Cancelation Nightmare

ComplaintsFitness CentersLA Fitness

Complaint

0
Sharon
Country: United States
I recently moved and are now living far from the nearest LA Fitness center. I stopped by before I moved out to terminate my membership. They told me I need to send them a filled out form by mail. Ridiculous. I printed it our and sent it. A month later I saw I am still being charged. I called them. They said "they have no record of my cancellation". How convenient! I filled the form again and sent it as a certified mail to have the proof of me mailing and them receiving.

The charges continued. I closed my bank account, and now I am getting calls from LA Fitness asking me to update my banking account information. I said I canceled my membership but for some reason it's still open.

Comments

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  • 0
    Juan
    Can I cancel my membership and get my money refunded?

    I recently joined a L.A fitness  club in Houston and was told that I could go into ANY club i wanted where there was one but after going to one in the Galleria I was told I could not use the gym ( probably on account of our clothes) , because I had to pay extra to use THAT gym , we paid $400-$599  extra to join the signature club, after said deal was made we were charged for a total of $1,921 after already paying the first fee of $1,400 for initiation and a 3 year contract (more or less of a kind of contract) , once the bank statement arrived I saw they withdrew both $1,540 and $1,921 from my account totaling $3,600+ so I called the main L.A fitness and was told they could only refund my money if I had proof which I did and was only refunded the first charge and was wondering if I could cancel my second account with the mishaps that have happened to me so far
  • 0
    Raene
    I joined ProResults. The seller tried to get me to subscribe to a year with "free sessions", I said I can't commit to that. I suggested 3 mo, she got me to agree to 6 by saying 3 mo wouldn't have free sessions, but 6 mo would. So when I used my allotted amount, my trainer directed me to the seller. The Seller looks up my account, and says oh no, it was just on a 12 month, not a 6 mo.

