How the DMCCA impacts gym memberships (and how to prepare)

The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (DMCCA) introduces new rules impacting how you sell and manage memberships from 1 January 2027. Here’s what’s changing, what you can do now, and how Resamania can help.

If you’ve seen headlines about “subscription traps” and wondered what they mean for your fitness business, you’re not alone.

From 1 January 2027, new rules change how you sell and manage memberships that renew or roll on. The aim of these rules is simple – members should:

The good news is that for many operators, most of this is about being clear and organised, not about reinventing your business.

In this article, we explain the rules, show what’s still to be confirmed, and set out what you need to do yourself before the 1 January 2027 deadline.

Let’s get stuck in!

What is the DMCCA?

The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (DMCCA) is a major UK consumer protection law. It received Royal Assent on 24 May 2024. It does several things, but two parts matter most to gyms and fitness club operators:

The subscription rules exist because so many people end up paying for things they no longer want.

Across the UK there are around 155 million active subscriptions, worth about £26 billion a year. The government estimates that around 5.8% of them are unwanted. That adds up to 9.7 million contracts and about £1.6 billion a year.

Subscription services such as fitness were specifically mentioned when the government announced its response.

The rules have been on the way for a while. The government’s response to its consultation was published on 2 April 2026. The start date was then brought forward to January 2027, having been expected in spring 2027.

The government published draft Consumer Subscription Contracts (Cancellation and Information) Regulations (SCRs) and guidance on 19 October 2026. The regulations still need Parliament’s approval. Final guidance from the government will follow once they’re made.

Why does it matter for fitness operators with UK locations?

Fitness club and gym memberships that renew or roll on are treated as subscription services within the DMCCA and SCRs. The new subscription rules will apply to memberships taken out on or after 1 January 2027.

What rules already exist?

Some parts of the DMCCA already apply and have done since 6 April 2025.

The best-known and most relevant to you as a gym operator is the ban on “drip pricing”, where extra fees appear later in the buying process. Joining fees and other mandatory fees must be part of the promoted price, not added later.

The CMA enforces these rules and can fine businesses directly.

Its guidance (CMA209) says the total price should normally include any charges the consumer can’t avoid. Showing them separately won’t typically be enough. It applies to everything from early-stage advertising to the final sale.

Resamania already includes admin fees in the prices and totals it shows in the online joining process. If you show prices anywhere else, for example on your website, social media, or in emails, include mandatory fees there too.

What’s changing from 1 January?

The new subscription rules will apply to memberships taken out on or after 1 January 2027.

In practice, the rules change four moments in the membership journey:

Existing memberships that renew after this date are not subject to the rules. The government says it’s best practice to give all members the same protections, including those who joined before 1 January 2027.

That’s your call, but it’s worth thinking about early, because running two different journeys side by side can be harder to manage.

What the new regulations require

Here’s a quick summary of the main requirements, with what each one means for your business (this is not an exhaustive list):

Key facts before joining

Show the key facts together, before the member joins. The key facts include:

The key facts should be in plain language, together in one place, and as close as possible to the point where the member commits. For digital joiners, they must be on the page and not behind a link.

The longer “full” information, such as your contact details, complaints policy, and detailed cooling-off information, can sit in your terms and conditions as long as it’s kept together and easy to find.

At the last step, the member must confirm that they agree to pay.

Reminders

Send reminders about every 6 months for rolling memberships. Also send them before an introductory offer ends, and before a contract of 12 months or more renews.

Cooling-off

Members get 14 days to cancel, without a reason. This applies:

Refunds must be paid within 14 days.

Ending a membership

Members must be able to end their membership easily, at any time. If they joined online, they must be able to end that membership online.

Confirmation of a membership ending

Confirm in writing when a membership ends, with the end date.

What to do now

The rules will apply from 1 January 2027 – use the time before this deadline to prepare. Here’s a simple plan to work through:

How Resamania can help you comply with the DMCCA and SCRs

Resamania gives you tools that help you meet the new rules. You need to set up some of the tools – your business is responsible for how you use them.

Here’s what’s available today

Available today	actions to take
Automatic emails and SMS messages in Smart Messaging	Set the timing and wording of each reminder and notice.
Online cancellation of memberships in the member app and the web portal	Check that the cancellation journey matches your terms and conditions and tell members it’s there.
Tools for your staff to record a cancellation from any channel	Train your team to use them, including in-person teams and those answering the phone.
A refund is calculated for you when a member cancels during a cooling-off period	Decide how you will handle a cancellation request and what your process will be for submitting a refund request support ticket.
Admin fees shown as a separate line and included in the total price during the joining process	Check that prices shown outside Resamania include any mandatory fees too.
Rules that you can configure to target based on membership start date and membership type	Decide which memberships and members each rule should apply to, including whether to extend them to existing members.

Here’s what’s in development

We’re also working on two further features:

Recommended reading

The wrap up…

The new subscription rules start on 1 January 2027, and they apply to every way a member can join, from your website to your front desk. Adhering to the rules is your responsibility as a fitness operator – non-compliant businesses risk fines.

The principle behind them is simple: be clear about what members are signing up to, remind them before they’re charged again, and make it easy to leave.

If you act now to make sure you comply with the details the government has provided so far, you’ll be in a strong position come 2027.

Resamania’s tools can be set up to keep you compliant, while your business stays in charge of the decisions that only you can make.