Virgin Active South Africa

After cancelling my virgin Active Membership,as I can't go anymore due to work schedule and life changes.

Head office gave me a 50% discount over 4 months,which would be R149.00 for me and my boys,since we are on Discovery Vitality. My membership # **********

I am infuriated to learn that the sales person gave the discount and removed my Vitality benefit from my membership. This makes me pay more than double my membership. I require my money back as well as cancellation to my membership instantly. I have cancelled my membership but I received an email that it will be frozen at R259 until August.

I canceled my membership,please cancel

In November 2023 I was in the market to join a gym in the Overport Durban area. I had a look at 2 others before contacting virgin active overport. From the outset the desperate sales rep who was not knowledgeable about the products said if I sign on he will give me a discount and a kit bag upon signing.

Upon signing I was told the fee would be R331 with discounts, No further increase until December 2024 if I decide to stay on. I signed and requested my kit bag and the sales rep told me he was out of stock , I had a few words with him and he told me when he has one he will notify me 3 months later nothing.

Anyway in December R331 fee transaction with virgin active.

In January I checked my fee had increased to 357, I phoned the customer care line and a male service agent said he can't do anything about the price increase to compensate me for the increase he said he will give me 2 months free and my next debit would only be in April , l agreed

However in February again there was a debit again I phoned the customer care a female consultant understood my issue apologised for the wrong amount debited and told me besides getting a refund I still have 2 free months and the next debit will be in may 2024.

March 2nd yet another debit incorrect increase amount and obviously no 2 free months.

Fed up I escalated it to the escalations section being on email letschat@virginactive.co.za

I outline the time frame with the chain of events

A consultant who answered my query by the name of Yolisha proved her incompetence when she stated I don't qualify for 2 free months has I have not been to the gym enough times to qualify. She totally ignored my issues as stated in my email and in my contract but was rather more concerned rules governing the two months free. So I gathered her lame lazy excuse to go the extra mile and really comprehend if she bothered to read what was the main issue.

Follow up emails to Letschat@virginactive.co.za and Yolisha have been ignored.

I once again phoned on the 05/03/2024 the customer care line and I spoke to Michelle who listened to my issues her way of assistance was sending a follow up email to virgin active overport , attention for the manager to contact me to try and resolve this issues .

The manager of Overport virgin active did not bother to phone me , I phoned 2 times put on hold and left a message for the manager to contact me but she never bothered. It seems virgin active is reigning supreme with negative complaints and no one gives a dam.

Debiet order wat steeds afgaan nadat ek paar keer telefonies met die Hoofkantoor in verbinding was aangaande kansellasie van kontrak wat elk geval net vir 1 jaar geldig was. Van 01/07/2024 tot 30/06/2025. Oospronklike bedrag was R280.00 Dan word daar R540 en toe R890. Ooreenkoms was dat ek die laaste 3 maande van April tot Junie 2025 net R445 betaal. Die ekstra geld moet ook terugbetaal word aan my, nou merk ek dat die Debiet order steeds afgaan.

Good day

I was contacted by Nompumelelo Pule from possible membership for my son. She explained the process and read the T'c & C's. I agreed and signed up for my son. He then went to the gym. After he went to the gym Nompumelelo messaged me to say the amount will be double as he will be turning 18 in February. I was shocked as I already signed up and he already started going to the gym. I feel this consultant was dishonest and withheld this very important information from me. This behaviour from the consultant is not acceptable and should be addresses with her.

Secondly, when my son went to the Keywest branch, he was told that monies need to be paid. This was unprofessional too, as he is a minor and monies need to be discussed with me and not with him.

[protected]

