Les Mills Just Increased My Membership Fee Citing Inflation - Again

It appears that everyone is using inflation as an excuse. I have a multi-gym membership, and during a visit to another gym, the club manager noticed that I was paying a lower rate than other members. Despite my request for reconsideration, the manager increased my rate by 25% to match what others were paying. I found this sudden increase unfair, especially since I’ve been a loyal member for over two decades. I rarely take holidays from my direct debit membership, yet it seems my concerns fell on deaf ears.

Recently, I received an email stating that fees would increase. Instead of a monthly amount, they’ve broken down the fee increase to a weekly basis – a clever tactic that might seem like just a few dollars. However, it’s disheartening that my long-standing loyalty doesn’t seem to matter. It feels as though they prioritize profit over the original values Mills started with originally.

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  • cancel your membership.

  • Curious, what rate are you paying? I’m Multi Club increasing from $112.67 to $119.17 per month. My last increase was when I moved from Single to Multi last year and lost an original special rate. Thought I may as well share as it may help others.

  • Loyalty to a business for a better service is long gone. Had to find out the hard way with 2 of our former services. Now ya just gotta think of your bank account and move to anything with a better deal!

  • I'm leaving, they keep deleting the classes I go to from the timetable.
    Multi-Club and the fee is going up over $8 for me.

    "From 1 September your monthly membership fee will move from $119.17 to $127.84"

    "We don’t take this decision lightly. We’re committed to delivering a premium training experience - from the quality of our equipment and spaces to the high calibre of our instructors and classes. As the cost of running our clubs continues to increase, we do need to adjust pricing from time to time. This allows us to keep investing in our spaces, our equipment, and the people who deliver your experience every day.

    At Auckland City, this includes upgrades to our changing rooms and sauna facilities, significant investment in new strength equipment and a refreshed women’s gym space - giving you more ways to recover, reset, and get the most out of your training."

    • At least you still have multiple studios. In Howick club, they made the studio 2 into this new reformer room and removed lots of classes, try to fit the rest of classes into studio 1. Everyone hates the new timetable, now the membership fee increase! Also need to pay $5 per reformer class too.

  • Another increase of $2 per week from 1st September. Seems like they want to eventually get everyone to pay the same rate. 4 years price increase in a row. Anyone else received the email?

    • Gotta pay for the funeral somehow

      • Yep - about another buck for me
        Did they provide a different reason at each gym?

        At Auckland City, this includes upgrades to our changing rooms and sauna facilities, significant investment in new strength equipment and a refreshed women’s gym space - giving you more ways to recover, reset, and get the most out of your training.

        • Tbh that's disgusting.

          1, if you're a male why should you be paying for a woman's only space that you can't use?

          2, should the price you're paying not already be towards upgrades, maintenance and staff anyway? It's a cop out. One of the reasons I don't go to Les mills is it's a rip off.

          • @Latex Fist: Well, they have refurbished basically everything over the past years. The mens changing room started last year (sadly it's still only about 50% complete). I didn't mind how it was before. Would prefer aging infrastructure over a price increase (kinda like at my house)!

            • @RockCartel: Which should have been covered by the price you're already paying. If they've not taken into account future upgrades in their pricing and expecting the users to pay for it down the track, it's an absolute gold mine of a business model.

              Small estimate of $1-2 * 1000 members (which seems low)

              $52,000-104,000 just by that increase.

              What happens afterwards? Does the price go back down after the upgrade? What about the next upgrade, are they gonna put it up for that also?

              • @Latex Fist: Yea, and my monthly increase is $8.67 (7.2%)
                So I'll be leaving before that kicks in.

  • Most business learnt from the pandemic that increasing cost 10% every year even if inflation is like less than 5% is better
    and then adding more increases due to things like war/oil etc whenever possible

    The the end game of raising prices so high until you sees a significant drop in customers, only then they will offer discounts and if it still not enough then drop the price slightly

  • Yes, they increased it last year, and again this year. Everyone I know is getting $1.50 per week increase from 1st September. I only do classes and it's 5 mins driving fromy work. So, for the convenience, I will still go to LM.

    In case you don't know, you can get 35% cash back of your LM membership fee from AIA insurance. You have join AIA vitality to get that lo.

    By the way, they say they don't take Amex, but they do. My visa was expiring and I just gave my Amex to the reception to try out and it worked!

    If you don't mind me asking, what was your original rate?

    • Do you know if you can claim the aia cashback on a corporate membership?

  • I'm on a corporate type membership so going from $26.10 to $27.60.

    I'm pretty sure I've been a member since mid 2022 and shifted to that corporate rate (and so a new 12 month contract) in late 2022. I don't recall there being any increase since then? 5.5% increase over the last 18 months seems fine given 3 of the 5 quarters since then have had inflation above 5.5%.

    • Mine got bumped up to 25% to match others.
      This is my main concern. have been a member for two decades. Don't do any classes

  • Unrelated for for those who have not been a member of a gym in the last 12 months you can sometimes get reduced price here

    https://exercise.org.nz/subsidised-gym-membership/

  • loyalty never pays for anything anymore..

  • Mine's changing from $113.10 to $119.60

  • how do you know if you are getting a price increase ? i am getting charged $113 which is the same as most people here (26.10 a week) - has there been an email communication ?

    • I'm on 26.10 and haven't received an email or any other communication. Maybe they are only raising it for people who go a lot lol. Would be a big risk to raise it on people not going much, they'd lose a ton of customers

      • that make sense. I do mostly donate there as i don't go too often. Pretty smart way if they do target it like that..

  • Here we go again. Another $1.50 increase from 1st September. Anyone else received the email?

    • Also got the email - I am on a multi-club and been a member maybe 13-14 years,

      From 1 September your monthly membership fee will change from $117.43 to $123.93

    • Mine says:
      From 1 September your monthly membership fee will change from $112.67 to $119.17

      I'm on Multi-Club. Joined about 10 years ago.
      But I quit during Covid and re-joined 3 years ago.

  • Surprised that there's so many different rates here -
    Auckland City Member, Multiclub, AIA 15% discount: $119.60 to $126.10.

  • Haven't received one yet.
    Note if you run out of pause days then the membership will restart regardless.

  • An update to your Les Mills membership fee
    "At Newmarket, this includes new Mind Body and CEREMONY® Studios and significant investment in new strength equipment, enhancing the quality and range of your training experience to support how you move and recover.

    I have been with them for 25 years, I don't do classes use the above facility"
    Time to consider options

    • I feel your pain. For people don't do classes really not worth going to Les Mills.

  • Seriously considering joining other gyms.
    Anyone got recommendations . I am leaning towards Anytime fitness and Council which includes the pools

    City Fitness is only $7 per week which is 1/4 of the price. Could be worthwhile despite the crowded during peak after-work

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