When Dublin based businesses submit their details to Dublinbynumbers we do our best to provide the right category for that business. That means new categories may be pretty sparse until we have had enough people signed up. We’ve added a few new categories over the last few days. So you run or market a Dublin based business in the below categories you might want to submit your business details to us.

Car Tyre Repair and Purchase
Computer Training
Estate Agents
Graphic Design
Marketing (Online marketing that is – SEO, PPC etc)
Photographers

Today we launched a classified ads section on Dublinbynumbers. The new section allows users to buy and sell anything from cars to baby clothes. It makes sense to have a classified directory purely for the Dublin region as that is where Dubliners will want to buy stuff. The section has a handy Google map locating sellers and does not require registration to post an ad. Best of all the  new classified section is free!

Last year Dublinbynumbers  was visited on 260,023 occasions by 211,147 visitors who viewed a total of 626,419 pages on the site. According to statistics collated by Google Analytics 88% of the visits came from the Republic of Ireland and a further 6% of visitors were located in the United Kingdom. We have already had some promising numbers in 2010 with 25,365 unique visitors to the site in January. With plenty of improvements and new features on the site we hope that more and more people will find Dublinbynumbers a useful resource in 2010!

Dublinbynumbers had 228,758 visits from Ireland in 2009

A while ago I made a trip to the playground in the Phoenix Park with my two-year old only to find the charred remains of one of the units fenced off. It was one of the smaller units designed for toddlers. A few weeks later I went to the playground in St Anne’s Park only to find that the playground was closed because (you guessed it) somebody had burnt down a playground unit. This time the unit was larger and was for slightly older kids.

My reaction was a mixture of anger and disgust (mainly anger). I mean… what kind of idiots burn down playgrounds?

Maybe vandalism of playgrounds was a problem in every playground or maybe I (and my toddler) were just really unlucky. I decided to put in a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to Dublin City Council to request information on vandalism of playgrounds and ensuing costs.

Of the 107 playgrounds that fall under the remit of Dublin City Council, 44 are located in public parks and 63 in housing complexes and estates. Dublin City Council furnished me with details of vandalism of 17 playgrounds in their remit from January 2007 to October 2009. The FOI Officer at Dublin City Council explained that measuring vandalism was difficult as smaller incidents such as those caused by graffiti may be tackled by Dublin City Council staff as part of their usual maintenance duties. Costs provided by Dublin City Council therefore mainly included more substantial incidents of vandalism. That said most of the incidents of vandalism are relatively small and include damaged swings, slides, surfaces and rope bridges.

From the list provided by Dublin City Council, recent vandalism to two Dublin playgrounds seem to be particularly noteworthy:

• The fire damage to play facilities at St Anne’s Park in September and October 2009 was considered to have cost approximately 20,330 Euros. The cost of the burnt out play unit was considered to have come to 19,295 Euros and damage to swings came to 1,035.76 Euros. The play unit has not been replaced.
• The vandalism of the the playground in O’Devaney Gardens in August 2009. Dublin City Council has not given an approximate cost of damage to the playground, however considering the playground has been burnt to the ground it is likely that the cost ran in the thousands if not tens of thousands.

The vandalism of the playground in the Phoenix park was not included in the list as the Phoenix Park playground in run by the Office of Public Works.

The National Consumer Council of Ireland has advised those joining gyms or leisure centres in the new year to check terms and conditions before they join.

“In 2009, the National Consumer Agency received over 400 queries / complaints on gym related issues. A significant number of these were as a result of consumers not having read or fully understood the conditions of their membership agreements.”  Said Ms. Ann Fitzgerald, Chief Executive of the National Consumer Agency.

“Consumers should be vigilant when signing up for gym membership and should take time to consider all aspects of the contract. Despite our best intentions in our new year’s resolutions, our enthusiasm for going to the gym may ease off as the year progresses. Therefore, it is important that potential members are aware of the termination clauses before committing to a contract,” added Ms Fitzgerald.

Ms. Fitzgerald emphasised how important it is for consumers to be aware that cancelling direct debits did not mean that they have cancelled their contracts. She indicated that the gym operator would be within their legal rights to follow up on non- payments until such time as the contract is properly terminated.  “Consumers should clarify any queries or concerns with the operator in the event that they wish to end their contract with the gym.”

