Virgin Active South Africa
Reviews and Complaints

I had a 12 mth contract from Feb09. I used it diligently for around 8 mths. I started to have back problems which resulted in me going for a spine operation. This meant that I couldn’t make use of my contract. But I continued paying the membership fee. I paid for the 12 mths and gave notice to cancel my membership thereafter. On [protected], I faxed my cancellation letter to the branch. The manager phoned me said that he could freeze my membership for 6 mths instead of me cancelling and thereafter I could continue using my membership. I said to him that I’m in the process of moving house and am not sure which will be my nearest branch. I said to him that this letter must serve as my notice period and he said that it can’t as I need to give a full calendar mth notice and that I was a day late but he would see what he could do and get back to me. He never did and I just checked my acc and another debit has gone out. This meant that I would’ve paid for 14 mths and used just 8. If there was any chance of me going back to Virgin Active, this destroyed that chance and believe you me, I’m gonna spread the word.

Since the start of February I have received over 5 separate sms messages (some very offensively toned with threats of black listing) demanding that I pay a Virgin Active Account. These have all come from MBD Attorneys. The interesting thing is that I do not have and never have had a Virgin Active Account. I have notified Virgin Active of this twice and they have so far done nothing about it despite promising to. I have been unwilling to call MBD directly as these debt collection firms usually charge you several rand a minute for listening to recorded messages followed by an insulting interaction with a bored call centre agent. I did however use their on-line contact complaint system, but that is evidently there for decorative purposes only as the messages have since continued.

My request to Virgin Active was obvioulsy far too much like hard work, so I would very much appreciate it if MBD Attorneys would kindly leave me the hell alone as I am not to blame for their administrative incomptence and take exception to being threatened with rudely-toned sms messages.

After being a member of Virgin Active for many years I have had my membership 'politely' terminated due to insufficient usage. Towards end November 2009 I receive sms saying that I had to use once more by end of month to avoid termination. Being overseas I asked my wife to explain to the gym my circumstance which she did, and they said I could make up usage going forward. I thought all was in order because I attended the Old Eds gym 5 times in January 2010, no one stopped me swiping then? I now believe that the 'system' only reads up to end December and the Jan visits don't count, now thats convenient when you are making up usage as per agreement! Virgin conveniently tries to blame Vitality and says its not them - any decent management team would take collective responsibility when it comes to joint venture agreements. Just think about it guys, when I go to gym I don't say to my mates meet you at Vitality Sandton branch?

I will naturally deal with the Vitality team directly but it is a disgrace that Virgin does not pick up any of the responsibility. The icing on the top was when a young sales lady from Bryanpark Virgin Active phoned me to say don't I want to join again!

I had applied for a 12 month contract with Virgin active at Wanderpark Pretoria, at the end of the contract I went to cancel the contract. I was given a receipt as a proof of cancellation, it was on the [protected] the end of my contract. The next day I received a call from Duncan Van zyl he explained to me their options and one of them was that they can Freeze the account I don't have to pay, Once I am ready then they can just activate it again, I specifically explained to him that they can only activate the account if I say so, BUT NO on October they decided to debit, I went to the bank to reverse the amount as I thought it might have been their mistake, but they kept on debiting I went to them to find out why they kept on debiting, Duncan told me to write a letter to show that I cancelled with a proof of cancellation, I did so. But they still kept on debiting, when I went to them again Duncan said I owe them and I have to pay, whether or not I have to pay, Pay for what I asked, and also a lady who works there told me that many people complain and they walk out angry.

I had a month by month contract with Virgin Active, and due to losing my Job and unable to find work in South Africa cancelled my direct debits and paid all bills outstanding and emigrated to England where I could find work. Now over one year later my parents have started receiving phone calls from MBD attorneys threatening with legal action. I have kept the same Email for over three years but not even once have I had any email saying that I needed to cancel my contract with a written letter (otherwise I would have done so). Since I am now living in Engalnd I cannot personally cancel my contract. There seems to be no other way to get the contract cancelled, or find out what amounts are owed. One would think that if someone has not paid they would have their membership cancelled immediately, and not accumilate like some trust fund to bill you years later (and to be harassed by attorneys). If Virgin had either phoned me, or my family or sent through an Email straight after any payments were not received this situation would not have happened. I see this as a direct ploy to make money out of people and to only inform them of the money due when it has built to a substantail amount.

