Complaint Review: Bally Total Fitness

October 7, 2005
We went it to the Bally's at 188 Kentlands Blvd., Gaithersburg, MD 20878 to sign up for a monthly membership. The manager, Karbassi, pressured us in to signing up for a 3-year membership to lock in the current sale price.

He said that if we changed our mind and wanted to go back to the monthly membership, we could use the 30 day money back guarantee to cancel the 3-year membership as long as we came 12 times during the 30 days. Karbassi said that if we decide to cancel, to come in to the Bally's and tell him.

November 9, 2005
We went in to the Bally's on Kentlands Blvd. to cancel our 3-year membership, as Karbassi instructed us to do if we changed our minds. He looked up the attendance log in our presence, counted the entries to confirm we had come the 12 times, and told us he would take care of the rest. He then proceeded to sign us up for the monthly membership, and told us we would have our $99 set-up fee from the 3-year membership refunded to the check card within two weeks.

January 26, 2006
After reviewing bank statements for the past few months, we noticed that Bally's not only neglected to refund the $99 set-up fee, but that they had been billing us on the cancelled account ever since, WHILE billing us on the monthly account.

I called the Bally's on Kentlands Blvd. to find out what was going on, and the manager Sy told me the 3-year membership was never cancelled, and that I should call the corporate office to fix the situation. The corporate office told me I needed an ADI from signed by the district manager to cancel the account and get a refund, because it was after the 40 day cancellation period.

February 14, 2006
Today I spoke to the District Manager, Michelle, who told me she would investigate the situation. She said that while it is obvious I was led to believe the 3-year account was cancelled (since I wouldn't have signed up for a second account at the same gym otherwise), it says in the contract that I have to cancel in writing.

To date, we have been charged the $99 set-up fee, and $64 per month for November, December, January, and February, for a total of $355 (All while being charged for a monthly membership under the same name at the same gym.)

Michael
Montgomery Village, Maryland
U.S.A.