Complaint Review: Bally Total Fitness Clubs - Norwalk California

Following the Christmas holiday I stopped by a both at the Calumet City, Illinois' River Oaks Mall. They were advertising a "30 Day Guarantee Program". Supposedly for $5, you could check out the Bally Total Fitness Services near you for 30 days and then decide whether or not you would like to continue your membership.

I was interested in getting in shape, my wife wanted to loose some weight, and I was looking for a place for my son to train and practice his basketball skills since he plays college basketball.

During a stay in Warrensville, Illinois I received a free pass to the one they have there and was impressed with the facilities. However that particular one was 50 miles from my home. If they had facilities like that near my home I was interested in becoming a member.

I spoke to a guy by the name of Damion Collins who assured me everything was on the up and up. That if I didn't like the facilities to just let them know and I would be charged nothing.

They had a stipulation about having to visit the club at least 12 times during those 30 days in order for a refund of the $5.

I told him that I wasn't worried about the $5, that I just wanted to check out the club.

When I asked him about the required 12 visits which was a concern since I had plans on being out of town for several days during that next thirty days, he assured me that that only applied to the refund of the $5.

I told him that I wanted to just give him the $5 in cash, but he insisted he needed to apply that from a credit card so that it would be easier to refund my money if I didn't care for the club. Once I was assured of that I signed up for it.

I visited the club nearest me, which was the one at 1500 Torrence in Calumet City, Illinois. And frankly it was just a shell of the club I had visited in Warrensville, Illinois. No basketball court, extremely small locker rooms and less equipment and facilities period.

Someone even passed out during their workout and the employees were advised to leave her lying on the floor until para meds arrived.

I did not like the club and called the given number to cancel. But even though I didn't like the facilities I was told I couldn't cancel because I didn't visit the club 12 times during that 30 day period. They have been billing me every month from my credit card ever since, even though I even had an attorney send them a formal letter demanding that they terminate my membership.

I have called and tried to contact Damion Collins, the guy who signed me up, only to be told he has been transferred to who knows where.

I have never heard of a place where they tell you that you have to use their product a certain number of times within a certain period before they will allow you to stop using their product because it's not what you wanted.

Eric

Hammond, Indiana
U.S.A.