Those hoping to get fit in the new year should carefully read the terms of conditions of gyms and fitness centres as many of them are unfair, according to Fine Gael enterprise spokesman Leo Varadkar.
Consumers are " in danger of being ripped off by unfair terms and conditions written into fitness centre contracts," he says.
The new year period is the peak time for gyms and fitness centres to sign up new members. Last year, the National Consumer Agency (NCA) published draft guidelines for fitness centres.
However, very few of the major operators have amended their contracts or rules of membership to comply with the draft guidelines. Fitness centres, he says, commonly write unfair terms into their contracts including:
clauses that require members to accept they are using the facilities entirely at their own risk and that the fitness centre has no liability in any circumstances;
unclear minimum notice periods for contract cancellation;
automatic rolling over of annual contracts into a second year;
clauses that allow operators to alter opening hours or to close facilities without consultation;
no refund clauses operable even when the operators breaks the terms of the contract, and
summary cancellation of membership without cause or refund.
Dr Varadkar has called on the National Consumer Council to initiate proceedings against operators who refused to remove rip-off clauses.
"I would encourage customers to be careful as to what they sign up to and, if they don't fully understand a contract they are being asked to sign - don't."