FINANCIAL
1. Initial payments, membership plan and associated fees are on the online membership application.
2. Memberships can be paid up front by lump sum or monthly by direct debit. If you choose to pay up front for 6 or 12 months, you will be entitled to inclusive 1 or 2 month’s free membership respectively. If you are paying by direct debit, you will make a pro-rata payment followed by your first direct debit payment which will be collected in advance on the 1st of each month.
3. If any Direct Debit is returned unpaid for a reason other than banking error, or if any other form of payment is not honoured, you shall pay us an administration fee of £5.00 in addition to the unpaid amount. We may remove the administration fee if the outstanding amount is paid within 7 days of becoming due. If the unpaid Direct Debit and administration fee remain unpaid and a further payment is missed, we reserve the right to cancel your membership. We may pass your details to a debt-collection company to recover any outstanding payments.
4. From time to time we may increase the price of membership or change the date on which payments are collected. If you pay monthly, we will give you a minimum 1 full month notice of any fee change via email. If you do not cancel your membership by the date given in the notice, then the price of your membership will be increased in accordance with our notice. If you have taken out a lump sum membership, any increase will not be until the membership term ends.
5. All membership fees are non-refundable. In the event of a bona fide reason, up front memberships may be temporarily suspended (frozen) at the discretion of the management.
6. The joining fee may be waived at the discretion of the club management.
7. If you upgrade or downgrade your membership, there may be an administration fee. In the case of a membership downgrade, no refund will be given.
ACCESS
8. Before being able to use the club, all members must undergo an induction in the safe us of equipment
9. All members and guests using the facilities must be aged 16 years or over.
10. Members will be required to create an online account to gain access into the club and register visits.
11. To ensure only a valid member uses a membership plan, members must upload a photograph or have their photograph taken.
12. Membership is not transferable and may only be used by the person to whom it is issued. Members must not knowingly allow non-members to gain entry to the facility
13. Membership cards will not be issued but may be used to access the facilities if available from a previous membership. Lost membership cards will not be replaced
14. Members attending without access to their online account or without their membership card can be refused entry or asked to pay a visit fee.
15. We have several memberships providing access at various times and to certain facilities (not limited to, but including Platinum, Off Peak & Weekend). We may at any time, change or withdraw these memberships but will provide you with a minimum of 28 days notice.
16. We reserve the right to refuse admission on the grounds of safety when maximum numbers are reached within the facility at any one time.
17. There may be occasions where we have to close all, or part of the facility. In such circumstances, you will not be entitled to any partial or full refund. We will aim to provide as much advance notice where possible unless an emergency doesn’t allow.
MEMBERSHIP FREEZE
18. If you need to take a temporary break due to illness or injury, you can request to freeze your membership. You must request this in advance, by email.
19. If you pay monthly, you must leave your direct debit active at your bank. No credit will be given for membership freezes part way through a month. If you cancel your direct debit, your membership will be cancelled and no refund given.
20. If you pay up front by lump sum, membership can be frozen for between 1 and 3 months (longer for exceptional circumstances at management discretion). You must notify us at the time of requesting to freeze your membership if you wish to freeze your plan for 1, 2 or 3 months and this time will be added to your plan.
21. If you request to cancel whilst your membership is frozen, we will still request one full monthly payment as your notice period.
CANCELLATION
22. Members are required to provide 30 days written notice when choosing to terminate a membership.
23. All cancellations must be given in writing by email (fitness@ruskinsthelens.com)
24. After providing written notice to cancel, one further payment will be collected and your membership will expire on the last day of the final payment month e.g. give notice on 20th June, payment collected on 1st July and membership ends on 31st July. NO REFUNDS WILL BE GIVEN.
25. You cannot cancel your membership until your first full month direct debit has been collected.
26. You should not cancel your direct debit until after your final payment has been collected.
27. If you rejoin after cancelling, you will be liable to pay any joining and prevailing membership fees.
28. If you have not cancelled your direct debit or given us valid written notice to cancel your membership, we will be entitled to keep any membership fees received.
29. If you pay your membership up front, you cannot cancel your membership within the term. Your membership will automatically end once you have completed this term, unless you choose to renew.
30. We may cancel your membership if:
a. you commit a serious or repeated breach of this agreement or the club’s rules of membership and the breach, if capable of remedy, is not remedied within 7 days of receipt of a default notice;
b. any part of your membership fee remains unpaid 30 days after its due date for payment; or.
c. you provide us with details which you know to be false when applying for membership and the false declaration would have reasonably affected our decision to grant you membership.
31. If we terminate for any of these reasons, we reserve the right to retain a proportion of the money paid under this agreement, to cover any reasonable costs incurred.
32. Membership may be terminated if a member is found to have caused injury, wilful damage or misappropriated members’ or club property. Membership may be suspended or terminated if a member is found to have used offensive language or acted irresponsibly around the facility.
