Contract ends up in debt services without even contacting the member

I joined this gym in December 2018 and only took an one year contract. After only going there once, I decided I am wasting my money and time. So there was two separate occasions where my debit order for Edge Fitness Linton Grange, reversed due to insufficient funds in my bank account. Knowing that I would go to the gym to pay the outstanding amount, I was bombarded with phone calls and threatening sms messages from the reception ladies there.

Messages on my phone would say that they would hand me over to debt collection agencies etc. This only a day after my debit order reversed. Then when I go to the gym to pay, they want to apologize and then know one knows who send me those messages. The last incident was October 2019. Then when I went to pay it cash, I made it clear to the reception lady to please make a note to cancel my contract as it ends December 2019. She said she will. I took her word for it.

Then January 2020 came and another R299 deducted from my bank account. I went to ABSA bank to reverse this. This continued to April when I then send an email to say stop deducting money from my bank account as I am no longer a member since December 2019. No reply on this email up to this day.

On Tuesday this week, I was contacted by Amica Debt recovery services. The lady said I was handed over and now the amount with all legal fees stands on R3338.52. I have reversed this R299 on a monthly basis since January 2020 and no one from Edge fitness Linton Grange ever contacted me saying that I must send an email to cancel my contract with a month notice. Even though it states in my contract, why did it take 7 months to hear from them through a debt recovery service???

When I spoke to Angelique Geyer - manager at Edge fitness on Wednesday morning, she acted like she doesn't know anything about this and that she didn't take me further to this debt services and that she would phone me back after finding out what the story is.

She never even phoned me back. I phoned her again Thursday morning, but as she knows the number I phoned her from on Wednesday, her phone rang and then switched to voicemail.

Today I got an email from her saying she is not allowed to deal with any members handed over to Amica and that she only followed instruction to hand me over to Amica. Now suddenly she did hand me over.

The customer service at Edge fitness Linton Grange is pathetic. To hand a person over to debt services and not asking me why I reversed this debit order since January, this is just incapable customer service from their side. Took them 7 months. If I knew that I owed them money or had to send that email to cancel my contract, I would have done it way sooner if they made the effort to contact me letting me know what is going on.

I would never join this Edge fitness gym again or recommend this gym to anyone. Worst experience ever!!!!