Virgin Active UK Reviews 

Terrible communication! Absolutely diabolical. They didn't let me know when the works would start at my home gym, I arrived one day to chaos and dust everywhere. I can go to another Virgin Active, but that one is so dirty, never any toilet paper, always smells like someone is smoking somewhere in the changing rooms.. So I asked to freeze my account until the works at my home gym are done, no one told me there would be a fee - I get confirmation by email of this. I am trying to contact Virgin Active to ask why I'm being charged when it's not my fault I need to freeze, and I can't get through. Can't reset my password to chat, no answer on the phone. So frustrating!!!

I moved to Wembley at the end of January where there’s no virgin active. I gave written notice of cancelling my membership in early December. I was charged in February and received a refund. Now I’m constantly getting overdue reminders and threats of debt collection despite being assured by my home branch that the cancellation is taken care of. It’s extremely stressful and time consuming to cancel this place and you can’t get anyone on the phone. Don’t risk joining
Edit, they finally got back to me and cancelled my membership, leaving an outstanding balance for month of February despite cancelling my membership in December 😒

I've just called the customer service and the person was so rude, no manner, no saying anything much. I havent finish my inquiries and he just said alright and hang up !! So I just canceled my membership and cancel it and make so difficult to do so. Not ever gonna join virgin active again !!!!

I actually dont mind the leigh on sea gym but i do not understand how they can up the price of my membership by £42, I've been using this gym since september 2022. I now have to leave and find a more affordable gym, how they can charge £136 for a membership that often has spa equipment out of use, often has no hot water so i have to shower at home i do not know, i sent a web message and was told I'd hear back,that was 5 days ago. Clearly want the old members out to make way for the new members

I’m extremely disappointed with Virgin Active’s handling of my membership.

I’m on a 12-month contract and had to request cancellation due to a genuine health condition that prevents me from using the gym. I provided the required medical evidence from my doctor and submitted everything by email on 26th January.

It has now been over 20 days with no reply, no confirmation, and no support - yet Virgin Active is still taking monthly payments as normal. Under UK consumer guidance, a contract should allow cancellation where a medical condition prevents use of the service.

To make matters worse, it is practically impossible to contact anyone by phone - calls either go unanswered or lead nowhere, which leaves customers with no proper way to resolve urgent issues.

At this point it feels like my request is being deliberately ignored while they continue charging me.

This is not acceptable customer service, especially when someone is dealing with a medical issue. I am now formally requesting that Virgin Active:
• confirms my cancellation in writing
• cancels my membership from the date I first submitted the medical evidence
• refunds any payments taken since that date

I hope someone from Customer Relations finally takes this seriously and resolves it properly.
Membership 425p149339 - Wandsworth

First, total lack of transparency in the way Personal Training contracts are presented. I agreed to a 3-month package, but the fact that this would convert into a rolling monthly contract was not even mentioned once. The agreement was signed on a tablet at reception, the renewal terms were not mentioned or explained, and I was not provided with a copy of the contract. Payments were then taken in a fourth month, without any reminder or warning, and at a higher price than the original 3-month promotional package. As far as I understand, practices of this kind may not comply with basic consumer transparency requirements.

Second, the customer service structure makes it practically impossible to resolve any issue. Telephone support says that decisions are made by the local club, while the local club says that they cannot act directly and can only submit requests through an internal system. In practice, this means there is no clear point of responsibility and no one who can actually resolve a problem. Emails trigger automatic replies promising contact within 1–3 days, but no one ever directly follows up, which feels like a complete lack of respect for customers’ time and concerns.

Practices like this harm both customers and the company itself. It is frustrating to see such an efficient system when it comes to taking payments, but so little support when a problem arises. Issues like these have already led to regulatory action and fines in fitness companies in other countries, and I hope Virgin Active UK reflects seriously on how contracts are explained and how customer support is handled. As customers we simply want clarity, fairness, and the ability to resolve problems without having to fight for it.

