Bally Total Fitness Need advice on handling the Collection Agency! Troy Michigan
I'm about to blow...I hate Bally's with the fire of a thousand suns. They have sold my 'debt' to Asset Acceptance and now they are stalking me for $1251! I REFUSE to pay!
I cancelled my contract with Bally's.....I guess it wasn't for a reason that was acceptable to them but, TOO BAD! I didn't need their services anymore so WHY do they feel I need to pay? I'm an account executive and sign contracts every day with clients and we don't hold anyone's feet to the fire when they have to cancel! We don't short rate them and they owe us nothing (i'm in TV Advertising). Bally's needs to WAKE UP and realize that when people need to cancel their contract for ANY reason...LET THEM GO! I think its ABSURD that members of the MILITARY who are going to fight for our country are being harassed and not let out of their contracts with Ballys! The fact that they have to send in deployment papers to BALLY's to get out of a silly gym membership? WAKE UP BALLY'S! Shame on you for making soliders do this! THey have more important things to worry about!
Anyway, I'm holding strong and not paying the collection agency. I'm am willing to go the full length of this battle for what is RIGHT in this society! No more paying meiser company's because they are harrasing us and trying to ruin our credit just to make a buck. It's ending NOW.
What I would like to know is....has anyone ever been successful in winning the fight against Bally's and/or the debt collector they sold your balance to?
Thanks,
Ready to Fight in Michigan
Michaelene
Shelby Twp., Michigan
U.S.A.
1 Updates & Rebuttals
Jim
Anaheim,California,
U.S.A.
Interesting
#2Consumer Comment
Tue, December 04, 2007
It matters 100% why you cancelled your contract with them because the contract you agreed to honor stipulates certain reasons that allow you to cancel your membership at no additional cost to you. If it is not one one of those reasons, you will be on the hook for the cost. It matters 0% that you are in the military because your service in the military, while greatly appreciated to someone like me, is not part of the contract. When you signed your contract, you gave your word and honor that you would abide by the terms of the contract and that is all this issue is about. Nothing more and nothing less.
Now that your debt has been sold by Bally's, you have no recourse to try and negotiate with them - that is something I would have tried in the first place. I would probably see what you can do to negotiate with the collection agency but you will have less luck with the collection agency. There are severe consequences that will happen to you personally if you don't negotiate - including the agency ruining your credit, inability to open a bank account, getting a loan, obtain a judgment against you and drain you of anything in your account, etc.... At this point, I suspect the amount you owe the agency is more than the debt you had with Bally's; do what you need to do to negotiate and pay off the debt. Make certain the agency doesn't ding your credit report, otherwise you will be in a huge mess; as an executive, did you know that companies now check credit reports of prospective employees and can reject you as a candidate for a position based on a bad credit report? It happens all of the time.
I guess the item I find interesting is the attitude; if you do to the military what you did to Bally's, the consequences are far more severe than what you're going through right now. Don't be cavalier about this. Best of luck and stay safe.