Since 2007, the National Consumer Agency has agreed revised terms and conditions with some of the largest leisure and fitness clubs in the country. Also following consultation with the sector’s representative bodies, the Agency published guidelines for the sector on the drawing up of fairer and clearer contract terms. These guidelines were published in tandem with a voluntary seven-point best practice code for the sector.

She also urged consumers who are considering joining a leisure club or gym, to seek out the best value by asking plenty of questions and not be unduly influenced by special offers and deals. Potential members should enquire as to whether short term / trial memberships are available; is there a ‘pay per visit’ option; clarify what is included in the membership fee; are there any additional costs; is the contract automatically renewed; what notice of cancellation is required.

Tips for Consumers Joining a Gym or Fitness Club

Always Remember – the membership form that you sign is a legally binding document and its effects will last long after you have worn in those new trainers.  The following is an indication of what to watch out for:

1.  Can I visit a gym before becoming a member?

Some gyms may offer free trials or pay-per-visit membership. Ask the gym if you could get a free “try out” before deciding on whether to join. Take the opportunity to speak to existing members and find out if they are satisfied with the service the club provides.

2. What is included in the membership fee?

You should note that joining a gym often includes an up front once off “joining up fee” in addition to the regular membership fee.

Some gyms may advertise special incentives such as “first-time special offers” such as a reduced joining fee. Remember, monthly subscriptions may have to be paid on top of the special offers.

3. How do I pay for my gym membership?

The types of payments may vary from gym to gym. Some gyms may require payment in advance in respect of a year’s membership, (“up front annual subscription fee”).

Others may provide the option of paying by direct debit/credit cards instalment, or A combination of both options (up front payment or monthly subscription) may be available.  In all cases

• calculate how much each option will cost you,
• read the terms and conditions with particular reference to any penalties for default of payment, and
• satisfy yourself that the payment option you choose is best suited to your needs.

Remember if you are paying by installments your bank/credit card statement is similar to a receipt; so check it.

4. How can I work out the cost of joining a gym?

Draw up a budget so that you will know exactly how much the cost of using the gym over a 12-month period will cost you. Make a list of all your out of pocked expenses.

The following items should be included in your budget:

• the cost of the  joining up fee,
• annual subscription fee (up front annual subscription or monthly instalment fee),
• fees for any special exercise or fitness plans, and
• any additional extras if applicable e.g. cost of parking, undergoing a fitness assessment or the cost of  using  crèche facilities.

5.   How long is the contract for?

You need to be aware that if you sign a contract to join a gym  (for say a “minimum period of 12 months”), you are most likely to be committed to paying for a year’s membership. If this is the case, you may not be able to cancel the contract.  This can be the case, even if you pay by instalments or by direct debit.  Once you have signed the contract you are legally committed to paying for the minimum duration. In cases where the membership subscription has been made in advance (“up front payment”) you may not get a refund/partial refund.  While it is open to you to stop your direct debit at any time, you should be aware, that this would not remove your payment obligations under the contract.

Some gyms may operate a rollover or an automatic renewal clause. This means that if you fail to inform the gym in writing, that you do not intend to renew your membership, it will automatically continue. It is important to be clear as to the duration of the contract and whether notice of cancellation is required. Think carefully before you sign up.

6.  Do I have to give notice to cancel?

Some gyms may require notice in writing from members who want to cancel their membership. The notice period could range from a month to 3 months.

If you fail to give the required notice, gyms may demand payment in lieu of the cancellation period. Make sure you know what are the cancellation notice period requirements.

Example of a cancellation clause in a gym contract:

“ Following the ‘initial minimum membership period’ membership shall automatically continue on a monthly basis. Should a member wish to terminate their contract after the ‘initial minimum membership period’ they must fill in a cancellation request form and a minimum of 60 days notice and 2 monthly direct debit payments are required”.

In simple terms, this means you will have to give the gym two months notice in writing before the minimum 12-month contract expires.

If you are uncertain about your commitment to a minimum period of “12 months” you should ask the gym if it operates a short-term contract facility”.

7. What action can a gym take if I miss a payment?

Approaches may vary from club to club. Consumers should be aware that cancelling a direct debit linked to a minimum membership period, does not cancel any debt that may exist between the gym and the consumer. Remember gyms may be within their rights to follow up on missed payments, as the signed contract agreement is a legally binding document.

When you cancel a gym membership and if you have been paying by monthly instalments, you should check you bank/credit card statements to ensure that subscriptions have ceased. Remember it is your responsibility to check your statements.

