Virgin Active South Africa
Reviews and Complaints

Good morning

I am really not happy with the service which I am getting.

My ID number is: [protected]

My contract expired in June 2023, I wasn’t aware that I also need to give notice for cancelation.

June debit order was successful

July – no debit order was processes from your side

Aug - debit order went off my account (I reversed it, because according to myself the contract expired in June)

September – the debit order went off my account ( I left this debit order as I was told that I owe you one month)

Oct – no debit order

Nov – no debit order

Dec – now all of a sudden I owe you money again!

I called today, after I called 3 time on other dates. Today I was cut of 5 times, I called from my cell number [protected] and these calls can be retrieved by yourselves.

I don’t owe Virgin active a cent and would appreciate a response on this mail urgently.

I have been on a contact for a while not 2 years and they decide to increase my debit order without notifying me and not only this when I call into the call center I was offered multiple offers for cheaper contacts but when I say yes the guy places me on hold and the line drops every time I was offered to pay r400 for my contact but now he keeps dropping the line I love virgin active. But I cant keep calling in about my contract and the line drops every time I am sick and tired of this I keep sending emails as well but no one can seem to find this I want a cheaper contract my husband had the same issue but you guys decreased his amount to r200 for the premium membership I don't even have that this is not fair and this is not how I should be treated. Putrid customer service all around

The complaint is about one of the Virgin Active staff, Lindo, from the Maintenance department.

He disrespected, shouted, and humiliated me and my husband on 18 November 2023. There was no fault on our part. He behaved like a drunkard; this matter must be investigated.

It is clear to me that Virgin Active has not trained its staff on customer service. What i experienced that day made me feel like i was in a tavern. I am so disappointed at this behaviour, it is unacceptable, especially in a corporation like Virgin Active.

I am extremely dissatisfied with the service of Virgin Active more so, because I reported this matter on 21 November 2023 via Whattap the number of virgin active Kloof [protected] but there has been no response till date.

I want to see disciplinary action taken against him and appropriate sanction to be imposed.

My email : [protected]@unyezi.co.za

You can email me for more information including my cell number.

I called to query my account and Khutaza answered the phone with a simple "hello", no introduction of who she was and where she worked, etc.

When I pointed this out to her, she didn't acknowledge anything I said.

I queried an amount that shows in arrears on my account but I pay via debit order.

She asked, "didn't they help you?", referring to the branch. (But I'm calling the call centre).

The branch tried to help me and I was advised to call.

She said that last year August "they" submitted the debit order incorrectly and that "they" have to correct it.

When I asked who's they, she said "Virgin Active". I said, "so you mean "we" because aren't you part of Virgin Active?" She said yes.

She didn't offer any solution and I had to prompt her for the way forward.

I asked if she could sort it out, she said no, she'll send it on to get it done.

I asked her for a turnaround time, she said she can't give me a time frame but it would be "today".

When I asked for a reference, she said it's the date and time. Really? How many customers called in at that time?

There was no acknowledgement or apology from her, and she showed no interest in what I said.

This is the absolute worst service I've ever receive from Virgin Active. All my previous correspondence has been delightful.

I'm not sure what Khutaza gets paid for but it definitely isn't for great customer service.

I no longer enjoy my membership at virgin active due to the treatment I get every month. I need to cancel my membership. Every month I have to ask for the link to pay and after paying there are lots errors which I have to call in the head office and spend an hour or so sometimes missing my workout classes solving the same problem. I am no longer enjoying my stay and need to cancel. 😔😔I spend a lot of money on airtime

Good Day. I have been a member of Athlone VA for 17 years but things has never been this bad as it is presently. Broken shower doors, pool problems, faulty equipment has been the order of the day at this gym. There is no hose in the steam room which is a very unhealthy situation as it is used by many. Spinning bikes is in a poor state. broken handle bars, seats and pedals plague us daily. Numerous complaints have been made by members but it falls on deaf ears. Load shedding has been with us for quite some time and management is aware of the gym's load shedding schedule but they fail to comply. This day November 16.2023 , 15 min into the spinning class everything came an abrupt halt. Instructor couldn't continue because the music boxes wasn't charged. This is unacceptable. Management need to up there game otherwise members will be forced to take there business elsewhere. Hope matters can be resolved asap.

