With fitness centres initially offering only limited facilities as coronavirus lockdown lifts, is now the time to cancel your gym membership?
Gyms are expected to start reopening from the middle of next month – potentially around ten days after pubs, hairdressers and restaurants begin serving customers on July 4. But with fitness centres initially offering only limited facilities, now might be the ideal time to consider cancelling your membership deal.
The fear is that it will be difficult to control Covid-19 transmission indoors in gyms with everyone sweating and using the same equipment along with the damp conditions in changing rooms.
Trade body UK Active has issued guidelines for when all gyms re-open in line with demands being made by the Government. These initially were that ‘only equipment two metres apart will be used’ – and saunas, steam rooms, hot tubs and spa pools must follow strict social distancing rules.
Fear: It will be difficult to control Covid-19 transmission indoors in gyms with everyone sweating and using the same equipment
It included limiting the number of people inside, with the ‘gym capacity based on three metre squared per person’. In time, these restrictions should be lifted.
We spend £2billion a year on fit ness but about £40million of this is wasted on unused gym memberships. About ten million usually spend an average of £60 a month visiting a gym – money that most of us have recently been saving.
The majority of gyms have not been taking membership fees from the moment they closed in mid-March and are offering extensions for memberships already paid to cover the period they were shut.
Rules are at the discretion of individual gyms – so it is vital to check with yours. But those putting contracts on hold include Virgin Active, Nuffield Health, David Lloyd and PureGym.
Refunds for those that would rather take the cash or cancel an extension are rarely offered – it is up to members to demand this.
Martyn James, of complaints website Resolver, says: ‘It is going to be a testing time for those starting to use the gym again after lock down. If you are not offered access to exactly the same facilities and service you signed up to, I see no reason why you should not be allowed to end your contract.’
Gym users should not simply cancel making payments – because money might still be owed.
Check any cancellation period you have agreed to with the gym before pulling the plug. Otherwise a gym may legally have a right to chase you for fees. James suggests that threatening to take the gym to a small claims court might be enough for them to agree to cancel a membership if they initially refuse. Application costs start at £25.
Another option is to contact the Competition and Markets Authority that aims to promote competition for customers – explaining how a service you pay for has changed.
Once your current gym membership expires, another alternative is to switch to a pay-as-you-go option.
For example, with the service provided by app Hussle, you may pay £6 a day to use the same local facilities. So if your gym membership works out at about £60 a month, you will need to go at least two or three times a week to get value for money – otherwise you would be better off switching.
A spokesman for UK Active says: ‘Each gym has its own set of rules – so it is important to contact them to find out where you stand during this lockdown.
‘The gym and fitness industry will have a vital role ensuring ongoing health and well-being for us all following the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions. They will need member support in the coming months.’
THIS IS MONEY PODCAST
- Are banks triggering a mortgage credit crunch?
- The rise of the lockdown investor – and tips to get started
- Are electric bikes and scooters the future of getting about?
- Are we all going on a summer holiday?
- Could your savings rate turn negative?
- How many state pensions were underpaid? With Steve Webb
- Santander’s 123 chop and how do we pay for the crash?
- Is the Fomo rally the read deal, or will shares dive again?
- Is investing instead of saving worth the risk?
- How bad will recession be – and what will recovery look like?
- Staying social and bright ideas on the ‘good news episode’
- Is furloughing workers the best way to save jobs?
- Will the coronavirus lockdown sink house prices?
- Will helicopter money be the antidote to the coronavirus crisis?
- The Budget, the base rate cut and the stock market crash
- Does Nationwide’s savings lottery show there’s life in the cash Isa?
- Bull markets don’t die of old age, but do they die of coronavirus?
- How do you make comedy pay the bills? Shappi Khorsandi on Making the…
- As NS&I and Marcus cut rates, what’s the point of saving?
- Will the new Chancellor give pension tax relief the chop?
- Are you ready for an electric car? And how to buy at 40% off
- How to fund a life of adventure: Alastair Humphreys
- What does Brexit mean for your finances and rights?
- Are tax returns too taxing – and should you do one?
- Has Santander killed off current accounts with benefits?
- Making the Money Work: Olympic boxer Anthony Ogogo
- Does the watchdog have a plan to finally help savers?
- Making the Money Work: Solo Atlantic rower Kiko Matthews
- The biggest stories of 2019: From Woodford to the wealth gap
- Does the Boris bounce have legs?
- Are the rich really getting richer and poor poorer?
- It could be you! What would you spend a lottery win on?
- Who will win the election battle for the future of our finances?
- How does Labour plan to raise taxes and spend?
- Would you buy an electric car yet – and which are best?
- How much should you try to burglar-proof your home?
- Does loyalty pay? Nationwide, Tesco and where we are loyal
- Will investors benefit from Woodford being axed and what next?
- Does buying a property at auction really get you a good deal?
- Crunch time for Brexit, but should you protect or try to profit?
- How much do you need to save into a pension?
- Is a tough property market the best time to buy a home?
- Should investors and buy-to-letters pay more tax on profits?
- Savings rate cuts, buy-to-let vs right to buy and a bit of Brexit
- Do those born in the 80s really face a state pension age of 75?
- Can consumer power help the planet? Look after your back yard
- Is there a recession looming and what next for interest rates?
- Tricks ruthless scammers use to steal your pension revealed
- Is IR35 a tax trap for the self-employed or making people play fair?
- What Boris as Prime Minister means for your money
- Who’s afraid of a no-deal Brexit? The potential impact
- Is it time to cut inheritance tax or hike it?
- What can investors learn from the Woodford fiasco?
- Would you sign up to an estate agent offering to sell your home for…
- Will there be a mis-selling scandal over final salary pension advice?
- Upsize, downsize: Is swapping your home a good idea?
- What went wrong for Neil Woodford and his fund?
- The incorrect forecasts leaving state pensions in a muddle
- Does the mortgage price war spell trouble in the future?
- Would being richer make you happy? Inequality in the UK
- Would you build your own home? The plan to make it easier
- Would you pay more tax to make sure you get care in old age?
- Is it possible to help the planet, save cash and make money?
- As TSB commits to refund all fraud, will others follow?
- How London Capital & Finance blew up and hit savers
- Are you one of the millions in line for a pay rise?
- How to sort your Isa or pension before it’s too late
- What will power our homes in the future if not gas?
- Can Britain afford to pay MORE tax?
- Why the cash Isa is finally bouncing back
- What would YOU do if you won the Premium Bonds?
- Would you challenge a will? Inheritance disputes are on the rise
- Are we primed for a Brexit bounce – or a slowdown?
- How to start investing or become a smarter investor
- Everything you need to know about saving