Last but not least, Virgin Active leadership should seriously look at the Trustpilot rating of around 3.2. This is not a small issue but a clear warning sign. It is hard not to question the judgement and competence of management when such consistent feedback is ignored. Ignoring your customers is not a strategy; it is a sure way to lose their trust and damage your brand.

New Addition after Virgin Active Response:
Thank you for your response. I appreciate that you state "contracts are explained verbally when set up". However, where agreements create ongoing financial commitments, the key terms should be clearly set out in writing and drafted in a way that makes their effect obvious to the customer. Transparency cannot depend solely on what may have been said verbally.

In my case, the arrangement was presented as a three-month promotional package, which reasonably suggests a fixed term rather than a minimum term converting into a rolling contract. The written agreement I signed states only the discounted price and does not refer to any higher price after three months (which has been the case and without warning), nor does it clearly set out automatic continuation beyond that period. In those circumstances, it is entirely reasonable to interpret the offer as a fixed-term package.

For terms like this to be fair, they need to be clearly written and made obvious to customers at the time they sign up. That is the core of my concern.

Giving it a 3 for the Classes and gym as they are great.

If you’ve got kids and want to get into lessons, brilliant. Kids swimming lessons are every day of the week, 4-8pm and Sat/Sunday mornings: exactly the prime time you would go if you work full time. For me, Working full time, with no kids, it’s totally rubbish. £80 a month to not be able to use the pool at convenient times is pretty pants.

Genuinely the worst gym experience I have ever had in my life. I am extremely disappointed with Virgin Active’s customer service.

I have been trying to resolve membership issues for over three months. It takes days-weeks to get any response, and when I do, the issue is still not properly addressed. I have made multiple complaints and spent a significant amount of time chasing for clarity, yet nothing seems to move forward.

As a result, I have been unable to properly use my membership, which I am still being charged for. I am now in an ongoing dispute over my contract, which could have been avoided if anyone had dealt with this competently at the start.

The lack of accountability and slow communication has been incredibly frustrating. For a gym brand like Virgin Active, the level of service is simply not acceptable. I have had to lodge a complaint via a private resolver. Their teams are unhelpful and you will go around in loops and loops.

I would strongly urge others to consider the level of aftercare before signing up.

This was the worst gym and leisure club I've ever joined. It's oversubscribed, you need to queue to get a machine. Parking is a nightmare to the extent that it's kind of normal to go there, get stuck in traffic and never make it the gym as by the time traffic in the car park eases you feel exhausted and get back in the exit queue. Numerous complaints remain unanswered. Most members are there because there's no alternatives. If a David Lloyd opens in Sheffield these guys go out of business overnight. I got injured and ended up in hospital but the only remedy they could offer was cancelling my membership after a fake investigation into the case. Noone rang me to check on me although the injuries were in head and spinal areas. I wouldn't go back if it's offered for free.

Signing up to this gym online is quick and straightforward. Cancelling, however, is a completely different story and feels deliberately obstructive.

The cancellation process is not transparent or accessible. The terms and conditions are not clearly available on the website and were only discoverable by pretending to sign up again, where they appear as a checkbox. The email address for cancellations is also hidden within these hard-to-find terms.

Although cancellation is supposedly possible by phone, in practice this does not work. I have attempted to call multiple times and remained in the queue until the call is automatically disconnected at around 46 minutes without ever being answered. Online cancellation is not available, and the app only allows you to freeze your membership, not cancel it.

Other options require attending the club in person or contacting customer service during limited weekday working hours, which are impractical for many people. This is despite the fact that joining can be done fully online at any time.

Before signing up, read the terms extremely carefully, take screenshots, and set your own reminder well before the end of the initial commitment period. Be aware that cancelling may require significant time, persistence, and escalation. If you do run into issues, Citizens Advice can help you understand your rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015.

I would not recommend this gym based on the cancellation experience alone.