Z Engelbrecht - id [protected]

Inbox

Gerda Engelbrecht

Mon, Nov 6, 11:52 AM (3 days ago)

to getintouch

COMPLAINT TO BE LOADED ONTO HELLO PETER

Good day

The above client has asked telephonically to cancel both her and her husbands contract last month already, and everytime, she is told that SOMEBODY will all her back, but NOBODY calls her back. The debit order for R800 was presented again and after she had to phone again, she was told to pay R240 something to get it caclled and then only it will be cancelled. She was told that the accounts department will call her back to give the account details for me to pay the R240 something? AGAIN NOBODY called her back. When I phoned last week I was told that Naima is busy with the query and will call her back. AGAN, nobody phoned to date? And AGAIN the debit order for R800 willl be taken at the end of this month? Very quick to take your money but to call back is not so quick? I am going to return the debit order for R800 as unpaid, as the contrast were suppossed to have been cancelled last month already. At the start of thesse contract, they were assurred that it is for 6 months only, but now it seems as if they were given wrong info, as it is apparently now for 12 months. They dont have the money to pay and I am the mother who is on pension, who has to pay the money for nothing?

CAN THIS MATTER PLEASE BE SORTED OUT TODAY?

Thanks

G Engelbrecht

[protected]

Virus-free.www.avg.com

[protected]@virginactive.co.za

Mon, Nov 6, 11:52 AM (3 days ago)

to me

Thank you for reaching out to the Virgin Active Customer Service Team.

One of our team members will be in touch soon.

Depending on our current volumes, we aim to respond to you within 48 business hours.

If it is urgent, you can call us on [protected].

Have you downloaded the latest version of our app?

Manage your membership, book classes, view access stats, book Personal Trainers and Swim Coaches and more.

https://hello.virginactive.co.za/va-app

Live Life Active

Virgin Active

Your reference number is #7836993. Please retain this number for future communication.

Disclaimer

This email and its contents are subject to a disclaimer, which can be viewed at www.virginactive.co.za/disclaimer.

This email has been scanned for viruses and malware, and automatically archived by Mimecast SA (Pty) Ltd.

[protected]

Virgin Active constantly debits my account wrongly. They then hold me liable for payments, I have made numerous calls to the call centres and my membership is blocked even though I have honoured my commitments. I have called the call centre manager and the call centre on numerous occasions and they ignore me. I cannot go to the gym as they unblock my membership constantly the call centre manager Izrah Rossouw and she ignores me. Last month I was debited wrongly and I had to call again.

Good day

For a short summaries of the poor service..

Firstly, their salesperson drinking at workplace and caused dismissed but however cause my 2 contracts with problems now and the club cannot sort beside to ask me to pay more.

Sales manager stated in writing that going to cancel my husband one at no costs and written off my transfer fees, but nothing really been actioned due to point 1. Caused my account is frozen now and in arrears.

Taking forever to get reply and assist till I made complain to Virgin line but afterwards still nothing.

Misleading customer by given cheaper price to join then change the price to force customer pay more. No customer services at all and unprofessional people.

I have had endless issues with no assistance from your consultants and reception desk ​at Tygervalley/WC since July!

I moved my vitality from Life to MA back in July and was advised by vitality to inform a virgin consultant to ensure my membership carries over. I did this the very next day and spoke to Cuan. He assured me he would keep my membership activated as this needs to be done within 4 week period.

I later realised I wasn't getting points and looked for Cuan, turns out he did not and I had to pay the activation fee again and lost all points.

I was issued a new card: [protected]. What a mess!

Since th​is new card was "activated" ​and I do not get points and I cant log onto the app. It does not pick me up as a member. ​NO ONE can or will tell me WHY?

I have spoken to Keenan many times and approached the reception desk numerous times to no avail.