This is my second complain, Last year in JuneJuly I send a letter through to Virgin Active notifying them of my unemployment status and since then I have never received any follow up until this year in January 2010 when I lodge a complain. Virgin has requested a letter from my previous employment which they could have

Why has noone since June 2009 asked for that letter so my account with Virgin can be resolved ? I have notified Inshaaf of Virgin that I am unable to get that letter and they say I cannot even submit an affidavit in this matter. I have a serious concern in that its their fault that they did not contact me for any documentation since last year June and should I have not complained the lady from accounts in the Virgin Active Cape Town will still be informing me how they will hand me to their attorneys if I don't settle my account with no consideration.

I feel Virgin should take this to their blame as I send all communication needed to notify them of my status immediately. Virgin Active only continued to bill me for the monthly instalments without them even giving me a courtesy call in this matter and the only way I found out anything was when I contacted them.

I joined Virgin Active Westville in 2006, but due to ill health after an injury I was unable to continue.I informed the gym personnel and I was made to write a letter of cancellation which was sent to Head Office in Cape Town by fax and snailmail. To my surprise now I keep on getting theatening calls from MBD Attorneys in Johannesburg whereby Virgin Active handed over my account much as I did not utilize their services for the period. Please help me before they blacklist me.

Our agreement was finalised in 2007/8. I cannot live like this anymore.
Ms. Nontsikelelo Makhanya

As a current employee of Virgin Active UK I can completely tell you the role I applied for was more than oversold. As a personal trainer, I have had nothing but inconsistent pay-cheques, demoralising UNPAID days (and days and days) at work and very little thanks from the management clique that hang out in the office all day.

Virgin 'prides' itself on how well it treats its employees. No. It scams its personal trainers at entry level paying you £11 p/hr and taking the rest for the company (looking at minimum £24). An advanced PT (which by the way it takes over 20 clients and delivering 25hours a week minimum, consistently for the period of three months- while hitting sessions sold and new client targets continuously for those months, to even get there. Complicated- YES.) gets £15p/h and elite gets £18.

Take into consideration that an elite PT could actually be the most incompetent, same-programme-using, potentially unsafe personal trainer you have ever seen. Elite PT is not chosen on quality of care or quality of sessions it is purely on sales. Because that is all that Virgin Active the corporate, money-spinning company cares about. Money.

Unrewarding except for some of the fantastic friends you make. Be prepared to spend your time off discussing what you're doing to get out...

I have been a virgin active account holder for a couple of years already.

I contacted Virgin Active in June 2009 to cancel my membership. I was advised to confirm closer to the end of the month to verify cancellation, only to be told that I need to also fax cancellation letter. This was a fair request. So I did as requested on the 2nd of July. (I was told if the fax comes through before 5 it will be stopped for the July month.)

I again contacted them in august only to be told if i fax through a cancellation letter the membership will be stopped at the end of August.

I have now paid an extra three months fees, as i cannot cancel my membership. I need this fixed as soon as possible. I also would like the extra fees paid back into my account.

On the 1 August 2009, I noticed on my bank statement that Virgin Active had debited my account with R150. That was not meant to happen as I had frozen my gym membership.

I had contacted Buella on 5 August explaining my query to her. She first told me to fax her a copy of my bank statement, which I find really silly as they would have a record of the R150 being credited to their account. I did so none the less. A week later I had still not heard from her and when I called her again she claims not receiving the copy. During my countless correspondence with Buella she had confirmed with me that some members accounts had been debited erroneously. She also told me to check my bank account after the 10 September to see if the R150 had been credited to my bank account again to reverse the error. I am now doing her work. Again, I faxed her on the 22 AND 23 September 2009. I had to fax her twice as she again claimed that she had not received any faxes.

When I called her today for the umteenth time, she said she would call me back after 2pm it is now past 5pm. I am now really frustrated with her unprofessional. It does not take this long to sort out a query.

