How to end your My Places Leisure membership in the UK

About My Places Leisure

My Places Leisure operates as a community-focused leisure provider across the United Kingdom, managing multiple fitness centres and recreational facilities on behalf of local councils. As a social enterprise, the organisation runs gyms, swimming pools, and leisure centres in various locations, primarily serving communities through partnerships with local authorities. This means that whilst you may know your local facility by its specific name, the overarching management and membership structures often fall under the My Places Leisure umbrella.

The organisation focuses on providing accessible fitness and wellbeing services to local communities, offering memberships that grant access to gym equipment, fitness classes, swimming facilities, and various recreational activities. Unlike purely commercial gym chains, My Places Leisure operates with a community benefit model, which can sometimes create confusion regarding cancellation procedures and contractual obligations. Understanding your rights as a consumer is essential, particularly when you need to end your membership agreement.

Many members find themselves needing to cancel for various legitimate reasons: relocating to a different area where My Places Leisure facilities are not available, changes in financial circumstances, health issues that prevent continued use of the facilities, or simply finding that the membership no longer meets their fitness needs. Whatever your reason for cancelling, you have clear rights under UK consumer protection law, and understanding these rights empowers you to navigate the cancellation process confidently.

Subscription plans and pricing

My Places Leisure typically offers a range of membership options designed to accommodate different budgets and usage patterns. The specific pricing and plans can vary significantly depending on which facility you attend, as each centre may have its own pricing structure based on local authority agreements and facility amenities. This variation means you should always refer to your specific membership agreement for precise details about your particular plan.

Common membership types

Most My Places Leisure facilities offer several membership tiers. Standard adult memberships typically provide access to gym facilities and fitness classes during all operating hours. Off-peak memberships often come at a reduced rate but restrict access to specific times, usually weekdays during daytime hours. Family memberships allow multiple household members to access facilities under one agreement, whilst junior memberships cater specifically to younger users with age-appropriate pricing.

Swimming-only memberships are frequently available for those who prefer aquatic activities, and some locations offer pay-as-you-go options alongside monthly contracts. The pricing structure generally reflects the range of facilities available at your specific centre, with larger facilities offering more amenities typically commanding higher membership fees.

Typical pricing structure

These figures serve as general guidance only, as actual pricing varies by location. Your membership agreement will specify your exact monthly payment, any initial joining fees, and the minimum contract term you agreed to when signing up. Therefore, reviewing your original agreement is the first crucial step when considering cancellation.

Understanding your contract terms

Most My Places Leisure memberships operate on a rolling monthly basis after any initial minimum term expires. Some contracts include a minimum commitment period, typically ranging from one to twelve months, during which cancellation may incur early termination fees. As a result, knowing exactly what you agreed to protects you from unexpected charges and helps you plan your cancellation timing appropriately.

Your contract should clearly state the notice period required for cancellation, any circumstances under which fees might be waived, and the specific process you must follow to terminate your membership. This means that locating and reading your membership terms is not just helpful—it is essential for protecting your consumer rights.

Cancellation terms and conditions

Understanding the specific cancellation terms that apply to your My Places Leisure membership is fundamental to ensuring a smooth exit from your contract. UK consumer law provides important protections, but you must also comply with the contractual terms you agreed to when joining.

Standard notice periods

My Places Leisure typically requires members to provide written notice of their intention to cancel. The standard notice period is usually one calendar month, meaning your cancellation becomes effective one full month after your notice is received and processed. In practice, this means if you submit your cancellation notice on 15th January, your membership would typically end on 15th February, and you would be liable for payment until that date.

Some membership agreements may specify different notice periods, particularly if you signed up during a promotional period or agreed to a fixed-term contract. Therefore, checking your specific agreement prevents misunderstandings about when your financial obligation actually ends.

Legal requirements in the UK

Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 and related legislation, gym memberships in the UK must meet certain fairness standards. Cancellation terms must be transparent and clearly communicated when you sign up. If you signed up online or away from the business premises, you may have additional cooling-off rights allowing cancellation within 14 days without penalty.

The Competition and Markets Authority has issued guidance stating that gym contracts must not contain unfair terms that create significant imbalance between the business and consumer. This means excessively long notice periods or unreasonable cancellation fees may be challengeable. As a result, knowing these protections empowers you to question any terms that seem disproportionate or unclear.

