David Lloyd Clubs Hounded A Mum With A Critically Ill Baby In Intensive Care. Then Set Debt Collectors On To Her.

In early 2008 I joined the David Lloyd gym in Hatfield (UK). At the time I wasn't sure I'd be staying in the Hatfield area but I wanted to get fit. So I went in and talked to a sales man at the Hatfield gym (John, I think was his name, not sure of surname). We discussed the contract terms and I specifically asked him about cancelling membership should I move away. He told me that I'd absolutely be able to cancel my membership if I was moving away from the area, that they obviously they wouldn't hold me to the contract if I moved. I mentioned it didn't say that in the terms but he said it was standard practice (note to anyone reading this - always make sure you have anything promised in writing!) naively I was reassured by this verbal contract and signed up.

Later that year I became pregnant and had significant problems with my pregnancy. I decided I was going to move to be closer to my family. So as per the requirements of my contract I wrote to cancel my membership 4 months prior to my contract running out to explain that I was moving (1 month's notice and 3 month's early from my 12 month contract).

Unfortunately something terrible happened and my son was born very prematurely at 26 weeks (over 3 months early), weighing just 2lb 2 oz.

He had significant health problems and we ended up in 6 different hospitals, due to the surgeries he required. He died twice in the first 4 months of his life and was fortunately resuscitated both times. As you can imagine this was a harrowing and terrible time for me. Not knowing if my baby was going to live.

In the midst of this terrible time I started getting letters and calls from David Lloyd, saying that they wanted the 3 months payment from me (£270). I explained to them my understanding of their requirements and what the salesman John had told me. I asked them to check with the salesman and verify.

They said that John no longer worked at the Hatfield branch. I wasn't happy and said that I'd been lied to and felt they should waive the 3 months payment due to the verbal contract I had with them. They refused and offered me the use of a gym 80 miles away from where I was now living, as that was the closest to me since I'd moved. Unbelievable!! I have a very sick baby in intensive care who I spend night and day with and they think I'll travel 160 mile round journey just to use a gym!! They continued to pursue me calling at all times of day, despite me explaining to them I was in intensive care with a very sick baby.

As you can imagine this was the least of my problems, however David Lloyd passed my debt on to a debt collection agency, who then hounded me and used my situation to frighten me into paying, even though because I'd been lied to I didn't believe I owed the money. They said that surely with a very sick baby in hospital I didn't want to go to court and lose an open and shut case and have court orders against me.

By this point I had serious post natal depression and was in a terrible state, I couldn't cope. I had been told that my baby would never be able to walk, to talk or feed himself due to brain damage sustained during the birth. I paid because I just couldn't face going to court with all this other far more important stuff happening in my life.

That was 10 years ago and I have told this story to anyone who mentions David Lloyd. I can't believe how appallingly I was treated at one of the worst times in my life by a business supposedly focused on health, well-being and family, who didn't give a damn about how ill my baby or I were. They made a bad situation even worse by their heartless and uncaring actions.

The company I worked for Tesco, were amazingly supportive and went out of their way to help me, giving me 15 months maternity leave, to ensure my son was healthy enough for me to return to work. They kept my job open way longer than they were required to and supported me amazingly in the following years of my sons surgeries.

My son, who is awesome and is now 10 and under the amazingly wonderful care of Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, having had numerous brain surgeries and been cared for by the wonderful doctors and nurses there, is doing great, not perfect and still has some health issues but nothing you could ever tell just through seeing and meeting him. He's happy, fun loving and doing well at school - just like most normal kids. He's a testament to the skill and dedication of all the people at Great Ormond Street and the wonderful people who work in the NHS in general.

I think having held this hatred of David Lloyd for 10 years it's time to move on and I want David Lloyd to make this right. The debt was about £270, 10 years ago. I don't want the money back. What I want David Lloyd to do is donate it to Great Ormond Street Hospital, to help them continue the amazing work they do. Or better still sponsor them alongside your current sponsored charity.