My gym, DW Fitness, claims that you can only give notice to terminate your membership by telephone – you have to call a 0344 number, which no one ever answers. Can this company really say I am in breach of my contract if I serve my notice in writing to their head office and my gym branch under the notice terms (one month)? SU, by email

We were slightly bemused that a gym would insist that members call it to cancel rather than deal with staff at the front desk but, sure enough, when we looked at the DW Fitness website that is exactly what it said. Like you, we thought this absurd and asked the company – which operates from more than 70 locations all over the country – for an explanation.

The company’s head of member services told us that it had just had a change of heart over the matter. From 1 June it has been possible to cancel by email, in person at a gym or via the old phone number that we couldn’t get through to either. He also said your membership had been terminated.

However, more than a week later and the company’s website still says customers can only cancel by phone – on a number that we still could not get through to. In your most recent correspondence with the firm it states that you can go into the gym to exit the contract but confirms no cancellation by post or email – a stance we don’t feel would stand up in court.

The fact that it is not possible to get through to its termination department doesn’t exactly fill you with confidence. However, the company says it has now cancelled your membership.

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