Circumstances for immediate cancellation

Certain situations may entitle you to cancel your membership without serving the full notice period or paying remaining contract fees. Moving to a location where My Places Leisure facilities are not reasonably accessible typically constitutes valid grounds for early termination. Medical conditions that prevent you from using the facilities, supported by appropriate documentation from a healthcare professional, may also warrant immediate cancellation.

If the facility significantly changes the services available, reduces opening hours substantially, or fails to maintain equipment to a reasonable standard, you may have grounds to terminate without penalty based on material breach of contract. In practice, documenting these issues and communicating them clearly in your cancellation correspondence strengthens your position considerably.

Why postal cancellation is most reliable

Sending your cancellation by post, specifically using Royal Mail Signed For or Recorded Delivery, provides the strongest evidence that you have fulfilled your contractual obligation to give written notice. Unlike phone calls, which leave no paper trail, or online forms that may not be processed promptly, postal cancellation creates an indisputable record of when you sent your notice.

This proof becomes invaluable if any dispute arises about whether you properly cancelled or when your notice period began. The dated proof of posting and delivery confirmation protect you against claims that you failed to cancel correctly or that you still owe membership fees beyond your intended cancellation date. Therefore, postal cancellation is not just one option—it is the most secure method for protecting your consumer rights.

How to cancel My Places Leisure by post

Cancelling your membership by post requires following specific steps to ensure your cancellation is legally effective and properly documented. This methodical approach protects you from continued charges and provides evidence should any issues arise.

Gathering necessary information

Before drafting your cancellation correspondence, collect all relevant documentation. You will need your membership number, which appears on your membership card or monthly payment statements. Locate your original membership agreement to verify the notice period and any specific cancellation requirements. Check your recent bank statements to confirm the exact amount and date of your regular membership payments, as this information helps identify your account if any queries arise.

Note the date you wish your cancellation to take effect, bearing in mind the required notice period. As a result, if you need to stop payments by a specific date due to financial constraints or other commitments, work backwards to determine when you must send your cancellation notice.

Preparing your cancellation letter

Your cancellation correspondence should be clear, concise, and include all essential information. State explicitly that you are cancelling your membership and provide your full name exactly as it appears on your membership agreement. Include your membership number, contact telephone number, and the address registered to your account.

Specify the date you are sending the notice and, if applicable, reference the notice period from your contract. For example, you might state that you are providing the required one month's notice as per your membership terms. If you are requesting immediate cancellation due to special circumstances such as relocation or medical issues, explain this clearly and mention that you are including supporting documentation.

Request written confirmation that your cancellation has been processed and specify the date your membership will end. This confirmation becomes important evidence that the cancellation was completed properly. Therefore, explicitly asking for this acknowledgement increases the likelihood you will receive it.

Sending your cancellation letter

Use Royal Mail Signed For or Recorded Delivery service when sending your cancellation. These services cost a few pounds but provide tracking information and proof of delivery, which is invaluable protection. Standard first-class post offers no proof that your letter was received, leaving you vulnerable if the organisation claims they never got your cancellation notice.

The address for sending cancellation correspondence to My Places Leisure depends on which specific facility manages your membership, as different centres may have different administrative addresses. You should send your cancellation to the registered address provided in your membership documentation or displayed at your facility. If you cannot locate this information, contact your local centre to request the correct postal address for membership cancellations.

Using Postclic for tracked cancellation letters

Services like Postclic simplify the postal cancellation process by handling the physical sending of your letter whilst providing digital proof of postage and delivery. This approach saves you the trip to the post office and ensures your letter is professionally formatted and sent via tracked delivery. You retain digital evidence of exactly what was sent and when it was delivered, which proves particularly valuable if you need to demonstrate compliance with notice requirements.

In practice, using such a service means you can initiate your cancellation from home, have confidence that it will be properly delivered, and maintain permanent digital records without managing physical receipts. This combination of convenience and security makes postal cancellation less burdensome whilst maintaining all the evidential benefits.

Following up on your cancellation

After sending your cancellation, monitor your bank account to ensure direct debit payments stop when expected. If you receive confirmation of your cancellation, keep this documentation permanently in case any issues arise later. If you do not receive confirmation within two weeks, send a follow-up letter referencing your original cancellation and including copies of your proof of delivery.

Should payments continue beyond your cancellation date, contact your bank immediately to dispute the transaction and provide them with your cancellation evidence. As a result, your bank can investigate under the Direct Debit Guarantee scheme, which protects consumers against incorrect payments. This means you have multiple layers of protection when you cancel properly by post with proof of delivery.

