Can I get out of my contract at the gym?

QI AM not happy with my local DW Fitness gym which I joined last January on a £41 a month one-year contract. It started well but then there were two family deaths, my mum’s major operation, my depression and my changing jobs so I want out.

In late July, it froze membership for three months – at £5 a month – and it unfroze this one month early in October when it took £41 again. They refused to pay this back but said I could use the gym for November and December at £5 a month in compensation.

But I don’t want this – and I never want to see the place again or spend more money there.

Can I get out of my contract? I can’t show I am struggling financially, although I am, without displaying my bank account. As for medical reasons, my sick note has now run out and I don’t want to trouble my doctor. Lexie H

AJANUARY is the top month for gym joining. But getting fitter after the festive season should also involve looking at contracts.

These vary from one year down to 30 days – prices can be anything from £15 to £50 a month.

If you are less than 100% committed or think you might have finance or other issues, go for cheap with easy-to-escape contracts. But always read the paperwork carefully and, if possible, compare local gyms.

Cancelling a contract is never easy, the more so because DW and you cannot agree on dates.

It says you only froze membership for two months in July so it was right to start again in October. It also says it has offered to let you have full membership for November for £5 as a goodwill gesture.

But you want to be rid of this membership altogether, given your personal circumstances, even if there is only December to run. DW is happy for you to end the contract early on medical grounds – so you won’t need to prove financial hardship (difficult anyway as you might have more than one account). But this will mean a visit to your doctor so they can stamp the medical certificate which DW will send you.

This is not exactly what you wanted. It’s a compromise between that and the contract.