Respite for Alexander members is temporary

Alexander Health Clubs (亞力山大健康休閒俱樂部) members can apply for the termination of their credit card payments, but will have to continue paying if any branches reopen, an official at the Bankers Association (銀行公會) said yesterday.

The temporary halt of members' credit card payments does not mean that they will not be responsible for future installments, said Vincent Wang (王修本), an official in charge of the association's credit-card division.

Banks whose cardholders have disputed their payments include Chinatrust Commercial Bank (中國信託銀行), First Commercial Bank (第一銀行), Taipei Fubon Bank (台北富邦銀行) and Taishin International Bank (台新銀行).

If the health clubs do not reopen, the Credit Card Fixed-term Contract (信用卡定型化契約) states that Alexander Health Clubs collecting banks will have to refund their cardholders, said Wang, who is also an executive vice president of Cathay United Bank (國泰世華銀行).

Alexander's main collecting banks include Chinatrust Commercial Bank, Citibank Taiwan, First Commercial Bank, Diners Club, American Express and National Credit Card Center (聯合信用卡處理中心).

Club members who applied for loans from Far Eastern International Bank (遠東銀行) after July 1 to pay their membership fees can request the bank to terminate payment, Wang said.

The bank can make its own decision on whether or not to halt payments on behalf of members who applied for loans prior to July 1, he said.