Money-grabbing and deliberately misleading cancellation process

⚠️ WARNING: Virgin Active will take as much money from you as possible when you try to cancel — with little to no warning.

I went through what should be a completely normal process. I got injured, froze my membership, didn’t recover, and then cancelled. I called them, cancelled within weeks of the next billing period, and was told the cancellation was “done”.

What I was not told — at any point — was that:

1. I would still be charged for the following month
2. AND hit with an additional cancellation fee
3. EVEN THOUGH my membership was frozen and I wasn’t using the gym

Incredibly, cancelling actually cost me more money than staying another month. This was never clearly explained, flagged, or transparently communicated.

This feels like a deliberately engineered system designed to squeeze maximum money out of members, particularly when they’re injured or vulnerable and just want to leave.

Hidden charges, poor communication, and a complete lack of consumer care.

I strongly recommend avoiding Virgin Active there are far better gyms that don’t rely on traps and fine print to make money.

Utterly dreadful.

2 hours on hold.

Couldn't reach anyone.

I unfortunately was transferred to a really nasty Manager JG, this review was blocked for a year… and I wanted my voice to be heard:
JG IS THE MOST AWFUL AND UNPROFESSIONAL SENIOR MANAGER AT THE HEAD OFFICE. VERY ARROGANT, HOSTILE AND AGGRESSIVE (MR J GLA&&). I HAVE BEEN BLOCKED BY THIS MANAGER AND DENIED MY RIGHTS TO A FULL INVESTIGATION. NO COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE DETAILS WAS NOT GIVEN!

PLEASE CAN SOMEONE SHARE!

I never thought I would ever leave a review in my lifetime but my experience with the managers was so shocking I had to share. I have guest passes that I was unable to use because the system was down for 7-10days, I spoke with several managers who reassured me that once their systems are up the would reinstate them because the date has expired on 7 of them. So the system started working again and now I went and asked how long it would take, all 4 managers at Bromley gave me the run around. I then emailed the head office over a 3-4 mths I heard nothing no email or an acknowledgment. I then decided to ask a staff please can your Senior Manager call me. 2wks pass and finally I spoke with JG who’s supposed to be the senior manager. Firstly he came on the phone with an aggressive attitude and says your guest passes are expired and there’s nothing he can do about it. I then told him his managers all reassured me that I would be able to get them. His response was “ well I am the manager and you will not get the passes and that’s how is is” I then ask for his manager and he told me no and hang up the phone. 2mins later I got an email stated “CONGRATULATIONS YOUR MEMBERSHIP HAS BEEN CANCELLED AS YOU REQUESTED “. Let me make this clear, I DID NOT REQUEST ANY CANCELLATIONS OR CLOSING OF MY MEMBERSHIP AT NO POINT. Since then I called customer service more than 25times trying to speak with a manager and JG told his staff to not transfer me because the staff thought he put my call on hold but in fact I could hear the conversation, then the staff came back on the phone and told me he can’t transfer me and he hand up the phone and this repeated over and over..this manager should is not capable of dealing with complaints because of his ego, hostile approach, aggressive behaviour. He closed my membership and did not give me compliant procedures details and very cocky with his rudeness. He needs 3yrs of training so that his approach should be more effective where he can listen and not speak over you customers. SHAMEFUL, ARROGANT,UNPROFESSIONAL and he get all his staffs to do the same. Just outrageous, shocking. I am suffering from depression, anxiety and the gym is my therapy. If anyone has any email addresses or phones number to manager please share.

I have had a very disappointing experience with Virgin Active Mill Hill regarding membership fees.

My membership started in September 2024 at £84.15 per month. After ten months, I was suddenly charged £99 for the 11th month. I was later told by email that this was a mistake and that I would receive a refund — which never happened. The following month, I was charged £99 again.

Without any prior notice or explanation, my monthly fee was then increased to £114, which is an increase of more than 30%. I never agreed to this increase and received no justification for it.

