Appliances Direct Refunds and Gold’s Gym Refunds Ordered for Customers
Appliances Direct and Gold’s Gym have been ordered to refund customers after the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) found that each business had broken consumer protection law. Appliances Direct refunds are for customers who were automatically charged for certain optional delivery services. Gold’s Gym refunds are for customers whose online membership prices did not clearly include a mandatory joining fee.
Appliances Direct refunds: who qualifies?
You may qualify if you bought something through the Appliances Direct website between 6th April 2025 and 17th November 2025 and were automatically opted into paying for one or both of these services:
- Remove and recycle your old appliance: collecting your old appliance when the new one was delivered.
- Installation on delivery: installing the appliance when it arrived.
The CMA found that customers were charged for these optional extras without expressly agreeing to buy them. Businesses must not use pre-ticked boxes or another automatic opt-in to add paid extras to a purchase, which is why the refund order applies to customers affected by these specific charges.
How much is the Appliances Direct refund?
The average refund is around £25 per customer, although your own amount may differ depending on which service or services you paid for. The order is not a flat payment for every Appliances Direct customer; it applies to eligible customers who were affected by the automatic opt-ins.
When will Appliances Direct pay refunds?
Appliances Direct should process all refunds by 11th March 2027 and contact eligible customers directly. You do not need to submit a claim or pay anyone to apply on your behalf.
Gold’s Gym refunds: who qualifies?
Gold’s Gym has been ordered to refund 726 customers because mandatory joining fees were not always included clearly in the total membership price shown online. The exact qualifying purchase dates differ by membership type, so check the relevant dates below.
Annual membership paid upfront
£50
For qualifying annual memberships bought online between 6th April 2025 and 27th November 2025, or between 7th January 2026 and 15th April 2026.
12-month Direct Debit membership
£10
For qualifying 12-month Direct Debit memberships bought online between 18th November 2025 and 7th May 2026.
These dates are taken from Gold’s Gym’s own refund information. A membership bought outside the relevant period is not covered by this refund arrangement.
When will Gold’s Gym pay refunds?
Gold’s Gym should process refunds by 29th March 2027. It says it has contacted everyone involved. If you bought a membership online during one of the qualifying periods but have not heard from your club, use the contact details on the official Gold’s Gym refunds page.
Do you need to apply for either refund?
No. Eligible customers do not need to make an application. Appliances Direct and Gold’s Gym are responsible for contacting customers and arranging payment. The CMA does not process the refunds itself.
Keep an eye on your email and post, including junk or spam folders. If you believe you qualify but have not received a message, check the purchase dates and contact the relevant business using its official customer contact details.
Why were the businesses fined?
The CMA announced the enforcement action on 14th October 2026. Appliances Direct was fined £1.2 million over its use of misleading time-limited offers and the automatic addition of paid extras. Gold’s Gym was fined £45,000 over the way mandatory joining fees were presented during online membership sales.
The fines are separate from the refunds. The money returned to customers is intended for people covered by the specific refund arrangements, not everyone who has ever shopped with Appliances Direct or joined Gold’s Gym.
What about Wayfair?
Wayfair was also fined as part of the CMA’s 14th October 2026 announcement, receiving a £4.8 million penalty over misleading time-limited offers. The refund arrangements covered in this article are for eligible Appliances Direct and Gold’s Gym customers. The announcement does not include a matching refund scheme for Wayfair customers.
Frequently asked questions
What if I think I qualify but have not been contacted?
First, check the purchase dates and the type of charge or membership against the eligibility details above. Appliances Direct and Gold’s Gym are responsible for contacting eligible customers and arranging payment, so you do not need to apply or pay a fee to claim; if you still believe you qualify, contact the relevant business through its official customer service channels.
Does everyone who shopped at Appliances Direct or joined Gold’s Gym get a refund?
No. The Appliances Direct order covers customers automatically charged for eligible old-appliance removal and recycling or installation services between 6th April 2025 and 17th November 2025. Gold’s Gym’s arrangement covers specific online membership periods and types only, so being a customer during the wider period does not automatically mean you qualify.
Can I get a Gold’s Gym refund for a monthly membership?
The published arrangement covers eligible annual memberships paid upfront, which receive £50, and eligible 12-month Direct Debit memberships, which receive £10. It does not set out a separate refund for every type of monthly membership, so check the official Gold’s Gym refund page if you are unsure which arrangement applies.
Will the Competition and Markets Authority send me the money?
No. The CMA ordered the businesses to provide refunds, but each business is responsible for contacting customers and arranging payment. The CMA’s official refund guidance explains the arrangements for each business.
Official information and sources
This article explains the published refund arrangements but cannot confirm an individual customer’s eligibility. Check the official information or contact the relevant business if you need a decision about your own purchase.
