Gyms not accepting "cash"

[Drunkard #1]

Both Virgin and the gym down the road will only take debit orders for month to month payments. Doesn't this violate some reserve bank rules? Or maybe POPI Act violations? There's a snowball's chance in hell of me giving my bank details to a gym, and I don't particularly feel like paying a year in advance. Any options that don't involve too much effort? Like maybe reporting them to the reserve bank or credit regulator?

 

[Chicken Boo]

Take your cash to Sportsmans warehouse or Mr Price Sports and exchange it for dumbbells, plates and a bench. If your aim was strength training*. If it was cardio, buy a bicycle or running shoes**. If your aim is rolling around in other people's sweat while worrying if someone's broken into your locker you'll need to comply with the gym's payment options.


* bodyweight strength training will likely serve you better. And it's free any time of day.
** running barefoot is preferable

 

[Drunkard #1]

Take your cash to Sportsmans warehouse or Mr Price Sports and exchange it for dumbbells, plates and a bench. If your aim was strength training*. If it was cardio, buy a bicycle or running shoes**. If your aim is rolling around in other people's sweat while worrying if someone's broken into your locker you'll need to comply with the gym's payment options.


* bodyweight strength training will likely serve you better. And it's free any time of day.
** running barefoot is preferable

The aim is to get out of the office for an hour a day and perv over an aerobics class or two. A fully equipped gym is sitting idle next door while I argue with people on the internet, and struggle to make it up one flight of stairs.

 

[Batista]

Cash is legal tender though so they cant refuse your cash.

 

[Drunkard #1]

Cash is legal tender though so they cant refuse your cash.

They don't refuse it, per se, they just demand a year in advance, or that you sign a debit order anyway, so that they can steal from you at their leisure. Like loan sharks demanding your ATM card and PIN as security. Which is illegal for loan sharks, but apparently not for gyms.

 

[Maverick Jester]

It makes sense that they would request a fixed debit order, or an upfront payment- it guarantees their income. That doesn't mean that they need to decline someone who will pay for the subscription monthly- many other companies allow this. What is their reasoning behind this (I think it has more to do with actual laziness on their part)?

 

[Fulcrum29]

I presume that the gym wants to bind you to a contract, thus monthly debit orders. Some time ago, I got access to some interesting results in the actual numbers in members attending a certain gym, crazy, it is like a gravy train… Anyway, not my concern.

Should you be dedicated to training, gym is a viable option, especially with a personal trainer.

The only thing we don’t accept in the industry are cheques and credit up to a certain amount, everything COD (EFT) and debit orders. Interesting though, under SLA’s we imply that the customer pay by debit orders.

But yes, cash is a legal tender as stated, even though I know about a person who got penalised by law, due to him paying in cheques when the contract stated otherwise (EFT or debit order).

 

[Batista]

It makes sense that they would request a fixed debit order, or an upfront payment- it guarantees their income. That doesn't mean that they need to decline someone who will pay for the subscription monthly- many other companies allow this. What is their reasoning behind this (I think it has more to do with actual laziness on their part).

I know the reasoning!
Its so when you forget about your contract, like 80% of people do, they can still debit your account,but wait, it will switch automatically to a month to month contract if you do not cancel it after 2 years... and how do you get notified of this? By reliable snail mail offcourse...****in sharks.

 

[Drunkard #1]

I know the reasoning!
Its so when you forget about your contract, like 80% of people do, they can still debit your account,but wait, it will switch automatically to a month to month contract if you do not cancel it after 2 years... and how do you get notified of this? By reliable snail mail offcourse...****in sharks.

When you forget about any other contract, the provider takes you to court, after following due process. They don't just take the money out your bank account leaving you with the problem of finding a lawyer. ****ing sharks indeed. Not that I intend reneging on a contract without just cause.

 

[Chevron]

Both Virgin and the gym down the road will only take debit orders for month to month payments. Doesn't this violate some reserve bank rules? Or maybe POPI Act violations? There's a snowball's chance in hell of me giving my bank details to a gym, and I don't particularly feel like paying a year in advance. Any options that don't involve too much effort? Like maybe reporting them to the reserve bank or credit regulator?

There are extra costs involved when processing cash payments. More admin too.

Debit order is just easier and cheaper.

 

[HavocXphere]

Yeah they must take your cash, but give chicken's comment some thought first.

Take your cash to Sportsmans warehouse or Mr Price Sports and exchange it for dumbbells, plates and a bench. If your aim was strength training*. If it was cardio, buy a bicycle or running shoes**. If your aim is rolling around in other people's sweat while worrying if someone's broken into your locker you'll need to comply with the gym's payment options.


* bodyweight strength training will likely serve you better. And it's free any time of day.
** running barefoot is preferable

My exact experience & conclusion too.

 

[RanzB]

When you forget about any other contract, the provider takes you to court, after following due process. They don't just take the money out your bank account leaving you with the problem of finding a lawyer. ****ing sharks indeed. Not that I intend reneging on a contract without just cause.

He's not talking about reneging. He's saying that when you have a contract and a fixed debit order, a lot of these providers have a clause that they'll keep debiting your account even after the contract expires, on a monthly basis, until you actually cancel. So if you forget about it, they'll just keep taking money.