Why L.A. Fitness SUCKS!!!

[SlightlySt00pid]

I joined L.A. Fitness mid-November of 2005, mostly because my fiancee has a membership there and I figured we could workout together. Great, so I go down there and talk to a sales rep about joining up, Me and my fiancee sit down and go over everything, then we get down to the nitty-gritty, whats the cost? The guy says "there's an initial setup fee of $100 and it will be $35 a month from there on out", to which I say "setup fee? what the hell exactly do you 'setup' anyways?" He mentioned something about paperwork, then proceeded to ask me how much I was willing to spend to get signed up. I said I have $50 with me, if I can get signed up for that, it's a deal, to which he agreed. Just to clarify I asked him point blank, "Okay, so I'll pay $50 now and $35 a month and thats it, right" to which he replied "yeah, thats it, just sign on the dotted line". I was about to when my fiancee chimed in and says, "hey I only pay $25 a month, whats the difference?" The salesman replies, "Oh that's because you don't have the 'towel service' included". I said, "WTF? $10 extra for a ****ing towel? thanks, but take it off, I'll bring my own" So I was down to $50 dollars up front, $25 a month. Not bad right?

I've been pretty happy with the gym for the past 3 months, except some of the machines seem to be out of commission quite regularly, but I would blame that on the guests who dont know what the f*ck theyre doing rather than the staff, still repairing them shouldnt be too much to ask. I'm setup on autopay with the gym, so I pulled up my bank statement online the other day to find two charges from LA Fitness, one for the normal $25 monthly fee, and another for $50!! The reason it was such a big deal is because I didn't have the money in the account to cover the $50 charge, so I got slapped with about $90 in overdraft fees! I was pissed, but figured it must have been a mistake on their part and I would be able to get it easily resolved.

So I go to workout this morning and I ask the guy at the counter who I could talk to about a billing issue. He informs me that the sales manager will be in in about 10 minutes and I could discuss it with her. So I do my workout, and an hour and a half later, approach the front counter which a man and woman are standing behind. I ask "Is the sales manager available?" to which the woman I'm speaking with replies "that would be me". I explain the situation, so she pulls up my account to see if I had missed a payment, which I had not, I had made every payment on time. She then notices that when I signed up for membership that I had only been charged $50 dollars, and the 'setup' fee was $100, so the remaining balance was taken from my account. I was like, no no, the agreement was that it would be $50 down, $25 a month, there was never any mention of any recurring fees. She asked "do you remember who signed you up?" I told her I dont remember his name but I think he was Mexican. She says "the only mexican that works here is ---- (i forgot his name)" to which the guy behind the counter turns around and greets me. I recognize his face and say "yeah, you signed me up, whats up with this additional fee?" He says "the setup fee is $100, you gave me $50 down and agreed to pay the other $50 within 3 months, and that its in the contract". I said I never agreed to pay any extra $50, theres no way I would spend $100 to join a sheitty ass gym like LA fitness! Now hes giving me attitude telling me that he called and left a message with a girl saying they were going to charge the account, and i say "so you called... and left a message. with a girl. Did you talk to me?" "No, but.." "Well then you have absolutely no right to charge my card without my authorization". He starts lying right to my face, saying I agreed to it when I signed up, so I knew I wasn't getting anywhere with this ass clown. I asked for the number to the corporate office, they refuse at first, but I said I would get it one way or another so the sales manager writes a number on a post-it note and hands it to me. The guy has the nerve to say "sorry that there was a misunderstanding" as I'm walking out, so I turn around and say "the only 'misunderstanding' here is caused by shady-ass sales tactics on your part" and not to feel sorry for me, I'll get my money back, and that he better start looking for a new job.

I get home and immediately grab the phone and dial the number the sales manager gave me. It starts ringing, and then I get an earful of loud screeching indicative of a number to a fax machine. At this point I'm outraged. I call down to a different location, ask for the number to the corporate office, and the girl replies "sorry, we don't give that out". I say "look, I just got screwed over by a salesperson working for your company, I was told I would only be charged a $50 sign-up fee BY THE SALESPERSON and received a charge for another $50 dollars". She's like "what? really? thats messed up, I'm going to call down there and speak with the manager (to which I'm thinking yeah, good luck) and straighten this out". I don't know if she did or not, and if she did I'm not sure it would have done much good, but at least someone finally saw where I was coming from. Plus she gave me the number to the corporate office.