I am very upset! I go to Broadacres Virgin Active, and have been a happy customer until NOW! I started spinning a while ago, the spinning classes are very popular as they get very full, so I was advised by a consultant to rather book online to avoid disappointment. I did this and i booked my spinning bike for today's 17h30 spinning class. BUT at 17h30 when i got to the class, to my dismay, the bike was given away by one of the gym fitness consultants! He told me that because this class is very popular and they have "no-shows", he gave away my bike! This made me very upset as you might imagine! So what is the point of booking online if your bike will be given away? Especially us working people, who most times get stuck in peak time traffic, i book online so that I can get there change quickly and get to my bike that I BOOKED! The reason this makes me extremely angry only because I was once asked to move off someone else's bike who had booked, and I kindly did so. Yet I could not get the same service after I had booked a bike for a spinning class. The service at Broadacres Virgin active club is terrible and unacceptable. I would like to take this complaint up with the club's Manager as well.

I filled a report on the 01.09.09, they said that they are very sorry about the fault from there side and that they will refund me, Then they phone me and tell me that i must go and check my bank statments when they deducted the money and bring it to them and then only will they refund me. How dont they dont know when they stole my money?

Joined Virgin Active, Diamond Membership, was told this was the best for me and i would tied in for 12 months, was never told had to cancel by 17th of the month before the end of my year or i would have to pay for another 12 months. After 16 months my circumstances changed, could no longer afford the fees, cancelled on-line, another payment was taken. Phoned them and was told i had to cancel in writing, no one told me i had to pay for nearly another year. Delivered cancellation letter by hand, they took another payment following month, i thought my cancellation had not caught up with them so cancelled my DD, received letter from Virgin Active saying my DD was cancelled, still no explanation of what my membership entailed. just thought my cancellation will be put on system soon. started getting letters from debt collectors, wrote letter OCT 09 to virgin active & debt collectors stating i had cancelled, eventually got letter from debt agency explaining membership in December. They now want me to pay for another 8 months although it is too late for me to use gym now, i cannot afford to pay which is why i cancelled in first place, wrote to Virgin yet again as still had no correspondance from them, they wrote back sa ying tough, the only way to stop debt collectors is to pay up. has anyone been able to make them see sense, if its impossible for someone to pay they should not be forced to continue paying for a service they dont use.

I took out a Membership earlier in year went for a trial decided not for me within the 7 day cooling period i sent a cancellation letter to Head Office thinking that was that.
The Head Office called 2 months later to say no payments I advised I had cancelled in writing they say no letter received and I owed £600 for Years membership for something I had one hour trial with and cancelled!
Since then I have had debt agencies hounding me and calls and visits from debt recovery!
Is this how Richard Branson expected his Customers to be treated? I doubt it very much.
Meanwhile I have now been that stressed with it as in this period I have had miscarriage break down and this to deal with too, so I have now sent a letter to Richard Branson which may be read by him or not but last resort to get these people to leave me alone...PLEASE!

I have been a member of Virgin Active for years before changing my membership to a diamond membership when I realised I was paying considerably more than some friends were. I am a trained lawyer and I was simply told that there was a 12 month contract but that it was a rolling contract so that it would carry on after the initial 12 months.I was not told that I would be locked in for another 12 months. While in my 2nd year I enquired about changing my membership to off peak and was told by reception I would have to wait until August before I could change it. I contacted them today (October) and have been told I will have to wait until next August before I can change. I spoke with the New Zealand girl there and quite frankly had the most enormous row with her. I explained that I was never told what a rolling contract was, my understanding is that it was a 12 month tie in and then it went on a month by month basis. Secondly when I enquired about the change I was told I would have to wait to August why wasnt I told that I would have to come in and ensure it was done in August failing which the contract renewed for another 12 months. On two occassions they therfore failed to explain the contract to me. I suggested they look at the training of their staff on this point (on all other points they are excellent) but she flatly refused to see that there had been any f ault on their part. Quite frankly this stinks of an unfair contract and mis selling and I m surprised that no one seems to have posted that they have succeeded in their argument. It was an argument over £120 and as a family we have spent over £7000 over the years I was more than surprised at the lack of movement on their part, they obviously dont seem to mind losing customers or is it that they know that their customers have to diarise the aniversary of the membership and then within a 17 day period cancell it and that most people are either too busy or disorganised to do this and so they have got you for another 12 months .I hate the way they are so secretive about their membership fees in general, they definetely push the diamond membership at you as the best one for you, but really it is the same thing as a 12 month fixed but with a hidden tie in and Im sure they dont even tell you what the price differential is just that the diamond is cheaper and that the price is fixed for life (although if you look in the small print thats not true either it goes up if inflation above 5% or changes in vat).I am going to look into this futher and will be grateful if anyone can let me know whather they have succeeded.