33. If you sign up online to a membership plan you have 14 days "cooling off" to cancel this plan but you must notify us in writing before the cancellation period ends. If you have entered the club to use the facilities during the 14 day period, we will reduce any refund by a pro rata amount for the membership you have used.
ETIQUETTE
34. Food must not be consumed in the club except in the designated Lounge.
35. Members must adhere to any reasonable request from the club management or staff. The Manager or on duty supervisor has ultimate authority. All instructions and signage must be adhered to.
36. Members must not use the club premises whilst under the influence of alcohol, anti-coagulants, anti-histamines and narcotics which or medication that can cause drowsiness. Any member with diabetes, heart disease, high or low blood pressure must have medical approval. Written evidence may be requested. Members are advised to obtain medical opinion before undertaking exercise.
37. Members are asked to observe a good standard of attire and not enter the facilities in inappropriate clothing or footwear. Swim wear must be worn at all times in the pool area. T-shirts must be worn in the gyms.
38. Poolside users must shower before entering the pool area and between each poolside facility. This is vital in maintaining hygiene standards and ensuring minimal chemical imbalance caused by chemicals such as deodorant and hair products.
39. No inflatables, flippers or other equipment can be taken into the pool. Swimming goggles are permitted.
40. In the swimming pool, long hair should either be worn under a swim cap or be tied up
41. Smoking or vaping are not permitted in any part of the facility.
42. Running and diving is not permitted in the pool area.
43. For health, safety and hygiene reasons shaving is not permitted in any area of the club.
46. You must not take photographs or video recordings in changing areas, toilets, pool & thermal facilities.
47. You may take photographs and video recordings in the cardiovascular and strength areas of the club for your own personal use provided that anyone who appears must be aware that you are filming them and you must get their permission first. If another member is unhappy that you are filming them and makes a complaint, we may ask you to show us any images which you have taken in the club and to delete them if appropriate.
MISCELLANEOUS
47. Any personal training service provided by a member of our team is a contract between them and you. We are not liable for, responsible for any monies paid to a PT
48. We will not be liable for any event that is outside our reasonable control that means we are not able to perform our obligations.
49. Our liability to compensate you (in the case of loss or damage other than death or personal injury) is limited to a reasonable amount having regard to such factors as whether the damage was due to a negligent act or omission by us.
50. We will compensate you for any loss or damage you may suffer if we fail to carry out our obligations under this agreement or to a reasonable standard or breach any duties imposed on us by law (including if we cause the death or personal injury to you by our negligence) unless that failure is attributable to:
a. your own fault;
b. a third party unconnected with our provision of services under this agreement; or
c. events which neither we nor our suppliers could have foreseen or forestalled even if we had taken all reasonable care
51. You bring all personal belongings at your own risk. We accept no liability for personal belongings left on the premises or in lockers. Do not leave personal belongings unattended or unsecured at any time.
52. Personal belonging cannot be left in a locker overnight and we will remove the contents from any locker used overnight. Any belonging will be held as lost property for up to 7 days. We do not take responsibility for any items held in lost property.
53. We reserve the right to open a locker, if we have reasonable grounds that it is being used for storage of anything other than your clothing or other personal belongings. If there is a case of mistaken locker identity, we will re-lock using a secure master code.
54. You must make your own arrangements in respect of insurance to cover loss or injuries suffered by them or caused by them to any third party, as the we accept no liability for any accident, injury or misadventure.
55. Members not complying with the rules and regulations may be asked to resign their membership of the club, or may have their membership terminated.
56. If you are unsure about your capability to exercise, we advise you get advice from a doctor. Our staff are not medically qualified. If you have a medical condition that affects your safety, we advise you do not attend unaccompanied. You are responsible for correctly using equipment and reading signs that are provided for your safety. If you are unsure of how to use any equipment, you must ask a member of staff.
57. You agree to advise us of any change in your medical situation that may affect your capability to exercise.
58. You agree to advise us of any change to the contact details provided on your membership application form. We will use the details you provide to communicate with you about your membership and other services. We will not be liable if communication isn’t received when we use the address or email address you provide to us.
ABOUT US
59. We are a company registered in England and Wales. Our company registration number is 07559248 and our registered office is at Ruskin Sports Village, Ruskin Drive, Dentons Green, St Helens. Our registered VAT number is 110 995 910
60. If you have any questions, comments or complaints, you can contact us by telephoning 01744 28866 or emailing fitness@ruskinsthelens.com
61. If any of the terms require you to give notice in writing, you can send this to us by email to fitness@ruskinsthelens.com
62. The management reserves the right to amend the rules and regulations at any time. Specific conditions might be agreed on specific memberships e.g. voucher, corporate and these will be shown in conjunction with any offer. These terms were last updated on 19th December 2022.