Dammit. Fitness First

[super_deformed]

Two gyms have closed down on me in as many years. The last one closed down over night leaving no way to contact the owners. That was about 2 weeks ago. Bye bye upfront 12 month membership (of which I had 7 months remaining). The fitness industry sucks.

So dammit. Fitness First. Seemingly my only option now that every other gym in my area has died. And Ive tried so hard to avoid their gyms.

So questions for current or past Fitness First gym members out there.....

1 - How much is your membership?

2 - How are you paying? (given my last two disasters I'll be opting for 'pay as you go' not upfront).

3 - what do they charge as a joining fee / admin fee and is there anyway to get out of these bullsh_t charges? Like saying "Im not paying a joining fee for the opportunity to give you my money"

4. Do all fitness first memberships allow you to go to any fitness first in the area?

5. What's the difference between a Platinum gym and a basic Fitness First gym? Free towels?

Im planning to go down there today to see what they charge. But I know what's going to happen. No straight answers. Get my phone number at all costs. They'll tell me there's a deal but that I need to sign today. They'll waver some imaginary costs and then ask me to pay the highest monthly fee. Gah. My old gym back home had their prices stuck up on the wall. No hard sell. No admin fee. Everyone paid the same amount and the owner would spot you.


Thanks.

[Super Mario]

I just upgraded my monthly membership to a yearly one today! Instead of paying $22.95 it's $18.95 but instead of altering my existing membership the created a new one so I had to call up the direct debit company and explain to them for about half an hour how I don't want to be charged twice and how I shouldn't have to pay the admin fee again, urgh.

[super_deformed]

I just upgraded my monthly membership to a yearly one today! Instead of paying $22.95 it's $18.95 but instead of altering my existing membership the created a new one so I had to call up the direct debit company and explain to them for about half an hour how I don't want to be charged twice and how I shouldn't have to pay the admin fee again, urgh.
Is that membership just for your gym, or can you go to other fitness first gyms as well? (excluding platinum)

[Super Mario]

I'm with Genesis, haven't asked or tried to go to other Genesis gyms so I don't know, I'd imagine it's only for my local though, I'll have a look at my contract later and see if it says anything about it and let you know.

[Sytadel]

$19/month is a bargain for high-quality chain gyms these days. I used to go to Zest and it cost me $650/yr :(

[super_deformed]

Just read a forum thread about Fitness First membership cancellation. Apparently its a nightmare. Me thinks I'll read the contract carefully.....

14. TERMINATION AFTER THE MINIMUM TERM
1. You can terminate your membership after the minimum term if you give us 30 days
notice. See 2(b) and (c) for when the period starts.
2. You must be aware that:
a. Your termination notice must be in writing and delivered to your club.
b. Your termination notice period starts only after: (1) We send back to you our
written receipt of your termination notice. We promise to do this within 7
days of the date we receive your termination notice. (2) Your next direct debit
occurs.

I assume you can give the 30 days notice before your agreement ends, so that youre not charged for any days after the initial contracts expiry. Cause if you cant this is especially evil.


Don't like the sound of this either.....
19. TIME FREEZE - Membership Time Freeze is available for a minimum of 4 weeks (in multiples of 2 weeks) or one month (depending on what is applicable)
to a maximum of 14 weeks/3 months per calendar year (with a fee of $10 for each fortnight/ $20 per month that you wish to freeze your membership payable in advance prior to the commencement of the Time Freeze period) provided that all amounts payable for membership dues are paid up to date. Additional periods (no longer than 18 fortnights/9 months) are available for travel or medical reasons upon production
of supporting documentation to our reasonable satisfaction

Having a limit to how long you can freeze a membership is fair enough. But a fee for doing so? What value am I getting from a gym when Im not there exactly?

[aubergine]

Fitness First are by reputation pretty bad. Do not give them credit card details to bill you from, make sure it's direct debit from a savings account. Why? Because if you want to cut them off, you can go to the bank and cut them off with direct debit. With credit card, as I've just discovered, they are burrowed in like ticks and cannot be easily removed.

Frankly if you have an option to go with a local or any other kind of gym you should do that. Everyone I know who has dealt with Fitness First thinks they are crooks. I thought I knew how to protect myself but for the credit card thing, which makes it much, much harder to be rid of it.

Unfortunately it would have been fine except they don't have any gyms in the area I just moved to - nearest is an hour plud drive away.

[Super Mario]

$19/month is a bargain for high-quality chain gyms these days. I used to go to Zest and it cost me $650/yr :(

That's the weekly price.

[Richie]

Try goodlife, they seem pretty reasonable.

[texta]

My gym membership costs $60 pa. I'm with the hospital gym that my partner works at.

[AnTrAxX]

I was with FF. $44 every 2 weeks. You can't cancel your membership before 9 months and if you really want to end it before then you have to pay something like $250. I was with them for 15 months, I never got any personal instruction (your supposed to get complementary start up ones) and when I didnt go for awhile they didnt call like it says they're supposed to. Not that it bothered me really.

The facilities were good though, and you can get a free FF magazine if it floats your boat.