Customer reviews and tips

Understanding common experiences from other My Places Leisure members helps you anticipate potential challenges and navigate the cancellation process more effectively. Whilst individual experiences vary across different facilities, certain patterns emerge that provide valuable insights.

Common reasons for cancellation

Members frequently cancel My Places Leisure memberships due to relocation, particularly when moving outside the catchment area served by their local facility. Financial pressures represent another significant reason, as household budgets tighten and discretionary spending on fitness memberships becomes unaffordable. Changes in work schedules or family commitments often make it impossible to use facilities regularly, leading members to conclude that continuing payment no longer represents good value.

Some members find that facility maintenance or equipment availability does not meet their expectations, prompting them to seek alternative fitness options. Others discover that the classes or amenities they were particularly interested in are frequently fully booked or have been discontinued. In practice, whatever your reason for cancelling, you should not feel obligated to provide extensive justification—your right to cancel in accordance with your contract terms stands regardless of your motivation.

Processing times and experiences

Customer experiences with cancellation processing vary considerably between different My Places Leisure facilities. Some members report smooth, prompt cancellations with written confirmation received within two weeks. Others experience delays, particularly when cancelling during busy periods or when administrative staff changes occur at their local centre.

This variability underscores why sending cancellation by tracked post is so important. When you have proof of delivery, any delays in processing become the organisation's responsibility rather than a question of whether you properly submitted your cancellation. Therefore, the small additional cost of tracked delivery provides disproportionately large protection against administrative errors or oversights.

Tips for smooth cancellation

Timing your cancellation carefully can prevent unnecessary additional payments. If your membership renews on the first of each month and requires one month's notice, sending your cancellation to arrive by the first day of a month means you pay for only one additional month rather than being caught mid-cycle and owing nearly two months of fees.

Keeping comprehensive records throughout the process protects you significantly. Photograph or scan your cancellation letter before sending it. Retain your proof of postage and delivery confirmation indefinitely. Save any email correspondence or written confirmations you receive. These documents become crucial if you need to dispute continued charges with your bank or challenge incorrect claims that you did not properly cancel.

Check your membership agreement for any clauses about returning membership cards or key fobs. Some facilities require physical return of these items, and failure to return them might technically delay your cancellation becoming effective. In practice, mentioning in your cancellation letter that you are willing to return any physical membership items demonstrates your good faith compliance with all requirements.

Dealing with cancellation disputes

If My Places Leisure disputes your cancellation or continues charging you after your notice period expires, your tracked delivery proof becomes your primary defence. Contact the facility in writing, referencing your original cancellation date and attaching proof of delivery. State clearly that you expect all charges after your cancellation date to be refunded and that continued unauthorised collection would constitute a breach of the Direct Debit Guarantee.

Should written contact with the facility prove unsuccessful, escalate your complaint to the local authority that contracts with My Places Leisure to operate the facility. As a social enterprise operating public facilities, My Places Leisure maintains accountability to these local authorities, who have an interest in ensuring residents receive fair treatment.

You can also contact the Financial Ombudsman Service if the dispute involves your bank's handling of direct debit payments, or pursue small claims court action for any incorrectly collected fees. In practice, most disputes resolve once you demonstrate clear proof that you sent proper written notice via tracked delivery, which is precisely why this cancellation method offers such strong consumer protection.

Protecting yourself after cancellation

After your membership ends, continue monitoring your bank statements for at least three months to ensure no erroneous charges appear. Organisations sometimes experience administrative delays that result in payments being collected after cancellation, and early detection makes resolution significantly easier. As a result, remaining vigilant protects you from having to pursue refunds for multiple incorrect payments rather than addressing a single error promptly.

If you provided My Places Leisure with any personal information beyond what was necessary for membership administration, consider requesting deletion of your data under your rights pursuant to the General Data Protection Regulation. This ensures your information is not retained unnecessarily after your membership ends.

Finally, if your experience with cancellation was particularly problematic, consider leaving an honest review on consumer feedback platforms. Your experience helps other consumers make informed decisions and encourages organisations to maintain fair, transparent cancellation processes. This collective consumer voice represents an important mechanism for holding service providers accountable and driving improvements in how cancellation requests are handled across the leisure industry.

Remember that cancelling a gym membership is your legal right once you have fulfilled any minimum term commitment and provided the required notice. You should never feel pressured to continue a membership that no longer serves your needs or fits your circumstances. By understanding your rights, following proper cancellation procedures, and maintaining thorough documentation, you can confidently terminate your My Places Leisure membership and move forward with your fitness journey in whatever direction best suits your current situation.