Date Debt my account over debt Comments
1 Feb 2022 R 275.00 R 275.00 My daughter & I, joined Virgin N1 Parow on first three months free promotion (vitality), we joined during a month and payment was pro-rata.
10 Feb 2022 - R 275.00 - R 275.00 Complained and you credit my account as it was supposed to be free.
1 Mrt 2022 R 412.50 R 412.50 Must have been free month
1 Apr 2022 R 412.50 R 412.50 Must have been free month
30 Apr 2022 R 412.50 R 137.50 Should be pro-rata, took pro-rata calculation for Feb. minus monthly fee ( R 412.50 - R275.00 = 137.50)
01 Jun 2022 R 412.50 -
01 Jul 2022 R 412.50 -
01 Aug 2022 R 412.50 -
01 Sep 2022 R 412.50 -
01 Oct 2022 R 412.50 -
01 Nov 2022 R 412.50 -
01 Dec 2022 R 432.50 -
02 Jan 2023 R 432.50 My daughter gave 1 month notice see attached carbon copy
01 Feb 2023 R 432.50 Should be last month or notice month.
01 Mar 2023 R 432,50 R 216.25
01 Apr 2023 R 432,50 R 216.25
02 May 2023 R 1.150,00 R 575.00 Cancelled my discovery vitality & reason for increase in instalment
01 Jun 2023 R 1.150,00 R 575.00
01 Jul 2023 R 1.150,00 R 575.00
01 Aug 2023 R 1.150,00 R 575.00
01 Sep 2023 R 1.150,00 R 575.00
02 Oct 2023 R 1.150,00 R 575.00
01 Nov 2023 R 1.150,00 R 575.00
01 Dec 2023 R 1.150,00 R 575.00 Completed change form due to scheduled spinal operation on 11 December 2023 (for 3 months)
02 Jan 2024 R 183,00 On hold instalment
01 Feb 2024 R 610,00 R 427.00 Suppose to be on hold instalment
01 Mar 2024 R 610.00 R 427.00 Suppose to be on hold instalment
Total due R6 849.00

Dear Sir/Madam,

I write to you as an extremely long standing client (from the early days of Health & Racquet), an ex-employee and an avid supporter of the brand, in the hope that you are able to once and for all sort out what I thought was/is a fairly simple issue namely, taking out a one-year national contract as part of a promotion late 2023.

Context

I renewed the contract in October 2023, hoping that it would be a seamless experience, through a Mr. Lenny Peterson (done via WhatsApp correspondence which is available upon request).

I was asked to pay R 440.00 as part of a joining fee and the promotion which was done on 11/10/2023 (proof available).

Lenny Peterson confirmed that he would send the payment through and the new contract linked/started.

On the 12/10/2023, approval was received from Cindy Brown (Contacts Centres Operations Manager) sent to Lee-Anne Williams , Cc'd in Esmaralda Baldie.

On 13/10/2023, Lenny Peterson said he was struggling to load the bankmed membership and said he would speak to his manager to see what could be done. He then said I need to pay another R 400.00 which was a Vitality joining fee which could not be waived (as per his manager) and that the 01st debit would go off on the 1 December 2023. After further discussion I asked what the monthly subscription would be with/without Vitality. He said as part of the promotion its R999.00 per month without Vitality and if Vitality is activated its R 329.00 for the Vitality fee and R 499.00 membership fee, stating that the difference of R 171.00 would then need to be paid instread of R 400.00. I paid R 99.00 on 12/10/2023.

To summarize, I agreed to pay the difference and confirmed that I wished to commence on the non-Vitality options for the promotion and membership of R 999.00 for a national 0one-year membership. The call was logged on the 13/10/2023 and I made payment on the same day of R 100.00.

I sent a message on the 13/10/2023 and received correspondence from Lenny Peterson on the 16/10/2023 to confirm that the package was changed and the require a bank statement from me which was sent on the 17/10/2023.

On 02/11/2023 a debit order went off (the membership was supposed to start on 01/12/2023), for R 1345.00 not R 999.00 and one month premature. Lenny Peterson said he was not in (I messaged him) and said it may be a system issue that he would sort out.

On 07/11/2023 it was escalated to Lee-Anne Williams (Central Sales Team Leader).

I was told it would be sorted. I asked when I could collect the free promotional bag and was asked which branch I'd prefer to collect it at, which I confirmed to be 14th Avenue. I went there 5 times and was told each time that they don't have any bags, pretty much sorry first come first serve, after being told that it would be reserved for me (this isn;t about a bag it's about the principle thereof).

Since then to date, I have been debited incorrectly resulting in numerous additional costs at my expense due to insufficient funds (other debit orders bouncing because of an authorized debit order), spent countless hours at different Virgin Active branches trying to resolve this, i.e. 14th Avenue Horizon Park, Glen Acres, on the number 0860 888 886, 0860 200 911, etc.

