Membership freeze refers to putting a membership on hold temporarily.
It allows members to pause their membership without the need for justification to the gym.
Common reasons for freezing include:
- Injury or rehabilitation from surgery.
- Travel plans or being away from home.
Eligibility for Freezing Membership
Members must meet specific criteria to be eligible for a freeze:
- Must be an active member of Planet Fitness.
- Cannot owe any money to the gym.
- Ineligible memberships include:
- Partner memberships.
- Paid-in-full memberships.
- Free memberships with partner benefits.
- Only one membership allowed per member; having multiple requires cancellation of the existing membership to proceed with a freeze.
Fees and Conditions of Membership Freeze
Freezing a membership is not free; there are fees involved:
- Members pay a fee at 50% of their current membership rate for each month the membership is frozen.
- Membership can only be frozen for a minimum of 30 days and for a maximum of 6 months each year.
- The months of the freeze will be added to the end of the member’s contract:
- Example: If a member freezes for 6 months, their contract is extended by an additional 6 months.
- Contract extension rules apply only to members still inside their minimum contract period.
- Members on a month-to-month basis cannot have their contracts extended since they have already fulfilled their initial agreement.
Membership Contract Extension
Contract extensions occur automatically based on the length of the freeze:
- Example: A member with a 12-month contract who freezes for 4 months will have their contract extended by 4 months, pushing their auto-renewal date further.
Clarification on contract terms:
- The contract extension does not affect members already outside the minimum duration.
- Extensions cannot be backdated or executed in the current calendar month if the freeze is not initiated seven working days before the debit order is scheduled.
Important Timing Considerations
Members must initiate the freeze request at least 7 working days before their next scheduled debit to avoid potential issues with payment.
Billing is based on the membership fees of the month in which the freeze is requested.
Clarification regarding public holidays affecting the 7 working days cutoff:
- If the member's debit is scheduled for a holiday period, the freeze request must still adhere to the seven working days rule.
User Experience and Communication
It is essential for staff to communicate clearly with members regarding freeze eligibility and fees.
Members are informed about the conditions and criteria through customer service interactions.
Miscommunication can arise if member expectations do not align with company policies as stated on the website regarding the ability to freeze memberships.
A helpful customer service approach includes being polite, professional, and informative while assisting members in understanding their options.
Pro Rata Fees for Early Unfreeze Requests
If a member wishes to unfreeze their membership earlier than the agreed period, certain conditions apply:
- They must contact customer service to initiate the unfreeze.
- Early unfreeze may incur additional charges calculated on a pro-rata basis:
- Pro-rata calculation involves determining the cost of the remaining days of the month.
- For instance, if the member calls on the 20th of the month, they will pay a fee for the remaining days.