What makes this even more frustrating is the unequal treatment. My husband, who uses the same gym at similar times, saw his fee increase from £90 to £100. There appears to be no clear or fair basis for how these increases are applied.

Overall, the lack of transparency, inconsistent pricing, and poor customer service have been extremely disappointing.

Nice gym (Repton Park); lots of equipment and choice but still room for improvement on the gym floor with regards to culture of cleanliness

Money grabbing thieves. After being a paid member for a 12month contract. They ramp up the price monthly till it reaches £200 or you commit. They send you just the one email (which happened to go to junk), as they bombard a lot of junk emails. No one on the front desk warns you about your contract and no one tells you when you sign up.

Not to mention that at the end of the contract the spa was freezing and problems daily. For a health club that sends emails about mental health and awareness they really don't care about stinging genuine customers for money.

What began as a minor billing/admin issue dragged on for over 10 weeks due to poor internal processes and a lack of clear ownership. During this entire period:
• My account was blocked
• I couldn’t book classes or use the app
• I repeatedly had to ask staff to let me into the gym
• I spent hours chasing updates via reception, phone, email, chat, and in person

To make matters worse, Virgin Active stopped taking my membership payment by direct debit. Instead of contacting me to resolve this, late payment charges were added with no communication or explanation. This added further confusion and stress while I was actively trying to get clarity on what was happening.

Throughout the 10 weeks, I was passed back and forth between the gym and head office. While a manager did try to explore whether the charge could be removed as a gesture of goodwill, there were long periods with no updates, no decisions, and no clear communication. During this time, my account remained blocked and I was unable to access services I was paying for.

The core issue isn’t the outcome (that the charge ultimately still stood) — it’s the process. A simple billing query took over two months to resolve, during which my access was restricted and I was left in limbo with no clear answers.

The issue is now resolved, but the length of time my account was blocked and the lack of communication throughout is completely unreasonable for what should have been a straightforward admin matter.

Virgin Active has good facilities, but the customer service and billing processes are deeply flawed. If anything goes wrong, be prepared to chase persistently.

I want to express my disappointment with the availability of classes at Chiswick Park Gym. The class options are extremely limited, and they are fully booked within 15 minutes of opening for reservations in the app one week before the class. Furthermore, having the last cycle class scheduled at 5:45 p.m. is simply not feasible for many members who work to afford a membership at this expensive gym. We need more options that accommodate our schedules. The recent increase in fees was presented as a means to improve the gym, yet as a member, I have not seen any meaningful changes that justify this hike in cost. Currently, I am on the waiting list for five classes next week, all with positions in the 10th or higher, which leaves me with little hope of attending any of those classes. Considering the price we are paying, it is reasonable to expect more class options and varied timings, especially beyond 5:45 p.m. I urge you to address these concerns and provide more availability for your members.
If you cannot work on that I would like to have the chance to cancel my membership as I am paying for a service that I cannot use it.

Visit to Aldersgate in London - feedback from VA is technically incorrect as the DD was signed in Dec 25 and funds were collected from my bank account in Jan 26. It was more of a ego issue from the
incompetent member of staff who needs to be sacked.

I strongly recommend avoiding Virgin Active.
I have tried to cancel my rolling monthly membership since 14 December 2025 using their official website chat. I repeated the cancellation process on 23 December and again on 2 January after phone support failed (30+ minute wait, then the call disconnected when I reached the front of the queue). Each time I was told cancellation was confirmed and that I would receive an email copy of the chat and someone would contact me. None of that happened.
Virgin Active later said they would respond within 72 hours, but it has now been more than a week and still no written confirmation, no response, and no ownership.
The final joke: a staff member at the gym told me my account would “go to arrears” because I cancelled my Direct Debit — despite the fact I have been trying to cancel properly for weeks and Virgin Active has failed to process it.
This is not how a reputable company operates. If you join, be prepared for a battle just to cancel.