I signed up for gym membership with Fitness First – for more than twice the £23.99 I was paying PureGym a month. I was happy to fork out more money for what I thought would be quality membership but, given the bad service I received, I am now happy to stick with PureGym.

Fitness First requires you to sign up to a 12-month contract with a 14-day cooling-off period. I used the 14 days to develop the confidence to stay on at the gym, but this never happened.

Despite my cancellation instructions, Fitness First took the first direct debit from my account on 3 July, when the contract made it clear that the money would not be debited until 15 July. This incurred a £10 late payment charge with my bank, Lloyds. It told me that Fitness First was responsible for the error.

However, I have been unable to get through to Fitness First via the call centre. My emails have not been answered and some of them are bouncing back. RG, London

It sounds like you took a gamble that did not pay off but you are, indeed, protected by the 14-day cooling-off period, which allows you to change your mind without financial penalty.

Our postbag remains depressingly stuffed full of complaints about readers’ difficulties trying – and failing – to cancel gym membership. Typically, cancellation instructions often fall through the net.

Fitness First’s terms and conditions specify clearly that you can cancel within 14 days of joining and that it will refund any fees as long as it receives your cancellation notice within this time frame. Fitness First did not attempt to explain why you had such problems and why its normal communications routes failed you. It reassures us that you have been refunded in full.

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