Gym Contracts Explained

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.

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.

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.