Leaving a club: how to cancel your membership
Whether a sports club, a fitness club organized as an association or an aid organization: sometimes you want to end your membership. That is your good right: no one can hold you in a club permanently.
Reach your next steps and the matching ready-made texts in just a few minutes, free of charge:
Declare your withdrawal →Your chances of getting your money back
What you should do now
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1. Check the statutes
What form and deadline do the statutes provide for withdrawal?
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2. Cancel in writing
Declare your withdrawal in writing and on time (date, name, membership number).
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3. Secure proof
Send it in a verifiable way and ask for a confirmation of withdrawal.
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4. Keep an eye on the fees
Until the withdrawal takes effect you remain liable for fees; after that, no more fees.
Frequently asked questions
Can the club prevent my withdrawal?
No. The right to withdraw cannot be excluded under § 39 BGB. The statutes may provide for a notice period, but at most two years. Cancellation at the end of the year with a notice period of a few months is common. Keep to the form and deadline named in the statutes, and your withdrawal is effective.
Do I still have to pay fees after canceling?
Until the effective end of the membership, that is, until the notice period expires, you remain liable for fees. After that the fees cease. So cancel in good time before the next fee period and have the withdrawal confirmed in writing to avoid disputes over outstanding fees.
Take action now
We put together the ready-made texts and the right places to contact for you.
General information for self-help, not legal advice (RDG). In case of a high loss or uncertainty: contact a consumer advice center or a lawyer.