preventing use of your own vitality to prevent moving to another gym

I called Joy of planet fitness at 11:23am today 24th December 2018 to can cell my membership. To move over to virgin active - this is now closer and more convenient. she could not tell me when i could release my vitality activation and said more than likely in february. i haven't been to gym for more than a year due to health reason so vitality is providing me with no rebate. Now planet fitness is preventing me signing up at virgin. I don't mind paying the month notice period but would like the vitality to be deactivated from account to take up a package at virgin. She refused. when asked to speak to a manager she put me on hold and eventually i had to end the call. turns out this is usual for planet fitness. poor service and blocks to use your own resources. SHAMEFUL