I joined virgin just after having a baby late 2007. Which after a few weeks of realising i'm unable to attend gym because of the work i do and the little time i had to spare for gym, i requested termination of my membership to the branch manager. He informed me that i should contact the head office to request assistance. During 2008 I called virgin head office to try and get assistance and i was told i have a 24month contract which i cannot terminate. I requested them to adjust the member who will be using the gym to my husband, because he had time to go to the gym but they still refused. I laid back for a while and with some fortune in September 2008 I got appointed for a job in Tzaneen, 369Km's from Pretoria where i initially resided. I consulted virgin to help me terminate the contract because there's no virgin gym in the area i cannot pay for a non-service. The consultant Ashley Jacobs told me he can only work out a settlement qoute which i'd need to settle to cancell the membership. I informed him that i'm not at a position of making any financial commitments because of the financial constraints im in. I even eluded the fact that since i joined virgin i've only visited their facilities once. During the period of September 2008 and now October 2009 i've requested virgin to stop the monthly deductions of R205.00 they take because there is no Virgin gym in the area i'm in and it is rather a robbing game that they are playing, because i even gave them proof that i'd me working in tzaneen. So for 12 months i've paid virgin R2460.00 excluding transaction charges for NOTHING. I recently sent an email to Mr. Ashley Jacobs to inform him of my history with their service and surprising they still went on to debit my account on the 15th September and 01 October 2009, even after i made communication with them. I really need your help because having to travel home every second weekend is trully costing me, my living expenses are high because of the distance i am from my family, and any fruitless expenditure makes no sence at all to me and my family. Please help.

I joined the Virgin Active at Waterstone Village on 29th June 2009. I paid R100 joining fee in cash.
During that time the gym was still in it's building progress and was supposed to be finished for use on the 8th of July. Thus I was ensure that there would be a partial payment of my monthly R379 debited of my account. Even though I joined for July only and was only going to be able to start making use of the facilities on 8th July, the debit of the full amount of R379 went off my account on 30th June. Additionally another R285.45 was taken from my account. In this case as there was not enough money available in the account the debit order bounced back which caused my bank account to be debited with R105 unpaid item fee by FNB. I immediately cancelled my membership within the 5 day cancellation period. It was promised that I will receive all my money back including the R105 which was charge by the bank for unpaid item fee. The membership was cancelled on 6th July. Today is the 13th of July and I still haven't got my money back. Now my account is overdraft and I had to pay another R40 to FNB for that.
The manager Mal (malcolm.[protected]@virginactive.co.za) made empty promises that I would have my money back in the next couple of days.
This eveing I will go to the club and demand my money back in cash. I will post the follow up.

On wednesday (11march 2008), I asked virgin to fax me a copy of the timetable for a studio class. I attended the step 1 beginner class only for the instructor to deal personally only with his regulars as it was a intermediate class. Six of us walked out and I complained by lee anne on duty and she said it would be sorted out. To date I have not heard a word from anyone. I had a caesar with my last baby and cannot for health reasons do a heavy class. What now... I pay my membership and get this pathetic service.

I joined the thundesley club in August 2007, I had a membership for myself and my two children. At the time of joining I specified that I could only afford to pay for a year and that I only wanted a year's contract. I therefore only paid for 12 months then stopped paying and stopped using the gym. This morning I have received a letter from a debt collecting agency asking me for £529.50 on behalf of you. I am appalled, I am not trained in legal matters and didn't understand the terms and conditions but I did ask the salesperson to clarify the situation and the saleperson who sold me this contract stated that I had only joined for 12 months and would not be liable for any more payments. I only paid for a year because I knew I would not be able to afford any more payments. I have no money to pay this £529.50. I have not used the gym since August 2008 and now I am going to be taken to court because I was mis-sold this contract. I am not hiding or trying to shirk my debts but I think this is unjust and unfair. I have always believed the Virgin group of companies to be fair, honest and just. Am I wrong?
I have searched the web in vain for a name and contact details for someone I can complain to - can anybody help me please?

hi:

After my membership was cancelled I was still charged £37.95 TWICE EVERY MONTH! Having been to the wood green branch in person, I was told to wait for the call from James who was responsible for my membership. I never hear from him. I called for several times but I was prevented from talking to him for various excuses.

Is this the service you promised to you customer ?

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Altaira Gao