I had to call H/O myself and they advised me that when they check the system I have 2 profiles, therefore I wont receive points and I can't log in. I again contacted Keenan and he doesnt find the same problem and advises I take this to you.

My question is this - is it my responsibility to resolve this? Is there anyone willing to assist and fix this? This has been ongoing for over 3 months and I gym x5 times a week. I have been a member for over 15yrs and had to repay an activation fee ​due to negligence and now cant access my app or receive vitality points. I am at the end of my patience and I ask that someone / anyone tries to resolve this!

Good day,

In March i called in to state that i was unemployed and that i would want my membership, to be cancelled, but the agent advised it would be better to have it frozen for April, May and June. The person that i spoke with did not freeze the member for April and the amount of R510 was debited from my account, which i am unhappy about. I thereafter called in to complain about this matter, but i was still not refunded for that amount. After my account was frozen for May and June, i called in to state that i want the membership to be frozen till the end of my contract, which was would be till the end of August, that was still not taken care of. The guy that i spoke with in June, stated that i will be able to use the Gym and that amount from April will be refunded into the membership for July, but he lied to me and another debit order of R510 went through for the month of July.

Before the end of August I called in to state that i do not want to continue with my membership as my contract term will be over at the end of August.

I noticed that a debit order tried going through in September and i assumed it must have been an error on your side, but the debit order also tried going through for October. I called in on the 04/10 and stated that i was confused about this and i want proof of the cancellation being done, i spoke to a guy named (Keenan) in the cancellation team and he said that it is done from today.

I received a call from the collections team, the lady had mentioned that in the notes i was pregnant that is the reason for not being able to continue, but the reason for not continuing is because i am unemployed which i stated various times to the agents, she also stated that i owe an amount of R620 which i did not understand, as to why i had to pay any amount seeing that so much of money has been taken out from my account after pleading that i want the membership frozen and i did not want to continue.

The numbers that i have called from is - [protected], [protected] and [protected]

I a full member at the Club, its been a month and a half now we are experiencing cold water at Virgin Active Beachfront, to be precise I would say since the beginning of August. We are sick and we are tired of this because we pay full membership without any complains. We called the manager and asked him what exactly is happening and he told us that they are experiencing some tank burst and they have procured another water tank but where they suppose to put the tank, there is an office built there so they are still making arrangements of procuring the scaffolding to carry the other tank. No timeframe has been made since the beginning of September till now. We really need your intervention guys we are dying of Flue.

according to my observation so far, I have joined virgin active in May2023 and I did not receive anything as a token of appreciation, but for those who have joined after me are receiving things and new members event are held for them, as for us nothing.

My suggestion also is, events like this needs to be held for the customers who have served you for a long time, who has been loyal to you, like an event for clients who have been there for more than two years or something.

This will also encourage new customers to want to be loyal and have events like those.

My member number [protected].

Since your new app was launched about three months ago, I do not receive any rewards when visiting clubs. On my app there is no indication that i can receive rewards.

i have mailed various times to your call Centre with my complaint, I have enquired at various clubs tens of times, I have deleted and downloaded the app various times, i have phoned in to your call center various times reporting this, but up till now nothing has been done to solve this issue.

In the meantime, my friends enjoy their rewards they receive, but I cannot.

Is this your policy that the promise you make to the clients is not honored.

I am looking forward to hearing from you.

regards

Michael Shaw

30 August 2023 :,

Aircons at virgin active Meyersdal have not been working for months .. it is so difficult to do classes in a studio which is packed with members and the aircon does not work . We’ve been complaining and nothing is being done . We end up having to miss our favorite group workouts because of this !

Per one of the consultants the repairs are pending approval .. what approval is this that take more than 2 months . We are paying members and need to be take seriously.