So I call up the customer service line, and a dreary, mundane voice picks up on the other end, "LA Fitness customer service, how can I help you." I explain the story in as much detail as I can, including the fact that the sales manager gave me a false phone number and that they basically treated me like a liar", to which the girl responds with the generic "I do apologize blah blah blah" and then asks me if I have a copy of my contract. I told her that I had moved into a new aparment and that everything was still in boxes, I'm sure I have it somewhere but its not in front of me" She says "well your contract states that you were to be charged the full setup fee", I explain that the salesperson gave me the impression that the setup fee would only be $50, and that I had even asked him specifically whether or not there would be any additional charges, to which he replied no. She asks "well do you remember the name of the salesperson?" I replied that I didnt, and she says "so let me get this straight. You dont have a copy of your contract and you dont remember the name of the person who registered you" I blew up, i said "what the f*ck difference does it make whether I remember the name of the assh*le that lied to me, all I want is the UNAUTHORIZED charge dropped, and Im not above filing a report with the BBB and picketing the god damn store!" To which she replies, "well your contract says..." BULLSH*T!! I asked to speak to her manager. She says "I am the manager", so I ask to speak to her supervisor, and she says "well I can have someone give you a call back"... yeah f*ckin right. I leave a callback number, but I realize Im not getting anywhere with this girl either, great 'customer service', she says theres nothing she can do about dropping the charge. So I get stuck with a $50 charge I would have NEVER agreed to, PLUS an extra $90 in bank fees. LA Fitness is a scandelous operation, their salespeople will straight up lie to your face and tell you anything you want to hear as long as they get you to sign the piece of paper. After calming down and telling my fiancee "maybe he did tell me and I just wasnt paying attention", she said "no, I was sitting right there and I heard exactly what he said, and heard me ask him if there were going to be any additional charges, to which he said no", so I know the little weasel is lying. And its not just the money, it was the disrespectful way they treated me like a criminal or like I was trying to pull a fast one on them, like they were annoyed that I was bringing it up.

Anyways, I dont know what to do at this point, I dont know who to talk to that will bring some resolution to this issue, but I can tell you this, I have never DESPISED a company so much before in my entire life, and I'll make sure I let everyone know exactly how manipulative and deceitful that company is.

L.A. FITNESS

[Kale]

First thing you have to do is find that contract. Is it all in there ? You dont have a leg to stand on I would imagine unless its in the contract.

[SlightlySt00pid]

Yeah but isnt there a law against telling somebody one thing and then doing the complete opposite, whether stated in a written contract or not? Does a verbal agreement mean nothing? Not to mention the fact that I was never personally informed prior to the withdrawl from my bank account... Revenge is in order. If I can't beat the system I will wait out in the parking lot with a baseball bat and beat the salesman.

[Cdub]

yOU SHOULD CALL your bank and tell them that you did not authorize that $50 dollars. File a grievance with your bank. i am with a credit union and if i say i didnt authorize something they will have there lawyers make some phone calls.

[damiongage]

yOU SHOULD CALL your bank and tell them that you did not authorize that $50 dollars. File a grievance with your bank. i am with a credit union and if i say i didnt authorize something they will have there lawyers make some phone calls.

exactly. That and ask other members if that has happened to them...if it has, you may be able to start a class action law siut.

I would at least file a claim in small claims court against the salesperson. Wouldn't love to see the reaction they give you after he gets served.

[thebison]

that suxs what happend but only 25$ a month is pretty cheap for l.a fitness one by me is 50$ a month but its reallly nice and big.

[oldman]

I am not a lawyer but a written contract will supersede a verbal contract IMO since it is your word against theirs and the written contract is where a court would look.

Again my opinion but I agree these types of gyms don't give a crap about you, only your money.

[SlightlySt00pid]

that suxs what happend but only 25$ a month is pretty cheap for l.a fitness one by me is 50$ a month but its reallly nice and big.

$50 for an L.A. fitness membership is nuts. If I were going to spend that much on a gym membership, theres a place called Lifetime Fitness here in AZ... its like the golden palace of gyms, but its more than I really need. I just want a place with heavy weights and no bullshit. And no shady salesmen.

[Kale]

You guys dont know how good you have it, here in Singapore a gym membership will set you back about $130 per month

[oldman]

You guys dont know how good you have it, here in Singapore a gym membership will set you back about $130 per month

are you serious?


Oldman

[BigJohnE]

Cdub is right. Call your bank and tell them that you would like to initiate a chargeback for an unauthorized charge to your account. I've worked with issuing and processing banks for years and they most often side with the cardholder. But do check your contract first to make sure that it is not in there that you would pay the other $50 later.

[timvds]

Cdub is right. Call your bank and tell them that you would like to initiate a chargeback for an unauthorized charge to your account. I've worked with issuing and processing banks for years and they most often side with the cardholder. But do check your contract first to make sure that it is not in there that you would pay the other $50 later.

