It is pretty common here in the UK, but Direct Debit is pretty tightly regulated (companies that operate direct debit facilities have a regulated code of conduct). However, it is only recently that the Fitness Industry have had to sign up to a Fitness/Leisure Industry Code that prohibits punitive contact cancellation. My gym has moved from a 3-month direct debit cancellation policy to 1-month notice. Other gyms had up to 6-month cancellation.
I did spend some months staying in a hotel for work that had an attached Fitness center. When the hotel changed owners, the Fitness Center members had to change their direct debit details - they lost a third of their membership right there, people paying for but no longer attending the gym - and only the letter asking them to change the details prompted them to finally cancel.
Huh. Pretty much everythng here in Japan is direct debit: utilities, rent, credit card bills, gym memberships, internet. Granted, whenever you try to quit anything, they always seem to get another month or two out of you. Total bullshit, but that’s the extent of any problems. Never had anyone pull anything more than agreed-to amounts.
Huh. I was about to join a gym like this, but now you’ve all given me pause. Planet Fitness is the gym I was planning to join, and at this location, at least, direct debit’s all there is. OTOH, at only $10/month, even if they charge a couple extra months after I cancel, it’s still a better deal than the other places. Hell, even if they charged for a couple extra years!
I’d be nervous about it. I do have some bills paid via direct debit but they’re large utilities etc. and presumably have better procedures in place to control things / resolve problems. A gym? No way. Too likely to be error-prone.
About the gym you’re leaving: any chance you could “wait out” the group that’s taken over? The contest will end, and/or people will lose interest, so chances are it’ll be less jammed soon.
If you can, set up an automatic transfer to that account, so you don’t have to keep track of the money. Put it in the only the actual minimum you need.
Just make sure your bank works so that you do not get an NSF. Some bank accounts will still charge you even if they won’t allow overdrafts. They call it a processing fee. Because telling someone you don’t have funds is somehow harder than giving them said funds when you do have them.:rolleyes: