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£20 Gym Sign Up Fee - Should I be paying this?

So I am looking to join a gym to get fit for graduation in July. Last year I joined my Uni's gym, which was only £12.50 a month, but was really small and limited in equipment.

I had heard good things about a local leisure centre which is a 10 minute walk from my house at uni, so I decided to book an appointment to go and have a look around and talk prices.

I'm not going to lie, the leisure centre facilities are far superior to that of my Uni's gym. The price the member of staff quoted me was £25.00 per month, including use of the gym, swimming pool and classes (this is a student rate).

However, she also said that there was a £20.00 sign up fee, meaning that I would have to pay a total of £45.00 if I sign up tomorrow (which I have arranged to do since it is my pay day).

I just wondered if it was normal to pay this much for signing up and whether it is negotiable? Since £45.00 is a lot of money to pay one go for a student like myself. Any advice would be really appreciated, since I am a bit of a novice and really don't want to pay an extra £20.00 if I can avoid it!

Reply 1

Angry cucumber

Might be worth asking whether they'd wave the sign up fee as you're a student. But if not, not much you can do about it

Reply 2

BKS

That's normal, if they don't have a student rate already then I doubt they will waive it

Reply 3

Everglow

Some of the mainstream gyms like Pure and EasyGym occasionally do flash sales where they waive the joining fees. I joined EasyGym when one of these sales took place, so I didn't have to pay the £20 joining fee. This leisure centre might do this occasionally too as it's a good way to get members through the door.

Reply 4

999tigger

Sign up fees are normal, but they can be viewed as a bit of gouging. Many gyms run offers where they waive the joining fee, for some its discretionary and others they have no choice. As a point of principle I wouldnt pay one. I joined then canceled and they sent me an email to rejoin without join up fee. It depends which gym it is. Have a word with the manager they might have dsicretion or they might not, look for offers.

Reply 5

fire2burn

Original post by Everglow

^ Definitely this. It's worth keeping an eye out at the moment as you get all the offers after Christmas and around Easter trying to entice those who feel guilty having put on a few pounds.

My local PureGym is currently running an off peak membership £8.99 a month, no contract, no joining fee, no cancellation fee, price frozen for 12 months. Suits me just fine and being a night owl I love that it's open 24/7, sometimes I go at midnight and I have the whole place to myself :smile: