT's pushing people into going beyond their capabilities with regards to fitness levels etc

 

I also suffered a back injury during my membership so knew I could not attend the gym regularly and they reduced my membership to £5 pcm during my recovery months!

 

What a shame you have had such a bad experience.

 

Good Luck and keep fighting!!

 

[blade77]

Apart from a bit of false advertising at the start, it sounds like your experience has been a good one.

 

My experiences with their head office has been a complete waste of time and nothing back from Halifax road after head office passed on my complaint.

[Controversy]

I am glad that I have read the feedback here. I am suprise they have the face to put their advert in our department!

[Dark Moomin]

I have just cancelled my mebership with Fitness first, but purely because I joined primarily for classes, and their classes timetable has gradually become worse and worse. I joined arpil or May time this year, and really have nothing but praise. We joined ubnder the 'no joining fee' promotion, however we paid nothing but the first months fee up front. We were offered a getting started packed which was essentially the 3 PT sessions, but declined.

 

I do think giving you a trainee PT especially given your injury was a little off, but did you ever say to him you were feeling bad? Not that I'm saying that was your fault either.

 

I think with all gyms, in fact any where that will have targets to meet and essentially sales people joining you up you have to have your head screwed on before signing anything. It shouldn't have to be that way, but it seems that it is.

 

However, have had nothing but good times at fitness first, and am quite sad to leave, however my gym buddy is changuing gyms, and we are going to one with a much much better class timetable.

[gonzesse]

I use Fitness Unlimited at Hillsborough Leisure Centre, the classes are great and the staff are helpful and you can have a laugh with them. Only downside can be it being busy but then if you provide good service and facilities...

[go4it]

This does not surprise me in the slightest.

 

Fitness First have a joining fee and an administration fee. This allows them to advertise the fact that if you join and don't like it, if you cancel within 10 days they refund the joining fee (but keep the administration fee, hence they still make money out of you).

 

Their Personal training sessions are priced according to the expertise of the personal trainer.

 

It sounds like you have been mis sold membership. I would make a complaint to Trading Standards and follow their process.

 

Depending how far you want to take it, contact the local press.

 

Unfortunately these gyms are as bad as each other. It is an evil industry and people are being turned upside down to get as much money out of them as possible.

[kt530]

I have only visited the Hillsborough FF once, as I live in Essex. I was pleasantly surprised that there were only 3 or 4 people in there when I went at 8:00am - my local FF is normally very busy most times of the day, except between 2 and 3pm. Was also nice to see a large area for the freeweights - bigger in area than my local.

 

My only gripe would be that it should open earlier and close later, especially at weekends.

 

Good luck with your situation anyway.

[blade77]

Thanks for all your e-mails.

 

Another horrible letter through the door this morning. Basically we are going to take you to court, screw your credit rating for 6 years, place a charge on my house and send a bailiff round.

 

Nice!

 

All this for the original 26.95 and another 50 they have bunged on top for their admin charges. No idea if the small print of the contract allowed them to add admin charges. I don't have a copy of my original contract and they want to charge a tenner to send me a copy!

 

The only response from the company on my complaints, was they have passed them to the club. Nothing back!

 

My advice to anyone, make sure you know what you are letting yourself in for when you sign on the dotted line.

 

Stuart.

 

P.S.. Noticed on the front page on their website, "No Joining fee*".

On the next page "No joining fee is payable. Administration fee applies (includes club orientation, membership activation and personalised membership card)".

[go4it]

Stuart,

 

I don't think they will take you to court (don't take my word, just my opinion!). It would cost them more to take you to court than for what they are claiming. I think it is a scare tactic.

 

Regarding the contract - the £10 may relate to the Data Protection Act. You can request details that a company holds on yourself and £10 is the standard fee. I would think that the contract may come under that. I may have a copy in my file on a FF contract, I'll have a look for you. Normally in most cases if you ask a company to refer to a contract and they cannot produce one, then it is assumed that it does not exist.

 

You could respond to their legal action. There is a law which basically means if you pay for a service and you receive a sub standard service in return, you can claim your money back. You could try this with the personal trainer service.

 

Time to get the press involved. Let them publish your story and the nasty letters you have received. Contact all other health clubs in your area and tell them what's going on - they will offer you a membership deal. This way your story appears as 'FF are bad boys but Health Club X have come to rescue you'.

 

If you want me to dress up as a cowboy or pirate and go to the club let me know!!