8. Understanding the wording of the membership agreement

Agreements should be clear.  You should not need legal advice to understand the terms and conditions.  Take time to read the contract through, so that you fully understand what the club expects of you and what you can expect of the club.  If you do not understand any of the conditions, or if the meaning of the term is unclear, ask questions and get your answers before signing.  That way you will be more likely to not only get fit but also get a fair deal!

9. What if Gyms say they are not liable for injury claims

Under the provisions of the European Communities (Unfair Terms in Consumer

Contracts) Regulations 1995, a clause is considered potentially unfair if it states that the supplier is not responsible for death or personal injury to the consumer “resulting from an act or omission of that supplier”.

You should bring this to the attention of the gym owner/manager.

10. Redress:

If you have a disagreement with the gym in relation to the services, you should first try and resolve the matter by directly approaching the gym owner/manager.  It is advisable to keep copies of all correspondence.

In the event that the dispute cannot be resolved, it is open to you, to refer the issue to the Small Claims Court at www.courts.ie.  Claims involving amounts up to €2,000 may be processed through this procedure at a cost of €15.

And finally…

Take the opportunity to speak to existing members and find out if they are satisfied with the service the club provides. Be aware of potentially unfair terms such as those set out above and satisfy yourself that the agreement meets your requirements.

Ask questions, and get your answers before signing up and parting with money. That way you’ll be more likely to not only get fit but also get a fair deal!

Find contact details for Dublin Gyms.

We’ve added our first poll to the site ahead of the public sector strike on the the 24th of November.

We’ve had the maps section up on Dublinbynumbers for some time now. We use Google Maps to pinpoint a selection of businesses/clubs/services in the Dublin area.  Over the weekend I decided to pop some of our data from Dublinbynumbers up onto Google Maps. This allows people to embed maps of gyms, swimming pools and doctors onto their own pages if they want. I’m planning to add a few more categories but here are three to start with:

Dublin Gyms

View Dublin Gyms in a larger map. Also see a map of Gyms in Dublin on Dublinbynumbers

Dublin Swimming Pools

View Swimming Pools in Dublin in a larger map. Also see a maps of Swimming Pools in Dublin on Dublinbynumbers

Dublin Doctors

View Doctors in Dublin in a larger map. Also see a maps of Doctors in Dublin on Dublinbynumbers

Embed Dublin Maps on you Website

To embed any of the above maps just click on the ‘view larger map’ link below the map. This should bring you to a Google Maps page. Then click where it says ‘link’ at the top-right hand side of the map and copy the text below it says ‘Paste HTML to embed in website’. Paste the code into the html on your website and voila!

We have had a widget on our site for a few months now that allows users to search for jobs in Dublin or anywhere else for that matter. The search facility allows users to search a plethora of online job databases and throws back all the results on one page. Very handy.

A short while ago I started using Google Apps for this site and a couple of others that I work with. Google Apps has been around since 2006, but has only lately started to become popular with small and medium business. There are a few obvious advantages of migrating to Google Apps, these include:

• Use of Gmail while still retaining your own email address
• The ability to easily add and manage new email addresses
• The ability to share your Google Calendar

There are fairly frequent additions to Google Apps, although many of them trail behind some of Google’s free offerings… I have found the tasks facility on Google Calendar one of the most useful tools, but Apps users had to wait several months after the feature was originally released to general users of Google Calendar.

I’m also using Gmail on my mobile and have found it really works well, has an attractive Gmail type interface and allows me to access a large number of emails without eating up the memory on my phone.

On the downside I can’t say I have found much use for Google Sites or Google Docs. While Google Docs is good in theory, it is  largely incompatible with Microsoft Word and because nearly everyone  and their mother uses Microsoft Word it isn’t really worth the hassle.

Setting up Google Apps was easier than I expected despite my phobia of technical jargon. You can also pay an expert a few quid to set up Google Apps for you. If you are setting it up yourself here are a few links I found useful:

Comparing editions

Activating Gmail

Changing MX records

Verifying Ownership

We have been publishing our statistics on Irelandmetrix for a few months now and thought that there would be no harm in popping some stats up here on the blog. According to Irelandmetrix we had 54,215 page view from 22,796 visitors. Statistics from Google Analytics were very similar and showed 54,438 page views from 22,305 visitors who made 25,302 visits to the site in July.