Cancel Places Leisure the easy way

Overview

Places Leisure operates a network of leisure centres across the United Kingdom offering gym, swim and classes under PLACES LEISURE LIMITED. It is part of the Places for People Group Limited and focuses on local community facilities and membership products.

Main services

Membership options include multi-centre Premium plans, single-centre Swim and Gym memberships, concession rates, and annual upfront options offering 12 months for the price of 10. Members use the Places Leisure App and online booking for classes and swim lanes.

How they position themselves

Places Leisure targets community fitness with both flexible monthly Direct Debit memberships and annual upfront deals. Concession and Inclusive schemes provide discounts for eligible groups.

Official membership details are on the Places Leisure membership pages: Places Leisure membership.

Web

1. Go to the Places Leisure member area or the membership section at https://www.placesleisure.org/membership/.
2. Log in with your credentials.
3. Complete the member change request form or navigate to cancellation options and submit the cancellation request.
4. Save any confirmation screen and expect an email within 24-72 hours confirming effective date.

iOS

1. Open the Places Leisure App on iPhone.
2. Go to Account or Membership section and select membership options or help.
3. Submit the cancellation request or use the in-app contact form to request the member change request form.
4. Keep the in-app confirmation and note the date and time.

Android

1. Open the Places Leisure App on Android.
2. Follow the same steps as for iOS to submit a member change request or cancellation.
3. Keep screenshots of the confirmation screen and any email you receive.

Phone

1. Call your local Places Leisure centre (number available on your centre page).
2. Ask to speak with the Manager and request a written cancellation form if required.
3. Request the call reference and a confirmation email to serve as proof.

Email

1. Send a signed cancellation request to [email protected] including your full name, membership number, home centre and reason for cancellation if relevant.
2. Attach supporting documents where required (medical, moving evidence).
3. Keep the reply email as proof of cancellation.

Post

1. Write a dated, signed cancellation letter addressed to the Manager at your Centre or the head office address: Places Leisure, Gray's Inn Road, WC1X 8QR London, United Kingdom.
2. Send by registered post and retain the receipt and delivery confirmation.
3. If you deliver in person, ask the Manager to stamp and sign a copy and keep that copy.

Places Leisure activity bookings are cancellable through the App or online member area and are also cancellable by calling or visiting the centre. The activity bookings policy explains late cancellation charges: a Late Cancellation Charge applies if cancelled less than 6 hours before the session unless another customer takes the slot. See the official policy: Activity bookings policy.

Cooling-off period (changed your mind)

Rule: For contracts entered into online, by phone or off-premises, you have a 14-day cooling-off period governed by the Consumer Contract (Cancellation, Information and Additional Payments) Regulations 2013. If you cancel within 14 days, initial payments including any joining fee will be refunded in full. Refunds are processed at head office and may take up to 10 working days.

Required proof: dated cancellation notice or written statement; evidence of submission if you request a refund. Law: Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013.

End of Minimum Term

Rule: After your Minimum Term ends, Places Leisure requires at least 15 days notice before your next payment date to stop a rolling Direct Debit. This is the standard exit path for rolling monthly memberships.

Required proof: a dated cancellation request via member change form, email, or registered letter. Law: Consumer Rights Act 2015 applies to fairness of terms.

Medical condition or legitimate ground

Rule: During the Minimum Term, Places Leisure accepts cancellations for specific legitimate reasons including medical condition, moving residence, redundancy, pregnancy, or significant service failure by Places Leisure. These are exceptions that allow early exit when supported by evidence.

Required proof: For medical condition - a doctor or consultant letter confirming inability to use the facilities; moving - utility bill or tenancy agreement showing new address; redundancy - redundancy letter or P45; pregnancy - medical note; significant service failure - correspondence demonstrating the failure and any centre-level evidence.

Law: Consumer Rights Act 2015 supports termination where the service cannot be provided with reasonable care and skill.

