Indigo Club Membership Checklist: 10 Things to Do Before You Join

Joining a social club should feel like the start of something good: a place where the bar staff know your order, where there is usually someone to sit with, and where the calendar has at least one thing in it you would genuinely turn up to. The problem is that most people sign up in a hurry, usually standing at a desk with a card already out, and only afterwards discover the joining fee, the twelve-month tie-in or the fact that the club goes quiet on Sundays. Twenty minutes of checking beforehand turns that into a decision you are still happy with a year later. Here is what to do before you sign.

Start With What You Actually Want From It

Before you look at a single fee, decide what you are buying. A club can mean very different things: a quiet place to work, a weekly dinner with people your own age, a swimming pool, a reason to leave the house on a Tuesday, or somewhere to take clients. Pick your top two reasons and judge everything else against them.

Then visit at the time you would really use it. A club that feels lively on a Friday night may be a ghost town on a Wednesday morning, which matters a great deal if Wednesday morning is when you are free. If you can, speak to two or three existing members rather than only the person showing you round. Ask them what they use most and what they never bother with.

Sort Your Documents and Details First

Most clubs ask for the same basic things, and turning up without them usually means a second trip. Check the club's joining page or ask the membership team for a list, then gather:

• Photo identification — a passport or driving licence is usually accepted.
• Proof of address dated within the last three months, such as a utility bill, council tax letter or bank statement.
• A payment method for the joining fee and subscription, and a sense of whether you would rather pay annually or monthly.
• A recent photo if membership cards are issued on the spot.
• A proposer or seconder, if the club is the type that requires one. Ask what happens if you do not know a member yet.

Make sure your name and address match across every document. If you have recently moved, wait until your details are updated rather than explaining the mismatch at the desk. And ask whether the club accepts scans or photographs of documents, or whether it needs to see originals.

Understand Every Fee, Not Just the First One

The joining fee is rarely the whole story. Ask for the full picture in writing and read it properly:

• Is there a one-off joining fee, and is any part of it refundable?
• What is the annual or monthly subscription, and what does it include?
• Are there extras — guest fees, a minimum spend on food and drink, charges for classes, lockers or parking?
• What is the notice period if you want to leave, and how do you give notice?
• How are fee increases decided, and when are members told?

Ask for the fee schedule and the cancellation terms in writing before you pay anything. A verbal "you can cancel any time" is not something you can rely on later.

If the cost stretches you, or you are being asked to commit to a long contract, it is worth taking proper financial advice before you sign. A club should add to your life, not sit awkwardly on your budget for a year.

Use a Trial Properly, Not Politely

Many clubs offer a day pass, a guest visit or a short trial membership. Take it, and use it the way you would use real membership rather than the way a guest is expected to behave. Order the coffee, try to book a table, sit in the room you would actually sit in, and see how staff treat you when you are not being shown around.

Go at an awkward time as well as a convenient one. Then write down the two things you liked and the one thing that niggled. If the niggles are about staff or other members, they will not improve once you have paid.

Questions Worth Asking Before You Commit

Take these with you. Nobody minds being asked, and the answers tell you as much about the club as the décor does.

1. What is the notice period, and how exactly do I give notice?
2. Can I bring guests, how many at a time, and what does it cost?
3. Are there times when the club is closed to members for private hire or maintenance?
4. How busy does it get at peak times, and do I need to book ahead?
5. What are the rules on dress, mobile phones and bringing children?
6. What happens if I move away, become unwell or want to pause my membership?
7. Is there a members' committee or forum, and how do members raise concerns?
8. What is included in the subscription, and what will I pay extra for?
9. Who do I contact if something goes wrong, and how quickly do they reply?
10. If I join now, when does my first renewal fall due?

Read the House Rules and the Small Print

House rules are usually short and sensible, but they cover the things that cause arguments: guest behaviour, cancellation and refunds, use of the facilities, photography, and how your details are stored. Read them once, properly, before you sign. If a term seems unreasonable, ask about it now while you still have the option to walk away.

Keep a copy of everything you sign, including the fee schedule and any emails confirming what was agreed. Should there ever be a disagreement about a charge, that paperwork is what settles it. For anything involving a contract you do not fully understand, or a significant sum of money, seek proper legal or financial advice.

A Final Check the Day You Join

On the day itself, keep it simple. Confirm the total you are paying today, and the date and amount of the next payment. Check the notice period one last time and note it somewhere you will find it. Ask how you book events and how you will hear about them, then put one date in your diary for the coming month. A club only becomes worth the money once you turn up, so give yourself a reason to.

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