Don't sign up with Gold's Gym...

[BlackBerryJuice 349]

So about a year ago, I signed up with Gold's Gym. Then this summer I realized I was 1) gonna be out of commission with the gym for over a month due to my surgery 2) not really going there as much because it's hard to get to when it's -50, so I was going to do workout DVDs this year. So I went there to cancel; my 1-year contract had already expired, so I didn't expect this to be particularly laborious.

First off, they tell me that even though I'm there at that very moment, I have to go get a registered letter ($9 and an hour of my time) stating I want to cancel before I do. Then they say they will charge me for another 30 days before my account is closed.

Get the letter out (whilst swearing a lot), sent it, Canada Post said it was delivered the next day. 1.5 months pass and suddenly I notice my credit card has been charged for my membership yet again - even though the 30 days have long passed.

Call them,

1) they claim the letter only got to them a week after I sent it (translation - they didn't check their mailbox OR it lay on someone's desk for a week while they were too busy fake-tanning)

2) they announce to me that it's actually 90 days and not 30 before they stop charging me!

I explain to them what was told to me back in August, they asked who said that - I describe the person and they tell me it's the manager. They tell me she'll call me in the next hour.

8 hours later I get back from school and of course she hasn't called. I call there and she tells me that yes, indeed, it is NINETY days.

This weekend, I'm planning to dig up my old contract and stir up some shit. Incidentally, a friend told me just last week they had a "stay away!" report about these types of gyms on our local TV station. In the meantime, the least I can do is save other people $250 and a whole lot of hassle by spreading the word about this crap!

[mp8btpc 33]

That is such bull crap, it is like companies try to squeeze every freaking penny out of someone that they can. They make these bull crap rules with the intent of milking you for more money. I mean you go in person to cancel the membership, all they would need to do is maybe take a copy of your license to verify that you were the one that cancelled your own account....instead bull crap about a certified letter that is going to sit around and get processed when they feel it is most beneficial for them. ERRONEOUS!

[SouthernSleever 228]

I'd tell them that unless they provide a signed copy of my contract where this is all stated then I will be taking them to court to recover the charges they put on my bill and any bank charges resulting from that.

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,282]

Ew! I'll be sure to never use their services. Thanks for bringing this to our attention. That is highway robbery!!

[laylasmojo 10]

I had a simalar thig happen to be when I tried to cancel my 24 hour fitness membership. A month afer I canceled I was looking at my bank statement and ut showed that they had charged me another month so I called them and they said it was policy to charge an aditional month !!!! So I asked for a amanager and lucky they reimbersed be after I explained that I was canceling becasue I was moveing away and could no longer aford the payments. Sorry this Happened to you Good luck with your contract hopefully you can get your money back

[thinoneday 445]

So about a year ago, I signed up with Gold's Gym. Then this summer I realized I was 1) gonna be out of commission with the gym for over a month due to my surgery 2) not really going there as much because it's hard to get to when it's -50, so I was going to do workout DVDs this year. So I went there to cancel; my 1-year contract had already expired, so I didn't expect this to be particularly laborious.

First off, they tell me that even though I'm there at that very moment, I have to go get a registered letter ($9 and an hour of my time) stating I want to cancel before I do. Then they say they will charge me for another 30 days before my account is closed.

Get the letter out (whilst swearing a lot), sent it, Canada Post said it was delivered the next day. 1.5 months pass and suddenly I notice my credit card has been charged for my membership yet again - even though the 30 days have long passed.

Call them,

1) they claim the letter only got to them a week after I sent it (translation - they didn't check their mailbox OR it lay on someone's desk for a week while they were too busy fake-tanning)

2) they announce to me that it's actually 90 days and not 30 before they stop charging me!

I explain to them what was told to me back in August, they asked who said that - I describe the person and they tell me it's the manager. They tell me she'll call me in the next hour.

8 hours later I get back from school and of course she hasn't called. I call there and she tells me that yes, indeed, it is NINETY days.

This weekend, I'm planning to dig up my old contract and stir up some shit. Incidentally, a friend told me just last week they had a "stay away!" report about these types of gyms on our local TV station. In the meantime, the least I can do is save other people $250 and a whole lot of hassle by spreading the word about this crap!