Each time I want to try and train I spend literally hours trying to go through this same explanations either with the receptionist, sales manager or club manager who have yet to actually try to assist me to get this resolved.My recent engagement with Koni the sales manager at the Horizon Virgin Active in Roodepoort can corroborate my frustration as even she is still unable to provide feedback after she herself who is an internal manager in the Group, escalated this and has yet to receive feedback.

Is this really how Virgin Active views client centricity?

There are many alternate health and fitness organisations offering fantastic promotions currently, yet here I am as a loyal fool still trying to beg and plead for a membership, perhaps it is I who is the fool for trying to believe that clients actually matter to a brand that I once considered to be an industry leader.

Where to from here

As a client that deserves to be treated fairly, with integrity and honesty, the manner in which I have been dealt with is not only disgusting but is in contravention and breach of all terms and conditions initially adhered to.

As such I provide you with an opportunity to rectify this matter or request that you with immediate notice place on record the nullification of all such contractual terms and conditions without prejudice and legal and contractual obligations, so that I may find an organisation that actually considers my needs and values me as a client.

Regards,

MR CV BAPTISTA

[protected]

Despite numerous attempts by myself to contact Virgin Active to determine exactly what I owe for, I cannot get an account or statement. I was handed over to MBD for collection (within the last three months) following cancellation of my membership early last year - ended March 2023 (payment was via debit order). I have tried to get an account from both Virgin and MBD - nobody sends promised emails, nobody calls back.

Now my credit rating is at risk because Virgin Active has the most useless administration and staff.

Virgin Active made zero attempt to contact me regarding any outstanding fees between March 2023 and beginning 2024.

I was handed over without warning.

I still don't have an account / invoice / statement.

After reading some reviews on another site (hellop) it seems that this is common practice. So a "reputable" company is putting countless South African's credit at risk due to this inability to manage their own account administration.

Razia Cassim
Mar 5, 2024, 9:55 AM (10 days ago)
to info
Good day,

I have a problem with the Polokwane Virgin Active... From the time of signing up my son who was 16yrs old, they refused to link him to our vitality status and they were billing him on a premium account value... So given this, they robbed me out of my vitality benefits in regards to my sons membership, They did not link vitality thereby tricked him into signing a 2yr contract, tricked me in concern to vitality rates for my son & monthly contract... I am absolutely livid as the branch itself and the manager refuse to correct this yet it was their wrongdoing! Myself and all of my kids were signed up at virgin active so there is absolutely no valid reason why they linked the rest of us but could not link my son's vitality! I demand for a correction to be done on this and refund on the funds which they scammed me out of... If I and my entire family is linked to vitality on my medical aid, it is impossible that my first born son is not! Their consultants & manager do not know their job or they intentionally scammed me for commission basis! I have spoken to a consultant again at the beginning of february as well as the manager, however they are doing absolutely nothing about this problem... details of my dependents: Fuaad Ibn Iyaad Cassim [protected] (scammed into 2yr contract & never linked to vitality) Eshal Sakina Cassim [protected] Muhammad Iqbal Abdullah [protected] Shehzaan Abdullah [protected] My medical aid no: [protected] You should please have a check up on my medical aid and see from when we have vitality, so there was absolutely no reason for the polokwane branch to deny my son the vitality benefits! I hereby as well request that a cancellation be done on myself and my kids memberships... I am absolutely unhappy and refuse to continue with Virgin active! And I want my refund for the past year that they have robbed me with the higher rate!

Ms.Razia Cassim
cell: [protected]
email: razz81.[protected]@gmail.com

I joined the gym in Sept 2022 with a monthly fee of R570 for 24 months and had to use a specific branch during that time which I have done. 2 months after joining I was advised that the fee would go up to R750 which I queried in Dec 2022 and the agent confirmed that it was an error and my fee will remain as R570. It remained that why until Dec 2024, since then my fee has gone up to R800. I called the call centre for over 2 months with no assistance. The escalations team acknowledgement there was an error and gave me a free month but said that the debit was still at R800 which is incorrect. I was informed today that they apparently had charged me incorrectly from the start and the fee is R800 and will not change even though it was their mistake and not mine. This is completely unacceptable and they should be maintaining the amount communicated to me when signing my contract. I understand a nominal increase but this is ridiculous.