Letter of Complaint - Holiday Gym

Have you ever had to complain to a business about something? What was it about and did you reach a satsfactory conclusion?

Apart from my ongoing battle with British Airways, I have had to make a fresh complaint; this time to the Holiday Gym.

It is reasonably priced compared to most other gyms. I find it convenient because it is a chain, there are eight or so gyms and members can go to any one of them. My classes are also spread across the city and this means I can work out at the nearest gym straight after the lesson. It is open from early in the morning until late in the evening and it is also open on holidays.

As with most gyms, it has its peak times when it is crowded and you have to wait to use a machine.

I have been going for four years.

The trouble is that you now have to pay for the whole year all at once. When I first started I actually paid for two years in advance. I paid something like 890 Euros, in three installments, over the first three months. Two years later I paid about 400 Euros. I actually made that payment a few months in advance.

Now the annual payment has dropped to 390 Euros. The amount is automatically deducted from your bank account. This is done 45 days before your membership is due to expire. So if you don't intend to carry on going to the gym, you have to inform them well in advance. Unlike with other bills, such as the one for the mobile phone, you don't receive any letter warning you when and how much you have to pay.

One day the card that I use to enter the gym didn't let me in, so I went to the girl at reception. After looking up my details on the computer, she told me that my bank had refused to pay them.

I was short of money as always but I thought I had enough money in my account. I have two bank accounts; one where I deposit my wages and the other where I try to save money for a rainy day. I thought that the bank deducted money from "wages" account but in fact, it was the other one. And because there have been too many rainy days, there wasn't enough money to pay for the gym.

I thought it shouldn't be a problem to sort out. I would simply have to give them the details of the second account. I was astonished when they asked me to pay 475 Euros, as if I was a new member. That's a difference of 85 Euros and I would have to pay that amount every year from then on.

After speaking to a rude receptionist and getting nowhere, I asked to speak to the manageress. She promised me that she would try her best to sort the problem out. However, she came back with an answer that I didn't want to hear.

I realize that it was my mistake but I find it unfair that I have to pay such a big penalty. As a result I have found a gym close to home where I pay slightly less than the amount the Holiday Gym were asking for. Not only have they lost me as a client; a few of my friends are not going to renew their contract either.

Through sheer stupidity, they are losing much more than they would gain by making me pay more.

One of my friends has already cancelled his membership and made a complaint along with me.

Using my example or one of your own, I'd like you to write an official letter of complaint. Or alternatively, relate an occassion when you had to complain. Did you get a satisfactory outcome?