    We also made arrangements for my credit card to have the monthly fee taken. This didn't happen. It has come out of my bank account and now I have to get this fixed.
  • 0
    alina
    I wanted to cancel my contract because i moved houses but they said its impossible because my new home its only 5 miles away from a la branch.they should be at least 10 miles...does anybody have any advice for me?what can I do?
  • 0
    Elizabeth
    I had the exact same problem, BUT I fought hard for 4 days calling and calling and posting bad reviews, was yelled at, belittled. All I kept thinking was that I pay these people every month, and this is how they treat me? I wanted to cancel my personal training sessions, the personal training is a joke, I can count to 12 myself, I don't need a meathead to do it for me. This is in Lancaster, PA... Well I finally got a phone call from BRAD apparently he is the VP of LA Fitness...he said he was shocked about my complaints, yeah right. He cancelled the Personal Training, and waived the additional charges, let's see what happens with my bank account this billing cycle.
  • 0
    Jeff
    I tried canceling for five months and never had any luck. I even had the woman in customer service tell me she was canceling account and confirmed my email address for confirmation. Of course, I never received any confirmation. Finally, I emailed Orlando and filed a complaint with the BBB. My account was canceled (with receipt) that day.
  • 0
    Isabella
    I am beyond appalled by LA Fitness and I will never ever give them business again. I signed up for a gym membership which was fine, however I was then approached by the training manager who just wouldn't leave me alone and kept telling me why I need to sign up for personal training sessions (mind you, he would approach me while working out). I finally sat down with him and he told me about the different rates and I figured why not sign up for the THREE MONTH SESSION because I am moving back to school. Tell me why, I go in to make sure that I would not be charged after this month is over and to my knowledge the training manager signed me up for 12 months. What in the world?! This is so crooked, unethical and just down right dirty. Now I'm moving to school in a few weeks and we don't have an LA Fitness in Southern VA. Not only that, I never signed an actual contract, I merely signed a pin pad. The training manager assured me I could cancel even before my 3 months was up without penalty so I figured it was the same cancellation policy as the gym membership itself. I refuse to pay them a penny since this is not only fair but it is happening to so many people. I will be complaining to the BBB for sure, and I am in the process of emailing and calling around.
  • 0
    JoeLB
    I signed a contract for personal training sessions which was for a defined number of sessions (12), a defined cost ($650.00), and a defined term (3 months).  The 25 minute sessions had little value and I decided not to use them all and just let the contract run its term.  What a surprise I got on the 4th month when they billed my credit card another $200.00.  They said the contract had an automatic renewal clause.  After I reveiwed the contract, it did indeed contain some language referring to automatic renewal, but it was not clear and it was buried under the heading of Initial Term Agreement which again stated it was for 3 months.  Any reasonalble person would expect the contract to expire after 3 months.  I have dealt with many contracts in the business world and any extension requires both parties to sign an Extension or Adendum.  LA Fitness' automatic renewal tactic is deliberately deceptive and desinged to generate addtional profits from people who don't have the time or will to stand up and fight.  My recommendation to anyone reading this is DO NOT SIGN UP PERSONAL TRAINING SESSIONS AND THINK TWICE ABOUT LA FITNESS IN GENERAL.
  • 0
    Dave F.
    LA FITNESS
  • 0
    scammed
    I am 53 years old. I have never worked out, ever but decided I needed to change my lifestyle and excersice. I went into LA Fitness and joined, the I asked about a personal trainer BIG MISTAKE!! Soon I had a guy sit and talk to me about how they can help me get to my goal and tone my body. They offered me 3 months (is what I understood) because I did say I wanted to try it first. Then he asked, how many times a week, I said 2, I'm sure of it. Anyways, he talked and talked until I finally agreed to the training still thinking 3 months, 2x a week. I started with one trainer and all went well, he basically did testing. Then I went again for my sceond session and they told me I had to go 3x to acheive my goal. To make a long story short, I went in with the best intentions but the trainer asked me to lift a heavy weight and I got a throbbing headache that went from 0-10 in seconds. I laid there and told the trainer, she then said that's weird ok rest for a minute and we will try again. This surprised me because really I thought I had an aneurysm it scared me so bad. So as the headache gradually went down to I'd say a 5, I continued but was very much in distress. I went home and this headache lasted 3 days. I went again to the gym and basically same thing happened, all along the trainer asked me to keep going. I went to a doctor because I was very concerned and he did MRI's and all teats. No aneurysm Thank God but it is a rare occurence some people have with excertion called Thunderclap headaches. Doctors dont know why people get this but basically there is not much he can do except asked me to not lift weights anymore. So I went to LA Fitness and asked to cancel my personal training due to medical reasons. They told me I can't cancel and I have a YEAR not 3 months) contract and I either have to pay 1/2 of remaining balance which is about 900.00 ORT get a doctors note saying I'm disabled. SO as upset that I was I said I will get a doctors note. My doctor wrote the letter explaining I can not to excertion excersice and went into LA Fitness and the manager told me sorry, can't help you or accept this. The doctor's note HAS to word PERMANENTLY PHYSICALLY DISABLED!! I was in shock, angry and mortified! Please if anyone can help me too, please tell me!
  • 0
    Dhval
    I have been member of LA fitness for 1 year (two times). Its always hard to cancel gym membership and you would always end up paying one or two months extra. The real scam is the personal training program. I joined the program along with a friend and was told that personnel training fees would be split-ted between two of us. We were greeted very warmly on the first day, after signing the contract skeletons started falling from the cupboard. For first 6 sessions had 3 different trainers, nobody had any idea of what exercise we did or should be doing and even had conflicting training facts.

    My exercise journal was entirely blank but I was glad to have my 3 page photo copy of diet program. Things started to get even worse nobody took any measurements or had any future fitness path. At times trainer didn't ask a single question before starting and just showed me how to squat and pull strings for 30 mins. When I complained to George I was told that I should have told him earlier nevertheless he gave me two 10 min sessions to compensate. I went practically every week day for 1.5 hrs but had no idea what exercises to do. My iPhone app did a way better job.

    After discussing with other friends I requested gym to cancel my personnel training sessions and then to my horror I was told that I don't "understand" terms and conditions because they are too complicated for me. I was given a number in California because local people do not have full authority, in exact words "they can only pass my credit information".