Price increase

Rule: If Places Leisure increases your membership price mid-contract in a way that is not permitted by the contract, you may be entitled to terminate without penalty. Check your membership terms for the allowed variation clause and request cancellation if the increase breaches those terms.

Required proof: copy of the price change notification and your signed membership terms. Law: Consumer Rights Act 2015 on unfair contract terms.

Death of subscriber

Rule: Membership can be cancelled on the death of the contract holder. Provide the required documentation to the centre.

Required proof: death certificate and the executor or family member's written request to cancel the membership. Law: Consumer Rights Act 2015 as applicable to individual contracts.

Before you cancel: negotiate

Retention options recorded in Places Leisure public materials include occasional offers such as 'No Joining Fee' promotions and concession discounts for eligible members. Centres may offer a change of plan (for example switching to a Swim-only or Concession plan) or an annual upfront option that gives 12 months for the price of 10. There is no published universal retention script, so ask the Centre Manager in person or request a retention offer by email. Mention competing local offers and ask for a no-joining-fee or discounted monthly rate. You can reference the official offers page when negotiating: No joining fee TCs.

What cancelling saves you - example math

Choose the plan you pay for and multiply by 12 to find annual cost. Examples using published 'from' prices:

• Premium from £40 x 12 = £480 per year
• Premium 16-18 from £35 x 12 = £420 per year
• Premium 19-25 from £43 x 12 = £516 per year
• Swim from £33 x 12 = £396 per year
• Premium Concessions from £30 x 12 = £360 per year

Cheapest common competitor alternative: The Gym Group from £12.99 per month x 12 = £155.88 per year (example comparison). If you switch from a Premium £40 plan to The Gym Group £12.99 plan you save: £480 - £155.88 = £324.12 per year.

Consumer rights and cooling-off

Key laws: Consumer Contracts (Cancellation, Information and Additional Payments) Regulations 2013 provides a 14-day cooling-off right for contracts concluded online, by phone or off-premises. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 requires services to be provided with reasonable care and skill and prevents unfair contract terms.

Auto-renewal and unfair terms

The Competition and Markets Authority treats hard-to-cancel subscription traps and unclear auto-renewal clauses as potentially unfair. If a term demands an excessive penalty for cancellation or hides automatic renewal, you may challenge it under the Consumer Rights Act 2015.

How to escalate

Step 1: Complain to Places Leisure using centre escalation and the head office support email.

Step 2: If unresolved, get advice from Citizens Advice: Citizens Advice - cancelling a service.

Step 3: Use your card issuer for chargeback or Section 75 claims where applicable and appropriate documentation is available. If the provider is in breach of contract then Consumer Rights Act 2015 supports your complaint.

Confirm access and final date

After cancellation is accepted, check the confirmation email for the exact effective date. If cancellation is processed after giving 15 days notice, expect access to continue until the end of that notice period.

Refunds and final billing

If you cancelled inside the 14-day cooling-off period you are entitled to a full refund of initial payments including any joining fee. Refunds are processed at head office and may take up to 10 working days to appear. If you paid in advance and Places Leisure terminates your membership, they will refund any subscriptions paid in advance for the period after cancellation. The joining fee is otherwise non-refundable unless the cancellation is inside the cooling-off period.

Personal data and reactivation

Request confirmation of how your personal data will be handled and whether an account will be reactivated if you return. If you want to rejoin later, Places Leisure offers annual upfront deals and concession schemes which may differ from your previous rate.

Follow this checklist to make your cancellation clean and provable.

• Decide your cancellation method: in person or registered post gives strongest proof.
• Prepare a signed dated cancellation letter with membership number and home centre.
• If cancelling for a reason (medical, moving, redundancy) attach supporting documents (doctor letter, utility bill, redundancy notice).
• Send by registered post or hand to the Centre Manager and keep a stamped copy or delivery receipt.
• Keep all email confirmations, screenshots, and call references.
• If you claim a refund under the 14-day cooling-off period expect processing up to 10 working days.
• If you encounter refusal, escalate to Citizens Advice and consider a card chargeback for qualifying transactions.