Gym membership contract checklist

RPM confirms prices and terms for each of its three membership tiers on enquiry rather than publishing them, so take this table with you when you ask. The sections below go deeper on the clauses that cause the most trouble.

A freeze pauses your membership without cancelling it. In Abu Dhabi it is often the clause that matters most, because many residents travel for weeks in July and August, and work trips and family emergencies come up through the year. Policies vary a lot between gyms, so ask each one the same questions.

• Which reasons are accepted: travel, illness, pregnancy, work?
• Do you need a document, such as a ticket or a doctor's note?
• What is the shortest and the longest freeze allowed, and how many are allowed each year?
• Is there a fee, and does the end date of your term move back?
• How much notice do you have to give before the freeze starts?

• Can you cancel during the minimum term, and what does it cost?
• How much notice is required, and does it run from the date you ask?
• Can you cancel by email or message, or only at reception?
• Will you get written confirmation that the membership has ended?
• What happens if you leave the UAE, for example when a job ends? Ask whether proof of departure ends the contract early, and on what terms.

Cancellation is where verbal reassurance and the written contract can part company. If staff tell you leaving is easy, ask them to point to the clause that says so.

Many memberships continue unless you stop them. Ask whether yours renews automatically, how far ahead you will be told, and what the renewal price will be. If the price can rise, ask how much notice you get and whether you can leave without a charge when it does.

If the gym keeps your card on file for automatic payments, ask how to remove it and how long before a renewal the charge is announced. Put the renewal date in your calendar with a reminder a month ahead.

Gyms use the term joining fee in different ways. It might pay for an access card, setting up your account, or an induction or assessment. Sometimes it is simply administrative. Ask what you get for it, and whether it is refunded if you cancel early. Count it in the total cost when you compare gyms.

• What happens to prepaid months if the club closes, moves or shuts an area you paid for?
• What happens to personal training sessions you have paid for but not used?
• Will you get a tax invoice? If your employer pays back gym costs, see claiming gym costs from an employer.

The contract usually refers to the club's rules, so ask for a copy and read the parts that could cost you.

• What can lead to suspension or cancellation by the club?
• Are there dress, phone or photography rules, especially in women-only areas?
• Can you transfer the membership to someone else if you leave?
• How are guest visits handled, and who is responsible for a guest?
• How will you be told if the rules change?

A blank cell is information too. The contract with fewer blanks is the one you can hold the gym to.

• Read the whole contract, including the rules it refers to.
• Ask for a copy in a language you read well, Arabic or English, or take time to have it explained.
• Do not sign on the day of the tour if you feel rushed.
• Ask for any verbal promise to be added to the contract or confirmed in a message.
• Keep a signed copy, with a note of the date you signed.

RPM Gym has three membership tiers, Floor, Engine and Atelier, and confirms prices and contract terms on enquiry rather than online. Message the team on WhatsApp with the questions above, or bring them to a free guided tour. For the wider set of questions to ask before joining, see the question bank. The Ladies section is for women only, men train in the Mixed section, and which sections a membership covers depends on the tier.