    After calling the HQ in California I was told to contact my Local gym membership because I am in contract and I would be billed anyway with or without services. Guys at gym did understand my grievance but were reluctant as I was in contract and only way out is if I move out to a place which doesn't have a LA fitness, get a Driver License there and send copy of it as the new address prof. The worst they put everything on me and laughed at my naivety cause I signed the contract. I don't understand how can their lawyers make such a one sided contract. They shamelessly agreed to poor service but there is no way out, I wish I was not that gullible. My only comfort is that after reading this there would at-least one less victim.
  • 0
    Dhval
    I have been member of LA fitness for 1 year (two times). Its always hard to cancel gym membership and you would always end up paying one or two months extra. The real scam is the personal training program. I joined the program along with a friend and was told that personnel training fees would be split-ted between two of us. We were greeted very warmly on the first day, after signing the contract skeletons started falling from the cupboard. For first 6 sessions had 3 different trainers, nobody had any idea of what exercise we did or should be doing and even had conflicting training facts.

    My exercise journal was entirely blank but I was glad to have my 3 page photo copy of diet program. Things started to get even worse nobody took any measurements or had any future fitness path. At times trainer didn't ask a single question before starting and just showed me how to squat and pull strings for 30 mins. When I complained to George I was told that I should have told him earlier nevertheless he gave me two 10 min sessions to compensate. I went practically every week day for 1.5 hrs but had no idea what exercises to do. My iPhone app did a way better job.

    After discussing with other friends I requested gym to cancel my personnel training sessions and then to my horror I was told that I don't "understand" terms and conditions because they are too complicated for me. I was given a number in California because local people do not have full authority, in exact words "they can only pass my credit information".

    After calling the HQ in California I was told to contact my Local gym membership because I am in contract and I would be billed anyway with or without services. Guys at gym did understand my grievance but were reluctant as I was in contract and only way out is if I move out to a place which doesn't have a LA fitness, get a Driver License there and send copy of it as the new address prof. The worst they put everything on me and laughed at my naivety cause I signed the contract. I don't understand how can their lawyers make such a one sided contract. They shamelessly agreed to poor service but there is no way out, I wish I was not that gullible. My only comfort is that after reading this there would at-least one less victim.
  • 0
    Jeanne
    they suck, I never dealt with such an arrogant company as LA Fitness. They do not let you cancel without giving you a hard time. The form they make you send in is rediculous. They never help you at the gym unless you are paying for a training session. I am quitting today because I cannot stand the way they treat thier customers. I am done.
  • 0
    rmardeni@gmail.com
    I was told when I signed for a training account that I would be able to cancel at any time, stupid me that I didn't read the entire contract to find out that LA Fitness will make sure to get their money however they can and found a clause that allows them to get half of the money they would get for the entire period of the contract. After 6 months into the contract I find myself unable to go to the training sessions and simply don't want to keep paying, so when I talked to the corporate office they are trying to make me pay half of what is left and it is ridiculous. This company is a scam and they do not appreciate the customers, they treat them like garbage from the beginning with lies and incomplete information to lure you in. Stay away from them and you will be better.
  • 0
    ex LA
    I am a Former LA Fitness employees, I don't know which one is more to blame, the company or the employees. LA Fitness puts a lot of pressure on the employees on hit there membership goals (by the way seem ridiculously higher every year). Coming from the upper management VPs down tow the Sales Persons, district Manager will put on a front with raw raw speeches about doing the right thing to get a membership, but when a Manager is doing well in "NEW MEMBERSHIPS" they will look the other way even if it "illegal" or unethical membership that are get pass through, Until it is brought to their attention. The company is full of double standards and that is the reason I personally decided to leave the organization. I believe that there is good money and bad money (blood diamond) and I will not bend my ethics for another mans gain. LA Fitness thrives on finding and hiring sales people that will do anything for a quick dollar.
  • 0
    CUSTOMER
    This was my favorite gym until i signed up for personal training DO NOT EVER EVER GET TRAINING HERE! i signed a 52 week contract big [***] mistake! its been aboutt half way that i am now at and i need to cancel due to not having the money to pay and they told me i have to have a doc note saying im PERMANENTLY disabled! such [***] and i tried cancelling before this time and the manager there blamed my first trainer for wanting to cancel we is so dumb he called me on the phone asking if he made me try to cancel witch i still havent cancelled since im not disabled the only other way to get out of it is to buy out witch is so effin dumb im not using them anymore so why should i have to pay half of what i owe $400 to this gym who has been giving me problems! DONT GET A PERSONAL TRAINER HERE!!!!! BEWARE!!!
  • 0
    Marc
    I have an amazing personal trainer, however, the training manager is a complete waste of space.
    My wife and I joined at one location and began training. After a few months, we moved into a new house and switched locations. Here is the thing:
    Our trainer lives 5 minutes from our new gym, but his old gym's training manager won't allow him to meet us at the new location.
    I contacted the training manager at the new gym who said he would push the issue and contact the VP.
    The VP was never contacted.
    I called back several times and every time I am promised quick results. After 30 days, my last conversation ended with:"Sir, you will have a resolution by the end of the business day."

