Abu Dhabi’s Department of Economic Development has introduced a series of stringent regulations aimed at safeguarding the rights of gym members. The recent circular mandates gym owners and managers to adhere to specific guidelines covering various aspects such as pricing, contract renewal, trial periods, and compensation for closures.
Gyms are now required to prominently display a price list in Arabic, detailing all types of memberships along with their respective fees. Additionally, gyms have the option to provide the price list in a second language for accessibility purposes.
Under the new regulations, gyms are prohibited from automatically renewing membership contracts. Instead, they must offer a new contract if the customer chooses to renew their membership.
Gyms are barred from requesting or storing customers’ bank card data, ensuring the privacy and security of members’ financial information.
Members must be granted a trial period of no less than three days, during which they can cancel their membership without incurring any charges. This trial period is limited to a single instance per customer.
In the event of gym closures on non-business days, members are entitled to compensation for the duration of closure. If the closure extends beyond one month, the membership must be terminated, and any outstanding amounts refunded to the member. Additionally, gyms are prohibited from transferring memberships to other branches without obtaining written consent from the member.
If gyms fail to deliver agreed-upon services or features included in the membership, members are entitled to compensation for the period during which these services were not available. Alternatively, members have the option to cancel their membership and receive a refund.
The Department of Economic Development has warned that failure to comply with these regulations may result in the invocation of powers outlined in the Consumer Protection Law. This includes seeking judicial review to invalidate arbitrary or unfair provisions, as per Article 17 of the law, along with imposing penalties stipulated by relevant laws or regulations.
Furthermore, for contracts involving minors under the age of 18, a guardian must sign on behalf of the minor.
These measures underscore Abu Dhabi’s commitment to consumer protection and ensuring transparency and fairness in the gym membership sector. Gym owners and managers are urged to fully cooperate with the enforcement of these regulations to uphold the rights and interests of gym members across the emirate.