Fitness First revises membership agreements

Following concerns raised by the OFT, Fitness First, the UK's largest health club operator, has provided assurances and improved its membership agreements so that they are much clearer for consumers.

The OFT has worked closely with Fitness First after receiving complaints regarding a number of potentially unfair terms within its membership agreement. In particular, Fitness First has submitted undertakings to the OFT which show that its membership contract:

will specify that members can cancel and receive some refund of fees during the minimum contract period if there are genuine medical reasons or if Fitness First is in breach of contract,

contains much clearer terms relating to its acceptance of liability;

makes clear that Fitness First is not offering credit to consumers; and

is now much shorter and simpler and therefore easier for members to understand.

Fitness First is the largest health club operator in the UK with 183 clubs and 452,000 members. It is also the largest health club in the world with over 1.5 million members and 550 clubs. It offers several types of membership contract and also trades under the names Fitness First for Women, Fitness First Express, Fitness First Platinum and Kaizen.

Mike Haley, OFT Head of Consumer Protection, said: 'We have worked closely with Fitness First and are satisfied that consumers will find these new membership agreements much clearer and simpler to understand.

'The OFT will continue to protect consumers by working with business to address unfairness in consumer contracts.'