Gym Contracts Explained

Author: Garry Crystal

If you are thinking about becoming a member of a gym or health club then reading the contract thoroughly is advisable. Gym contract have had a bad press in the past but most fitness clubs are now shaping up with regards to their contracts and contract terms and conditions.

The Gym Contract

Most private gyms will make new members sign a contract and pay a fee to use their facilities. Within the contract will be a number of terms and conditions that gym members must abide by as part of their membership agreement. In the past, health clubs have had membership contracts that were biased in favour of the health club.

For instance they would often charge a years’ payment and then not supply a refund if the member quit at some point before the year was up. This type of bias gym contract has been investigated by the Office of Fair trading. Health clubs were told to shape up and get their contracts amended so that there was no bias in favour of the gym.

Included in the Gym Contract

There is a list of terms and conditions in a gym contract that lay out exactly the requirements of both the gym and the member. If any of these conditions are broken then a member can be banned from the gym and have their membership revoked. Terms and conditions detailed in the contract will include:

Details of price and length of membership.
Details on notice needed to cancel membership.
Refund policies if a member cancels their membership.
Insurance details covering death and theft of membership possessions while using the gym facilities.
Consequences for non payment of membership fees.
Terms of any financial agreements between the member and the gym.
Commitment terms of actually signing the gym contract.
Personal details and bank accounts details, if required.

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Read the Gym Contract

Gym contracts are similar to any other form of contract and do constitute a legally binding document that both parties must agree to. However, private gyms will sometimes try to slip certain terms and conditions into the contract that the member is unsure of. It’s true to say that not everyone reads the contracts that they sign. It is vital that members thoroughly read the contract in order to be aware of the applied terms and conditions.

If any of the clauses are unclear, ambiguous or strangely worded then the potential member should receive clarification before signing. If a contract has been written in an unclear manner it may not be enforced in a court of law.

Conditions to Be Aware Of

One major clause to look out for is the notice required to cancel the gym membership. Make sure you understand and agree to the amount of notice needed to cancel your gym membership. A normal gym membership cancellation period would be around a month. Longer than that may seem unfair and you should be sure that you can commit to the membership period otherwise you may end up paying and not using the gym.

Your situation may be slightly different. ask a question below ↓ and our editorial team will reply with our advice.

Commitment and Gym Contracts

You may have been committed to getting your body in shape just after the festive period but many people join a gym and then give up after a few months. Gym contracts will usually have terms on how long you are committed to the membership.

Some gyms will make you pay in advance and will not give a refund if you decide to cancel your membership. Make sure you can commit to the length of membership time in the contract. Paying in advance and not using the facilities will leave you out of pocket.

Automatic Renewal of Contracts

Be very wary of gym contracts that state automatic renewal. This means that when your membership expires your contract will be renewed and charged whether you wanted to renew or not. When you sign the gym contract you are agreeing to abide by their terms and conditions and by signing you will have said yes to automatic renewal. If you don’t agree with this term then don’t sign the contract or make sure you can stop the renewal in advance.

Gym contracts are similar to other contracts in so much as both parties must abide by the terms and conditions. If either party breaks any of the rules and conditions then they can be in breach of contract and legal action can be taken. Make sure that gym contracts are thoroughly read and understood before signing, and if unsure don’t sign.

The Next Step

Now that you have read through the advice above, you might want to put it into practice. Our Contract Red Flag Checker lets you describe a contract you are about to sign and get a plain English summary of the clauses that could hurt you. Takes about 2 minutes. Try it now →

15 questions

Ask Contracts and Agreements a Question

Mick 10/04/2021 at 8:44 am

I originally signed up to Xercise4less over 7 years ago and this gym has been taken over by JDGyms.

When i joined Xercise4less I got a £9.99 a month for life membership as I was one of the first 2000 to join.
Now that JDGyms has taken over they plan to increase my membership to £19.99 a month.
Legally can they do that or do I have any rights to keep my old membership at £9.99 for life?
Much appreciate any help in this matter

Claire 21/07/2020 at 11:40 pm

I paid upfront (end of Feb) for 12 months to attend a gym that runs loads of gym classes . THe gym is reopening in a few days but with no more classes for the foreseeable future. Where do I stand in trying to get my money back ?