Wow that is really not good for you. . . I'm a member with Golds Gym and have cancelled my membership 2 times without any problems at all. . .they didn't expect me to write letters, pay extra or anything. . even the re sign up was easy. . . I guess you must have a really bad Golds Gym over there. . . sorry to hear that. . .

[AutumnLily 77]

Blackberry can you put a stop payment on your credit card towards Golds Gym? Have someone else call up and ask questions about signing up and cancelling after a year. Or have someone go in and ask to see the one year contract if you cannot find yours.

Thanks for the info

Lily

[cyclemom 0]

Hi Blackberry,

Something similiar happened to me approximately a year ago, however, I was notified by mail of a class action law suit against 24 Hr. Fitness about nine months after I quite. Approximately a month ago I was notified that the court ruled in favor of the gym members and 24 Hr. Fitness is ordered by the courts to provide 3 months of free membership. It was precisely for the same thing that Gold Gym is doing to you. Since I'm pre-op this couldn't have happened at a better time. Thought I would share, I'm sure Gold's Gym is aware of the class action suit that 24 Hr. Fitness lost.

Good Luck!

[StaySea 2]

I experienced something similar a little over a year ago. I was moving to Taiwan so ending my contract a few months early....well really not I was paying for the last month or 2 I wasn't going to be there b/c I had the contract. But trying to cancel so they didn't keep charging me once my contract expired and I was on other side of the planet was a pain in the ass! I had to call several different people, show proof that I was moving overseas, they even wanted a utility bill from Taiwan (to which I said how would have that I haven't moved there yet....???). It was an utter joke trying to cancel my membership when I was willing to pay for the rest of the contract I just didn't want to renew. ARGH! I liked the gym but the paperwork side of it is ridiculous! Makes me nervous of joining other gyms in fear of this paperwork run around and hidden fees and crap.

[feedyoureye 3,087]

Im so lucky, my gym has no hard long term contract... you just have to let them know and they cancel the next month no problem. I have canceled and gone back without a hitch. A couple of times a year they have no signup fee weeks. They all should be like this! Shout out for Touchstone gyms in Sacramento and the Bay area! They even let you take your dog to workouts and have loads of rock climbing walls and classes.

http://www.touchstoneclimbing.com/sp.html

[BlackBerryJuice 349]

Hi Blackberry,

Something similiar happened to me approximately a year ago, however, I was notified by mail of a class action law suit against 24 Hr. Fitness about nine months after I quite. Approximately a month ago I was notified that the court ruled in favor of the gym members and 24 Hr. Fitness is ordered by the courts to provide 3 months of free membership. It was precisely for the same thing that Gold Gym is doing to you. Since I'm pre-op this couldn't have happened at a better time. Thought I would share, I'm sure Gold's Gym is aware of the class action suit that 24 Hr. Fitness lost.

Good Luck!

That's very interesting, I'll look into that.Thanks!

[CraftyChristie 62]

What an outrage!!!!!! I would be LIVID. I used to belong to a gym back in the Chicago area called Xsport... when I joined I signed a year contract and it was during a "6 months free" special. Well then I was getting ready to move to Colorado toward the end of my year so I went to cancel. They told me the 6 free months get tacked onto the end of that year. So that once those 6 free months were over, I'd be out of my contract automatically. So I moved to Colorado, went about my business, and 6 months later I started getting charged again for that gym. Took me a couple months to figure it out since I had a lot of things on my credit card. Started dealing with them on the issue... took MONTHS before they stopped charging me. They gave me the same crap about sending a letter, etc etc. They just do EVERYTHING they can to get money out of you for as long as they can before you can finally get the process taken care of. Ugh!!!!

[Becca 108]

24 Hour Fitness charged us for that extra month when we said we wanted to end our "month by month" contract. My husband and I got a free member ship for three months. I would have rather had the $70.00. We belong to the YMCA now and I have not desire to go back to 24 Hour after how ridiculous they were when we wanted to quit! I hope you get it all straightened out!