# Total Fitness has gone into receivership, as of last night



## Qbot (17 Mar 2011)

Anyone know where members stand now? at the end of a very long line I guess.

[broken link removed]


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## bradyj (17 Mar 2011)

*Total Fitness*

I was wondring the  same thing -   I paid my annual fee in January - 900 euro for myself and my husband.  We paid by Mastercard - does anyone know if we have any comeback from the credit card company?
And how do we get in the queue for Total Fitness creditors - even though it may be futile it seems wrong to do just do nothing!


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## Qbot (17 Mar 2011)

not too sure about credit card company --- I wonder if another gym will go in and take over and honor membership... too early to know


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## bradyj (17 Mar 2011)

hopefully.  Maybe Opportunity for Ben Dunne......


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## Guest105 (17 Mar 2011)

Any truth to the rumours Lidl are going to take them over, an awful sign of the times if they are. Tough on all those about to lose their jobs.
http://www.thepropertypin.com/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=36551


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## c0ugar (17 Mar 2011)

Even the staff could not get past the locked gym gates this morning to retrieve their possessions. Re members rights, we're unlikely to get any refunds after all other priority creditors get paid. Would be great if all 3 gyms were bought over & operated by another gym operator. Good business opportunity out there for any potential investor with investment capital to hand.


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## bullworth (17 Mar 2011)

...


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## horusd (17 Mar 2011)

I doubt if rents are the sole or maybe even the big issue here. There are most likely competition issues and other costs. It would also seem odd that Landlords would not budge in these difficult times. All seems very strange and very quick.


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## Brendan Burgess (17 Mar 2011)

bullworth said:


> Rents and rates are killing businesses due to failed previous government policy via NAMA etc.
> 
> .



I think most people are concerned on this thread about their rights as members of TF. If you want to somehow blame NAMA and the government for it, start another thread.


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## bradyj (17 Mar 2011)

Ok So. Rang credit card customer services and chances are you could get your money back but when I checked my accounts I had paid by debit card.  Don't know why - I know you should always pay by credit card for big things for insurance. 
Anyway for anyone else out there who paid by credit card it's worth ringing to check.
Feel sorry for the staff. Horrible way to find out you've lost your job


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## truthseeker (18 Mar 2011)

horusd said:


> All seems very strange and very quick.


 
Its been on the cards a while, people have been complaining that equipment was not being repaired/maintained and the gym wouldnt budge on high membership costs.


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## Black Sheep (19 Mar 2011)

Did you hear the lady on the Joe Duffy show yesterday who reminded all those who had paid their subs by credit card to apply in writing (don't bother phoning) for their refunds. All those in the "Squash Ireland" (similar situation) case who applied to credit card services for their refunds got refunds of the unused amounts of their subs.
She also reminded those who pay direct debit to cancel their DD's


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## lemrac (21 Mar 2011)

Hi,

who do you apply in writing to for refund? Is it your credit card company and do you know what info you need to give.
thank you.


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## Creme61 (21 Mar 2011)

*Hi*

Like others on this thread...I was a member of Total Fitness in Castleknock.  Where I feel for the staff members who have lost their jobs, I had gotten to know some of the staff quite well, my main grievance lies with my recent membership renewal.  
I renewed my yearly fee on 28th February, paying €495 by debit card.  I now have no recourse unless the liquidator appointed manages to refund some/all of my fee.
In the few days prior to renewing my membership, I had been asking if I could take a 6 month membership, instead of the full year....the staff member I was dealing with in Castleknock, emailed the office in England on a few occasions trying to get an answer.
They eventually came back to me and said I could only take the membership for the year, not for 6 months.
This all  happened 2 weeks before they closed.  They HAD to have known in the office in England that they were closing....yet they proceeded to take my years membership, when they knew I would be getting nothing for it.
I feel this is fraud/theft and I am so angry about it.


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## Creme61 (21 Mar 2011)

*Liquidator to be appointed.*

Following along from this discussion.....I found information on the web of a Creditors meeting to take place next Wednesday 30th March.  The purpose of the meeting is also to appoint a liquidator.  
The meeting is to take place in the Holiday Inn on Pearse Street, Dublin 2, at 1 p.m. ......if anyone is interested in attending.


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## Creme61 (22 Mar 2011)

*What happens??*

Does anyone know the format at these Creditor meetings?  If you are a Creditor, is it essential that you attend, or can you have someone attend in your place?  Is there much discussed at the initial meeting?   I'm a little in the dark here, any advice would be much appreciated.


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## Creme61 (24 Mar 2011)

*Time of meeting*

I have since discovered that that meeting will take place at 2 p.m.......at the same venue.  Just in case anyone wants to attend....


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## BazFitz (24 Mar 2011)

Unless you're time rich, I wouldn't bother attending.  There's no chance that members will get anything, as they're behind the secured and preferential creditors.


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## mcaul (28 Mar 2011)

Creme61 said:


> Does anyone know the format at these Creditor meetings? If you are a Creditor, is it essential that you attend, or can you have someone attend in your place? Is there much discussed at the initial meeting? I'm a little in the dark here, any advice would be much appreciated.


 
Very little happens at these meetings. Directors / Solicitor for directors reads a report. Some questions are answered from the floor, Liquidator appointed. Meeting finished.

Once a liquidator is appointed the directors ahve no further say in the matter.

If anything untoward is found by the liquidator, a director can be banned / restricted or in some cases made laible for some debts.

In this case it seems the market just caught up on them. The fitness market peaked in 2007 and has dropped ever since. Currently there's a price war and less members available, so they are all losing on many fronts. I'd say even if rents were reduced it would be difficult to make these places pay their way these days.


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## Qbot (29 Mar 2011)

does anyone know how long it takes for a chargeback claim to be approved on your visa card?


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## Creme61 (29 Mar 2011)

*Total Fitness meeting*

Thanks Mcaul for your reply.   I am in the dark on such matters.   I have been speaking with the solicitor involved, no mention was made of any possible remuneration.  At this stage it is highly unlikely we'll get anything.  Someone said to me I might get 1% of what I'm owed, not a lot really.


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## RonanC (30 Mar 2011)

I would not be a happy Total Fitness member reading this [broken link removed]


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## Qbot (31 Mar 2011)

that is shocking!


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## PaddyBloggit (31 Mar 2011)

*Members or staff of €19m gym collapse to get nothing*

and there is more here:

http://www.independent.ie/national-...o19m-gym-collapse-to-get-nothing-2602027.html


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