I have been a member of Virgin Active for years before changing my membership to a diamond membership when I realised I was paying considerably more than some friends were. I am a trained lawyer and I was simply told that there was a 12 month contract but that it was a rolling contract so that it would carry on after the initial 12 months. I was not told that I would be locked in for another 12 months. While in my 2nd year I enquired about changing my membership to off peak and was told by reception I would have to wait until August before I could change it. I contacted them today (October) and have been told I will have to wait until next August before I can change. I spoke with the New Zealand girl there and quite frankly had the most enormous row with her. I explained that I was never told what a rolling contract was, my understanding is that it was a 12 month tie in and then it went on a month by month basis. Secondly when I enquired about the change I was told I would have to wait to August why wasnt I told that I would have to come in and ensure it was done in August failing which the contract renewed for another 12 months. On two occassions they therfore failed to explain the contract to me. I suggested they look at the training of their staff on this point (on all other points they are excellent) but she flatly refused to see that there had been any f ault on their part. Quite frankly this stinks of an unfair contract and mis selling and I m surprised that no one seems to have posted that they have succeeded in their argument. It was an argument over £120 and as a family we have spent over £7000 over the years I was more than surprised at the lack of movement on their part, they obviously dont seem to mind losing customers or is it that they know that their customers have to diarise the aniversary of the membership and then within a 17 day period cancell it and that most people are either too busy or disorganised to do this and so they have got you for another 12 months. I hate the way they are so secretive about their membership fees in general, they definetely push the diamond membership at you as the best one for you, but really it is the same thing as a 12 month fixed but with a hidden tie in and Im sure they dont even tell you what the price differential is just that the diamond is cheaper and that the price is fixed for life (although if you look in the small print thats not true either it goes up if inflation above 5% or changes in vat). I am going to look into this futher and will be grateful if anyone can let me know whather they have succeeded.
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