K 26/02/2020 at 3:13 pm

hi I paid up front for a year but cannot easily get booked in for spinning classes as always full .my main reason for joining was to do spinning if you font get up before 7 am 8 days before no chance of booking . I rang as couldny for on line told they xant book before 9 so again missed out

MTri 08/06/2019 at 5:42 pm

I'm a member at my local gym, where they require 2 months notice before leaving it.
I recently cancelled my direct debit because I'd forgot about that--upon appearing at the gym I couldn't enter.
The payment for this month has been taken and I sent them an email that I want to reactivate direct debit plus I'd already paid for this month's service so they must provide it?

Could you please let me know if they can do that, basically suspend my membership even though this month has been paid?

Phil 18/03/2019 at 9:22 pm

Joined a leisure centre in the town I used to work because it was the same chain as another leisure centre in my town and the terms and conditions allowed me to use both leisure centres but by joining the leisure centre near where I worked I would not have to pay for parking there when I used that one and parking is free any way at my local leisure centre. I stopped using the leisure centre near where I used to work when I moved jobs but used to use the leisure centre in my town but due to long commutes to and from my new job I have not used my local leisure centre for more much longer than a year, today I went to my local leisure centre to use the gym there but my membership card would not give me access so the staff there looked into why I was no longer on there database of members and it turns out the leisure centre I joined close to where I used to work is no longer part of the same chain as the leisure chain I originally joined and what my local leisure centre is still part of, I have never used any of the leisure centres of the chain the one near my old work place is now part of but the new chain has been taking monthly payments since they transitioned to a different chain of leisure centres to the one I originally joined which means I'm no longer a member of my local leisure centre and I have been paying for leisure centre and gym membership for all this time when I can no longer use any of the leisure centres of the chain I originally joined, should I be entitled to some kind of refund and if so what should I do next ?

ContractsAndAgreements Editor 11/01/2018 at 12:45 pm

You would have to read the terms and conditions of the membership. It doesn't matter if your grandson went to the gym or not, if you signed and agreed to a set membership period, you are required to pay.

Duffers 10/01/2018 at 5:26 pm

I joined Fitness first on behalf of my grandson. He never went so I cancelled my membership with them and at the bank.
They sent him a fifteen year old, a threatening text from a debt recovery agent and are now pursuing me for three months membership.

The debt recovery text was addressed to my wife who is a fully paid up member.

Do I have to pay ?

Fiona Editor 05/05/2017 at 11:54 am

@Insideouthead - just cancel the direct debit and write asking to prove they sent a letter and ask for a refund. There is no way they can expect you to continue your membership after that amount of time and no way they should without contacting you first, plus that is 'bribery'. If they don't refund you the money threaten them with the small claims court.

Leeanne1990 20/11/2015 at 9:07 pm

I have recently signed up for a gym membership and am not sure wether I can cancel it? I was assured by the gym that my membership will not start until i do an induction. I am still waiting for funds to do the induction as my car is now in repairs leaving me with an unexpected large bill to pay. So can I cancel a signed contract before my membership has actually started and no payment has been made?

Holly Jane Dunham 19/11/2015 at 2:03 pm

I am being charged for a gym membership even though I did not sign the contract are they allowed to do this

ContractsAndAgreements Editor 20/01/2015 at 11:36 am

@sherry - you would have to check the gym membership age policy, it should be in the terms and conditions.

jem Editor 10/12/2014 at 12:29 pm

@Ji - you will need to read its terms and conditions. Usually if you have signed up for a period of time and you pull out, I'm afraid you are liable for the costs.

ContractsAndAgreements Editor 10/12/2014 at 12:28 pm

@Ji - you will need to read its terms and conditions. However, usually if you have signed up for a period of time and you pull out you are liable for the costs.

Ji 10/12/2014 at 6:59 pm

Thanks for your feedback, I actually don't remember receiving any terms and conditions and I'm a bit wary of asking for a copy of them. Everything was done over the phone, online and text messaging.

Once again thanks for your feedback.

Kind regards
Ji

Tina 28/05/2014 at 9:18 pm

For over a year I have attended the gym very little. Not because I am too busy, not because I can't be bothered. But because te classes are fully booked.
I have paid to sit on a waiting list.
On average I have paid £20 per class.

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