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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Business
Miles Brignall

Day pass that DW Fitness managed to turn into full membership

Trying to work out how I am paying for gym membership to DW Fitness I didn’t sign up to.
Trying to work out how I am paying for gym membership to DW Fitness I didn’t sign up to. Photograph: Alamy Stock Photo

Last February, I went to the Preston branch of DW Fitness on a day pass, with a view to renewing my previously ended membership. I filled out a membership form with the manager, leaving out my bank details.

In the end, I decided that the gym had not improved since I was a member and, as a result, I wasn’t going to go back. I told them this on the phone.

In May, I discovered payments had been taken out of my bank account. It seems someone at the firm took my bank details from my previous membership and activated my account.

I went to the bank to explain what had happened and have been refunded. However, now the company has called in debt collectors to chase me. DA, Preston

This is the latest in a long list of complaints we have received about DW Fitness – a company that also suffers from poor online reviews. The complaints to us have slowed but continue to come in.

In fairness to the company, it has listened and appears to have taken steps to treat customers trying to exit contracts more reasonably.

In this case, it denies your version of events. It says you had paid a joining fee in cash, that you had not had your bank details on you and so they were pulled off the system and that you signed the form.

It is hard to know what really happened, but what is important is that the company has now called off the debt collectors and you are relieved.

We welcome letters but cannot answer individually. Email us at consumer.champions@theguardian.com or write to Consumer Champions, Money, the Guardian, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU. Please include a daytime phone number

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