Hi I am a member at BryanPark. Recently I complained to reception about someone conducting a full on spinning class in the open area which in itself is not really an issue. However they have now added a speaker with blaring music in the open area which is unacceptable. Imagine the noise. I purposefully listen to my own music via my headphones - the background music is at a reasonable level but now you add this noise to the mix and I cannot even properly hear my own music through my headphones. Why do you allow this? I am not inconveniencing the spinning class, why are they allowed to inconvenience me? If they are unable to use a studio for spinning classes (which is the preferred choice), please do not make a noise via the speaker and inconvenience other members of the gym. Quite frankly it is not even good music hence I listen to my own. This needs to stop please. After I spoke to reception about it, nothing was done.

After some reservation I decided to visit the Virgin Active Gym facility in Constantia Capetown. A consultant were designated and sold me a package/contract. At the time I were 'sold' a promotional special, that stipulated I could visit the other Virgin Active Gym's in the area at Sunvalley, and Westlake for a period of three months , and then deiced if I wanted to upgrade or stay at Constantia. This package/special convinced me to sign up, and to decide. However, during the month of July I were refused entry at Westlake, and Sunvalley. After explaining the 'special' promotion, and my sign up condition, I were told by the managers, at each facility they d look into it. However rit was never resolved.

I have thus far been back eight times to different Virgin Active gyms, seating with different floor managers, and consultants.

Eventually after repeatedly being messed around, I were told by the receptionist at Sunvalley to rather just stick to one facility, seeing that I were at Sunvalley that day, and wanted to train, I changed my 'gym' to Sunvalley.

It was nowhere made clear that this would come at a considerable cost. This would also only officially become my new gym in September 2023, seeing I had already paid for three months that I had been a member at Constatnia(Payment goes off on a debit account the 1st of every month) - However I got a phonemail from Capetown Head office and were told I owed over 600 Rand outstanding fees, for changing my Gym. This wasn't mentioned or made clear to me.

I must say, I have had a frustrating experience dealing with Virgin Active, They are incompetent, unhelpful, and have not made any efforts to assist me thus far

Good day

i am highly irritated and saddened by the treatment and behaviour of Virgin active. I attended a Eskom event with my company as a broker and Virgin milpark were there as well.

The virgin active sales lady sold me a false offering and has stolen my money which she knew I battled to get. i had such high hopes to introduce the team to my wellness days with clients.

In saying this firstly the virgin active lady told me its 3 months free membership of which was a lie because ive been debited from day one see below as well which is such bad taste since i was promised 3 free months.

she then said i can use any virgin active which was a lie when i went to my gym in glenanda i was told i cannot gain access.

she then told me that i could use the kids area for my kids, again a lie because the kids area at the glen has a different cost to the one in milpark

she took cash of R 900 from me , but only R 600 recorded on your records. we were promised a bag of which we had to beg and plead. she told one of my colleagues that she would get a back if she signed up only to have lied as well.

please this is unacceptable, i called in to cancel the membership and get a full refund because we kept getting tired of being stopped at the door.

i am sad honestly virgin do better especially since you teamed up with disovery of which ill also be laying a major complaint with discovery

I was debited for R380 and R1200. My contract was cancelled in June. I only have my daughter and son on contract. The correct amount went off in July. In August I had two debits that went off. I called three times. Every time I called, I had to hold on and waited over 10 minutes and ended the call. I called again today, because I received an email to say that I have an outstanding amount that I need to pay. I was told that the manager would call me back soon. I’m still waiting.

Yesterday around 15:30 I got injured at the Virgin Active Morningside Club. The Reeplex Plate Loaded Back Machine was out of place and in the middle of the floor, I knocked my knee against it as I was walking by (by the way I'm already recovering from a previous injury on the same knee). When I complained to one of the staff members I was told I was being dramatic and difficult and he will get me an ice pack. I complained to another staff member and he also told me it wasn't a big deal and I'm difficult and they both asked why I was acting up and being moody and both said I don't know how to walk properly. There were weight plates all over the gym floor, equipment not being put back in place which I also mentioned to the staff members but they didn't care or see an issue with it. Only after the fact about 45min later another staff member was putting the equipment back. The layout of the equipment is also another issue as the machines are too close together, the space of the gym is too small and tight. There isn't a free flow of movement.