As this is the time of year that people begin working on their new yearâs resolutions, we thought it would be useful to provide some more information around gym membership contracts. Gym memberships as well as other types of memberships for fitness purposes (i.e. yoga or swimming lessons) all fall under the category of continuing services contracts.
We have blogged about gym memberships before including an overview of your rights with these types of contracts as well as knowing when your gym contract ends and how to cancel it.
You may be aware that you can cancel your gym contract within 10 days of receiving a copy of it for any reason. After that initial 10 day period, you and the gym are bound to the terms and conditions of the contract unless there has been a material change either for the consumer, or the gym.
What exactly is a material change?
A material change in the circumstances of the consumer happens if:
- The consumer passes away.
- The consumer experiences a physical, medical, or mental disability and has a note from a doctor or nurse practitioner advising that continued participation is likely to endanger their health.
- The consumer relocates more than 30 km away from the facility and the supplier has not provided comparable alternative facilities near the consumerâs new location.
You can also cancel your contract if there has been a material change in the services provided by the gym which happens if:
- The services are not completed or are no longer available.
- The supplier relocates their facility more than 30 km away and does not provide comparable alternative facilities within 30 km from the consumerâs location.
If you have experienced a âmaterial changeâ and need to cancel your gym membership or fitness contract, please use our âcancelling a continuing services contractâ form.
There is a lot to know about gym membership contracts. If you want to learn more, visit our Consumer Help section of our website or check out other blog posts related to this topic which is listed below.
ADDITIONAL READING:
Joining a gym? Hereâs why you should âsweatâ your membership, first
If you have a gym membership, check out this blog
Work out the details of your gym contract before signing!
I am (was) a member of the Richmond Fit City who I understand has closed their doors. I just received a letter from Planet Woman telling me my account is delinquent by 3 months. They have been trying to process my auto payment through my visa and it keeps declining them. I have not gone to Fit City for quite sometime and was not aware that they closed their doors.
Do I automatically become of member of the other gym without consenting to it? Do I automatically have to pay them their dues which are higher than what I was paying at Fit City? Do I not have any rights to refuse the transfer of my membership?
I do not want to be a member of this gym. Their letter states if I want to cancel the membership I have to abide by their cancellation policy but I don’t even know what that is!
Thank you in advance for any guidance you can provide.
I’m so sorry Bev, it looks like we never replied to you post. I know it may be too late now but if you still have questions about this, please call us at 1-888-564-9963.