    After another week, nothing. So I called back today and demanded that they cancel my training contract for "services not rendered." After all, they are dealing with the Human body. My fitness level doesn't roll over into the next month like cell-phone minutes.

    Now I have corporate customer service involved. I'm going to push the issue and threaten a business review complaint with the Better Business Bureau.

    I needed to loose 20 lbs by July to qualify for military service. These guys are messing with my life, not just some vanity goal of getting a six pack.

    I'm gonna push back as hard as I can. In the mean time, I would appreciate some advice. Until they stop charging me, I can't afford to seek assistance elsewhere.

    Getting another trainer at the New location is not an option for me. The trainer I would have considered has too many clients and the other guys are simply character liabilities. They offered me meal plans, even though they aren't licensed nutritionists. Scam artists.
  • 0
    What a rip off and liars
    The manager of the South Loop club here in Chicago "Steve' the sales rep is a big crook he boost my membership up by giving me add on without my knowledge
  • 0
    LA Fitness Is Terrible!
    As a general rule the gym industry is a shady unprofessional practice. The main goal especially for the larger corporate gyms is sales goals or quotas. Then once someone becomes a member forget about any customer service or polite behavior. Be aware of this and prepare yourself by being confident and don’t let them walk over you or convince you of anything. After 15+ years of experience of consistent gym usage you learn to quickly recognize the scam and lack of quality people in the industry. What you typically see is sales associates who are in their early twenties who lack people skills and common sense appropriate conversation techniques with members. Then you have the underachieving sales and operations managers usually in their forties who amounted to nothing in their lives and get off on the little power they have in their lives by being rude, pushy, and unwilling to help or take care of club issues. They take the lazy approach to everything giving you much more appreciation for the much harder working fast food and retail people. The high turnover indicates the working environment in this industry is not conducive for success. If you take any job and set a standard the customer would want and pay QUALIFIED people what they’re worth they will stay longer while appreciating what they do over immature high turnover types. You have none of that at a gym, you get arrogant off-putting people that recycle every six months to a year, especially managers.
  • 0
    Hotatlanta
    I just tried to cancel my train contact but they just talked over me. I just left because I was getting so angry.
  • 0
    Anna
    In April of 2012 I purchased a membership and a Personal trainer package for my son.  After 1 month I went in to cancel the personal trainer do to poor customer service received and lack of interest with the place and it's so called "trainers".  I was told I had an 11 month contract and if I cancelled now I'd have to pay the remaining balance owing which was $120/plus tx per month. I decided to let it ride til it ended just in case he decided to go back.  My 11th installment payment was due February 28th, 2013.  In end of March I went to the LA Fitness in Brampton (Bovaird) to close/cancel everything.  I was told that another $120 installment had just been processed for March? I was so pissed, my contract said 11months not 11 mo plus until we decide to stop.  Unlike the actual membership you have to give 10 days, this did not state that. 11 months is 11 months, that's it.  I did not authorize 12 months.  Girl at the desk cancelled everything but told me to go to the bank and try to do a stop payment which I did.  They have tried 2x to take this money.  Everytime I call to speak to a manager, they are never available.  I managed to get 5min in to tell her my problem, but surprise surprise something suddenly came up and she had to hang up.  So the gym doesn't have a head manager overseeing everything, one manager per function, they all report to the big boss with the huge mansion in California.  So that's where my unauthorized monthly payments are going to.. NICE... but i'm not stopping.
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