They predatory pratices of Virgin gymns.

The predatory practices of Virgin Active. I am not stating any facts about VA, but rather telling my story of frustration. On the surface the company is a good one, nice people, great facilities and proximity to most neighbourhoods. The problem, in my own opinion, comes from the fact that a high percentage of people don't ever go back. I am one of these. I go through spurts of training, travel a lot and don't have much free time. I also have a recurring medical issue. They charge you for the duration of your contract, with no pause functionality and when your contract runs out, they call and offer you 3 or 6 months for free. This is where the problems come in. Most were not going for a reason and they just forget that they are in a contract. Importantly, there is no contact or invoicing when the free months relapse and they pretty much leave you alone. Suddenly months or a year later, you get a bill for multiple months. This has happened to me twice and I paid it. A third time again and I owe them some money. I wanted to join up with our local branch in Kommetjie area as I have bought a home and can settle down. I went there to join and they asked for the backpay. I argued that I could not pay that fine again, on principle (I didn't even enter the gym in that period) and asked them to have it wavered and then I would sign up again and change this habit. They cut it in half and I nearly caved but then the principle kicked in. It was not a lot of money but it felt unfear, like I had been *******. The joke is that in the last 6 months, they would have recovered their money x 6 and I would be a happy camper. I made another attemot, to appeal to logic but the decision maker was tone deaf. So this is where I sit. On the one hand the blame is squarely on me, but on the other hand, they have built a policy structure that works. We know this because it still exists, and it intrinsically and deliberately unfair.