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Membership terms and conditions: what to include

Most disputes with members are not about money. They are about expectations that were never written down: can I freeze, how do I cancel, do I get a refund. Clear terms, accepted at sign-up, settle these questions before they become arguments.

Updated 5 Nov 2026 · 4 min read

Not legal advice. This guide is a practical checklist of topics to cover. It is not legal advice and does not replace a lawyer. Laws differ between Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand, and change over time. Have a qualified lawyer review your final terms, especially the injury and liability sections.

Why written terms matter

Many small gyms and academies run on verbal agreements. That works until a member wants a refund after three weeks, a parent disputes a late fee, or someone is injured. Written terms that the member accepts at sign-up give both sides the same reference point.

Keep them short and readable. A member who can understand your terms in two minutes is more likely to follow them, and less likely to claim they were never told.

The checklist

1. Who the agreement is between

• Your registered business name and contact details.
• The member's name, and for minors, the parent or guardian who accepts the terms on their behalf.

2. Membership, fees and payment

• What each plan includes: classes, access hours, branches.
• The fee, how often it is billed and when it is due.
• Any one-time registration fee, what it covers and whether it is refundable. See registration fees.
• Accepted payment methods, such as local QR, e-wallet or bank transfer.
• What happens if payment is late, for example access paused until payment is received.
• Whether prices can change, and how much notice you will give.

3. Renewal

• Whether the membership continues automatically each period until cancelled, or ends on its expiry date.
• How members are reminded before renewal.

4. Freezes and pauses

• Valid reasons, for example medical, travel, pregnancy or exams.
• Minimum and maximum freeze length, and how many times a year.
• Notice required and whether supporting documents are needed for a medical freeze.
• Whether the expiry date moves forward by the frozen period.

5. Cancellation

• How to cancel (in writing, by WhatsApp, in person) and how much notice.
• Any minimum commitment period on longer plans.
• What happens to unused time on a prepaid plan.

6. Refunds

• When a refund is and is not given, stated plainly.
• How partial periods are handled, if at all.
• What happens if you cancel or move a class, or close temporarily.

7. Health, injury and assumption of risk

• A statement that physical training carries a risk of injury.
• The member's duty to tell you about medical conditions and to follow coach instructions.
• A liability or injury waiver, worded by a lawyer. A waiver does not necessarily protect a business that was negligent, so do not treat it as a substitute for safe coaching, maintained equipment and suitable insurance.

8. Conduct and safety rules

• Behaviour, hygiene, equipment use and, for martial arts, sparring rules.
• Drop-off and pick-up rules for children.
• Your right to suspend or end a membership for serious breaches.

9. Photos and video

• Whether you take photos or video in class and where you use them, such as Instagram or Facebook.
• A clear way to opt out. For children, ask the parent, and make opting out easy.

10. Personal data

• What personal data you collect, why, and who you share it with.
• How members can access or correct their data, and who to contact.

A sample PDPA consent line

In Malaysia, the Personal Data Protection Act 2010 applies to personal data processed in commercial transactions, which includes membership. Your terms should include a short notice and consent line, for example:

"I consent to [Business Name] collecting and using my personal data, and my child's where applicable, to manage my membership, process payments, contact me about classes and keep attendance records, as described in the [Business Name] privacy notice."

Adapt this with your lawyer, and link it to a fuller privacy notice. Our guide to PDPA for gyms and studios explains the principles in more detail.

Getting members to actually accept the terms

Terms only help if the member saw and accepted them. The weakest version is a laminated sheet on the wall. The strongest is a sign-up form where the member ticks a box to accept the terms before submitting, so you have a record of who accepted and when.

Writing terms members will actually read

• Use short headings that match the checklist above, so a member can find "Freezes" or "Refunds" in seconds.
• Write in plain language. "You can freeze for up to two months a year" is clearer than legal phrasing.
• Offer the same terms in Malay or Chinese if many of your members are more comfortable in those languages, and say which version applies if they differ.
• Keep the rules you actually enforce. A rule you never apply weakens the ones you do.

Keep them updated

Review your terms once a year, or whenever you change pricing, freezes or refunds. Tell existing members about material changes before they take effect. Keep a copy of each version with its date.

How MyYuza helps

MyYuza's member sign-up link and QR code can show your terms, and the member must accept them before the form submits. Freezes and pauses are handled in the app, so what your terms promise is what actually happens. See the membership management system.