Last week my partner and I had a walk through of Brixton Better Gym. Although the recreation centre was old and the membership staff member was not especially knowledgeable about its services, it was large and had all the gym services we felt we'd need. We decided to pay for the partner UK membership giving us access to all facilities at all better venues. This included racket sports too and purchasing 12 months up front would give us a discount.
On Sunday we walked to Clapham to confirm our purchase. We'd heard it was a much newer, nicer gym, still within the Better chain. While waiting to sign up, we felt it would be better to return to Brixton to give the commission and KPI credit to the gym that we initially visited.
Yesterday, we went to Brixton to sign up. We were met by Alex their membership officer. The membership initially rung up at a more expensive price so he had to go and confirm a price adjustment with the gym manger. After 10 minutes he returned to process our membership. As a result of a computer glitch we were then offered a £340 discount. Alex confirmed our package and price with the only other membership consultant as well as the remaining two staff behind the reception counter. All agreed it was an ok rate in which to sell at, but noted it was a good deal for us.
While waiting for payment to process we were told about two memberships that they had sold for £2.40 per month just that day. While we thought someone else getting the equivalent of a £28 annual membership was incredibly cheap we too were now recieving a large discount at £600 and said nothing of it. We felt our discount was still great and thought it was a form of good karma for making the special effort to give these guys our business and commission.
After payment was processed and we were assured by Alex our membership was completed, we made plans to return the following day for membership cards. Given that we budgeted to pay the extra £340, which we were now saving, we left and purchased new gym gear as we had money we didn't expect to have. That evening we got a text from Alex explaining he wouldn't permit us access to the gym without paying an additional £400. We expressed frustration at this given the agreement was already made to us, because we'd used the budgeted funds to purchase more suitable gear as a result of having the unexpected money and also because £400 was more than the £340 we originally intended on paying anyhow. We also highlighted the costs of the other cheap £2.40 membership that they'd sold and not revoked. We asked that they honour the deal made.
Alex didn't care. His manager, Ben McCarry, in fact issued us an ultimatum. Pay £400 more and gain access or get a refund and leave the gym. With trust now degraded since we'd been promised and confirmed our memberships at the reduced price, and given the new price was even more than our initial quote we opted for the refund. Paying 12 months in advance was too much money to risk given how easily they went back on a finalised arrangement. We were concerned they might dodgily reject the memembership or parts thereof if we gave over even more than the £600 we'd already paid.
Arriving tonight after work to receive the refund as previously arranged, Brand Manager Sharlene was not aware of the situation and would not give us our money back. Despite advising them we would come in to have it issued to us, to ensure we could use the money to buy membership elsewhere, no exception was made by Sharlene nor an offer to call another manger to confirm the siltation. We've now been instructed we need to wait for another manager to contact us before coming in to have our money given back.
Membership at this gym is not a good idea. Its staff, its managers and its computer system have too many incompetencies. Not only do they go back on confirmed contracts but they speak poorly to you and do not give you good service. In addition they have not given us our £600 and are giving us the run around to get it back. We have wasted our time, money and sanity on this gym. Avoid it. read more
