Complaint Review: Bally Total Fitness

I faxed Ballys my request for cancellation because I was moving out of the state of New York on 8.18.08. The company's cancellation policy states that if you are moving outside of an area where there are no clubs 25 miles away you can cancel for a $50 fee. I was moving to Terrytown, La. I was told that it take 4 weeks to cancel the membership.

I didn't receive my notice in the mail so I called and was told that nothing was received. A couple of days later I received a letter at my new address in Louisian from Bally's dated 9.19.08; stating my membership was cancelled; which was strange because the company claimed "nothing was faxed or received." I called about my refund and they still said nothing was ever sent to them. I refaxed the information on 9.22 and spoke to a manager, Jay, stating the membership would be cancelled back to the original date of 8.18. I called a week later and the associate still maintained that nothing was ever received nor did they know who Jay was.

I then called the club that I went to in New York, faxed everything to them, and spoke to the manager John there on October 3. He refaxed everything to the company. The cancellation department finally stated that they received the paperwork on 10.09 The company took August/ September dues out of my account totaling $164. I received a call today on 10/16 stating that I must pay a $50 fee,to finally close the account, but my account is still active, still not closed. Then I was told to resend the documentation which would mean this would be the fifth time I am sending the information.

I have all the fax transmittal reports, I have the copy of my lease that sent, the letter dated 9.19, and I have looked on the Internet about problems regarding the company and there are numerous complaints about this same issue. Someone needs to seriously look into the practices of this company since I am not the first one to have this issue.

Lilly
New Orleans, Louisiana
U.S.A.