Complaint Review: Lady Of America Fitness - Lakeland Florida

This company has a goal. That goal is to make money. When you sign on as an employee you are trained. To do what? Well to sign women to long-term contracts where they have to pay out no matter what even though most are not likely to use the facilities. The key here is to take advantage of women who are many things like insecure or overweight. They prey on you. I would have to encourage women to join for a "Lifestyle Change", that is the gimmick you see. To make women who might feel uncomfortable about working out in a co-ed gym think we have the solutions. It seriously bothered me. What other gym takes your measurments and tries to create a makeover plan upon arrival? NONE. This is because they have a target customer in mind. Ever notice the gym isn't that busy? Not that big? Gosh with tons of business wouldn't they need more machines or facilities? Most of our customers try the "change" for a bit but resume old habits. NOt everyone ofcoarse but those people are motivated and will eventually excel at any gym. Occasionally women who are already in shape would do a tour, but never ever sign. WHY? Because our contracts are ridiculous and the set up is not for active in shape people. WAIT! Isn't that what you want to be when you sign up? They are designed to rip you off. PERIOD. This place lures you in making you think you can finally look and feel good by working out there. If it is so good and people will want to stay, why the contract? If you don't take the 3 year term, the rates are 3 times any other normal gym membership. These contracts are the number one complaint of all gym customers complaints. Most quality busy gyms go month to month or a year contract at the most. LOA will offer that only for highway robbery proces to force you into the long-term ripoff. Do not be fooled. My advice is SHOP AROUND. Can you really say what you will be doing every month for the next 3 years?

I had a problem with a health club in Superior, WI that tried to pull a fast one on me. First, don't respond to the debt collectors by phone. Write them a letter stating only that you dispute this debt and that they are no longer allowed to contact you. Next, bust out your copy of the contract. Read it carefully. There should be a clause for what happens if the club goes out of business. If there is not, then the contract is presumed null and void upon the closing of the business and you should only owe for services actually used (i.e.- the months the club was open during your contract period) Write a letter to the corporate office of the company if it still exists. If it was bought by another company, write to them. Explain that you contracted for services which cannot be provided by them and you refuse to pay for the remainder of the contract. Demand that all collection efforts STOP immediately and that all derogatory remarks be removed from your credit report. Inform them that they have 30 days from the date of the letter to comply or further action will be taken. Also, file a dispute with the credit bureau. If in 30 days they have not solved the problem, contact your state's Attorney General's office and file a complaint against the gym and the collection agency. Do whatever the AG's office asks of you. Make sure to be persistent. This matter will be resolved to your satisfaction if you are persistent. It took me almost two years to get everything straightened out, but once the gym owner in my situation got a call from the AG's office and the local TV station, my problems mysteriously disappeared in less than a month. Learn from my mistake. Don't spend too much time trying to negotiate with the company. If you don't get action in 30 days, TAKE action!

I called Matrix Acceptance, and spoke with "GARY", he refused to give me his last name, but I explained that Lady Of America in Lakeland FL had closed years ago and how could I go for the term of 3 yrs when they DID NOT EXIST??? He told me that I probably could have gone to an alternate gym that they authorized ( explained NO THEY DID NOT ) they simply closed their doors and there is NO other Lady of America in POLK COUNTY! That should have cancelled my membership contract. "Gary" refused to cancel their negative mark on my credit report and said that I could pay them $ 386.48 and then he could write it off as paid. RIDICULOUS!!! Pay them for what??? A gym membership that can not be used???? Since they closed down over 5 years ago!!!!! Gary would not give me any info as to a phone number for the main office (said he didnt have it) well this sounds like BS to me and another way to just get money for a service they CAN NOT PROVIDE ME.

You can call the corporate office of Lady of America at 1-800-833-LADY and ask for Jill Cook. Good luck.....