Quite a few customers contact consumer advocates every day asking whether they can get their contributions back from fitness centers.
The fitness studios are still closed in February, and this is unlikely to change even in March. But not only the companies, but also the customers themselves are now struggling for their financial survival.
Quite a few people therefore report to the Chamber of Labor's consumer protection department every day. The “ORF Vorarlberg” asked the AK consumer advocate Judith Kastlunger about the legal situation.
Kastlunger makes it clear: For the months in which the studio is completely closed, the monthly amount can of course also be reclaimed.
The same applies to automatic debiting. This can also be interrupted. Such an application is best made in writing.
A solution that is mostly acceptable to both sides is to “hang up”. Customers continue to pay their monthly fee, but get the months in which they cannot use the offer added to their contract duration.
In this way, the customer also gets the months for which he has paid. In return, the fitness studio can cover its running costs and does not experience a total failure. However, this is not legally covered. It is done on a purely voluntary basis.
In any case, most operators are accommodating, and consumer protection rarely has to help.
