Gym contracts you can’t break

GYM members are often tied into contracts that offer poor value, Citizens Advice warned yesterday.

The charity network says it has almost 200 calls a month from people trying to cancel because facilities have proved a letdown. Dozens more seek help at Citizens Advice offices and 60,000 have looked up ‘cancelling a gym membership’ on the charity’s website.

A third of complaints related to services not being up to scratch, including long closures, cold showers and lack of classes. One in seven were about membership terms, often contract tie-ins.

Kate Hobson, of Citizens Advice, said: ‘At this time of year we’re bombarded with offers for health and fitness memberships, which can ask for a lot of money or commitment up front. Make sure you know how long you’re committing for, how much it will cost, and think about how often you’ll need to use it for it to make sense on your budget.’