Power report: To avoid theft at the gym, stand guard at your locker

Signing up for a gym membership is a really big step and for some of us it's a bridge too far.

Even though the bad old days of being trapped in unwanted contracts are gone - thanks to the contract renewal provisions of the Consumer Protection Act - the pitfalls of joining a health club for the first time are many.

There's the initial newbie embarrassment, possibly eclipsed only by the irrational fear that your alarmed heart will explode.

Then there's the very real risk of injury - and not only to your pride.

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It's no surprise that health clubs cover themselves by ensuring customers sign "assumption of risk" documents accepting full responsibility for the hazards of exercising and using gym equipment.

But there's another, very mundane, gamble when going to the gym.

It's not life-threatening, but it's certainly potentially costly. And it's one I suspect many members of Virgin Active's 129 clubs across Southern Africa are not too familiar with.

Regardless of whether you use Virgin's "valuables" lockers or its changeroom lockers for items such as your wallet, phone, jewellery and sunglasses, you're on your own should thieves break into them - padlocked or not.

Which, it seems, is disturbingly easy to do, depending on the lock you use.

Johannesburg industrial engineer Tshipeng Musas was shocked to discover this after his iPhone 6 Plus was stolen from his padlocked changeroom locker at the gym's Vodaworld branch in Johannesburg last month.

Despite club management asking him to send through a replacement quote, Virgin's insurer rejected the claim last week, citing the gym's disclaimer on its front door, and the general "no liability and indemnity clause" in the contract.

The specifics on the actual use of lockers are included in a separate document, "The Rule Book", which members agree to adhere to when they sign their contracts.

If Musas, who joined the gym at the beginning of the year, had read it he would have seen that Virgin did not undertake that the use of changeroom lockers - or even "highly visible" CCTV-monitored valuables lockers near reception - guaranteed the safety of personal belongings.

"We do not accept responsibility for any loss or theft of money or loss or damage ... whether locked in a locker or otherwise," the rules state.

block_quotes_start Taking the number of locker thefts reported and dividing this into the number of accesses to our clubs, there is a reported locker theft once in every 75,000 visits block_quotes_end

I was given the same story when I first approached Virgin.

But Musas's case is a bit more complicated. After Musas discovered the theft, the manager demonstrated to him how people could open lockers without tampering with the padlocks.

"He demonstrated with my 25mm padlock on my locker and another locker to illustrate what could have happened."

The 37-year-old father was told the gym was aware of the loophole - which related to padlock size - and would "sensitise members" on the ideal padlock size.

A few weeks later, new stickers appeared on the front of changeroom lockers recommending - unlike stickers long posted on the inside of locker doors - that a "solid padlock" of minimum 30mm and maximum 40mm be used.

The stickers reiterated the warning on the inside sticker that valuables should be locked in the lockers outside the changerooms near reception and that the gym wouldn't accept responsibility for any losses.

So why, if the gym was aware of the possible bypassing of certain locks, hadn't it warned members about this, I asked.

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It had, said Virgin spokeswoman Les Aupiais. About two months ago, posters went up outside the men's changerooms at Vodaworld.

This notice, in addition to standard posters advising members to make use of the "valuables lockers", went further, telling members to avoid using "small and combination locks" and recommending a 40mm lock.

What prompted this notice about lock specification at this specific club? Had there been changeroom thefts there? What of other clubs?

"Taking the number of locker thefts reported and dividing this into the number of accesses to our clubs, it results in a rate of 0.001% locker theft being reported per access," said Aupiais. "This means that there is a reported locker theft once in every 75,000 visits."

As for Vodaworld itself, she said, there was no escalated theft alert there.

"There are A3 posters up in clubs with regards to members' personal belongings and security ... posters may vary with regards to design, however all relevant posters will draw the members' attention to making use of the valuables lockers," said Aupiais.

A reminder to bring "two high-quality padlocks" for the valuables and changeroom lockers is included in newsletters sent to members four times a year, she said.

Musas and his wife, who's been a member for longer, claim they weren't offered an induction when signing up and did not know about the existence of separate valuables lockers until now.

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Interestingly, despite all the Virgin club notices, several members I asked this week weren't aware of them either.

Despite the fine print, and to give Musas "the benefit of the doubt", Virgin is refunding him in full for his loss, and the couple will be taken through an induction.

"The member has been offered a service gesture ... this is by no means an admission of liability," Aupiais said.

Could members do more to limit their risk?

Certainly. As in the case of all service providers, consumers should familiarise themselves with rules and contract terms, and participate in the induction offered. It's worth taking the time to actually read club posters and e-mails.

Use only the valuables lockers, and not changeroom ones, for key items, and ensure the right padlock size is used. Take out personal insurance if cover is desired.

Could Virgin Active do more to protect members? I believe so. Warnings and information about the valuables lockers could be more prominent. And the recommended 40mm lock should be brought to the immediate attention of members.

If it means twice the number of posters and stickers in clubs, the use of social media, or mass e-mails, so be it. You can never help customers too much, especially in our high-crime environment.

There's nothing more loyalty-engendering than the feeling that someone's got your back.

sub_head_start Contact Megan Power sub_head_end

E-mail: consumer@sundaytimes.co.za

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Tune in to Power98.7's "Power Breakfast" (DStv audio channel 889) at 8.50am tomorrow to hear more from Megan