Complaint Review: The Fitness Club For Women Cheryl Steele

I would like everyone to know that The Fitness Club for Women has a very sneaky contract that makes it very difficult and expensive to cancel. And even when their requirements are met they do not keep their word.

On April 4, 2006 I called the club to inform them that I had moved out of the area and would like to cancel my monthly payments.

I was sent a fax of their cancellation form that said the last deduction date would be 06/01/06 (in three months!) and explained that "30 day billing notice required. 5/1/06 to 6/1/06 is the 30 day notice since today is 4/4/06".

In other words, in order to cancel the EFT from debiting my credit card starting in April, I would have had to notify them in February. I didn't even know I was moving in February!

This meant that for a cancellation request that was made on April 4, 2006 I would be billed April, May AND June!

Nowhere on the contract that I signed does it explain this elusive "30 day billing cycle". I believe that the Fitness Club for Women is purposefully deceptive in order to receive as many payments for an unused service as possible.

So I faxed back the signed cancellation on form April 7, 2006 with the required proof of move (a Comcast bill) and watched in dismay as my card was continually charged for a service that I was not using.

But that's not all. I just received my July credit card statement and there is a charge for July! I am completely shocked and want consumers to know just how dishonest Cheryl Steele and the Fitness Club for women really are.

So not only have I paid four months for a gym that I don't use but trying to deal with Cheryl on the phone was a trial of my patience. She was extremely rude to both me and my husband (she hung up on him!). She acted like she was doing me a favor by allowing me to cancel by fax when really she knew she was making money off of me and my innocence.

Lauren
South Boston, Massachusetts
U.S.A.