Im 99% sure it is in his contract that they would deduct the rest from his account within 3 months, unfortunately he should have read the contract.

There is nothing he can do at this point except take it as a loss.

Shady ass salesman though.

[decadbal]

have your lost your mind, you dont write for the daily news, keep your posts short from now on..

[SlightlySt00pid]

have your lost your mind, you dont write for the daily news, keep your posts short from now on..

lol yeah but I bet you still took the time to read the whole damn thing

[Carlos_E]

Show of hands. Who actually read all of that?

[oldman]

I did.. I was bored this morning and read it all. Mental note to self... get a life.


Oldman

[USfighterFC]

Holy shit that was a long ass post....you gonna get that shit published LOL

[decadbal]

i didnt read any of it... just the first word... then scrolled down...

[BARLOW]

they tried the same thing to me at a 24hr fitness in colorado.....
i called they said 10 day free coupon on internet, i was like sweet, printed it off, took it in, they say oo we dont accept these nemore but talk to our salesrep and set up an acct, so im 17 at the time, no id, i sign the contract lol well i just worked out n left paying nothing.... then they harass my aunts house for like 4months, she owned their asses....do u realize u made a minor sign a contract....in the end dude lost his job.... OWNED. I JUST WANTED TO ****ING WORK OUT.... i even offered 10 bucks damnit. FACK THEM GYMS

[Hackamaniac]

Yeah but isnt there a law against telling somebody one thing and then doing the complete opposite, whether stated in a written contract or not? Does a verbal agreement mean nothing? Not to mention the fact that I was never personally informed prior to the withdrawl from my bank account... Revenge is in order. If I can't beat the system I will wait out in the parking lot with a baseball bat and beat the salesman.

[Kale]

are you serious?


Oldman

Oh Yeah !!!!! And the gyms here are always packed, allbeit with Asian toothpicks !!!

[Bryan2]

Yeah **** LA fitness


One thing you can do to get them back though that has worked for a few guys I know for quite some time now


in a month or 2 cancel your bank account that they are automatically deducting from and open a new one and dont tell them


They will keep trying to deduct from the account that no longer exists

one of my buddies did this for 9 months before they finally caught on and he skipped out after that and went to another gym afterwards. They tries to give him shit and said he owed them for back months and he said bullshit I stopped comming here right after I closed my account.

They couldnt do shit to him.

Another friend said he got his SS number jacked so he had to close his account after they caught up with him unfortunealy he only got 6 months for free.


Me I put my pass on hold for a couple months and they never ended up doing it. I cam back and chewed out the manager and they said theyd put it on hold while I continue to go there for 2 months/

I never reactivated the account until a full year afterwards and got basically free membership


I reccomend closing your bank account

[Diezed]

130 bucks bro ....what a waste of money...within 10 yrs u got like 20,000 saved up just put a down payment on a house

[THE_DOME]

I work for a credit card company, feel free to intiate a chargeback from you issuing bank. They should pretty much take care of it immediatly and credit funds to your account. The only bad thing is having to find another gym trying to suck the money out of you.

[PrairieDawg]

yeah I'd stay away from those big corporate gyms. the only people they let you talk to if you don't have a membership is a sales rep and all they're concerned with is $$$. It's their job, to make sales, not much else, maybe clean the shitters. so they're going to do what they can to get you acct. #. I bet they'd even fake your signature if they could get away with it. This is why I go to a locally owned gym. It's the best within a 6 hour drive and they don't even have sales reps.

[Panzerfaust]

yOU SHOULD CALL your bank and tell them that you did not authorize that $50 dollars. File a grievance with your bank. i am with a credit union and if i say i didnt authorize something they will have there lawyers make some phone calls.

Somewhat correct, do contact your bank and get someone to find the transaction for you showing where it came out of your account, tell the bank rep that you dispute this charge. These are called "charge backs" in the credit card world and if your check card is a Visa or MasterCard then the regulations should apply and you should win the charge back.

A HUGE problem is the contract that you signed, if it states that you agree to pay the $100 setup fee and you signed it, i am afraid you are SOL.

[kloter1]

i mean look at the name " la fitness" sounds like a pussy gym...

[K.Biz]

i mean look at the name " la fitness" sounds like a pussy gym...

haha agreed

[manc]

wait for him on a dark night and kick the sh$t out of him.
LA FITNESS is about £50 here in uk

[jerseyboy]

Actually I like the gym for the most part with the exception of some of the equipment. It's the people I can't stand. Never had any billing problems.