Complain about a product or service

24 Hour Fitness

pat of anaheim, CA August 23, 2009

use of the pool facilities are always being repaired i was told when i joined that it would not be an issue that the pool facities would function with out failure the main reason i joined 24 hr i swim for my health and well being

Kelley of Oakland, CA July 20, 2009

In APril of 2009 I called to cancel my membership because I wanted to join another gym with better rates. I was told that I could not cancel through membership services, I had to go into the branch in which I opened my account. On May 1st I went to the High st location in Oakland Ca. I told them i wanted to cancel my membership. When asked why, I told the membership manager I could get a better rate at another gym. He gave me a pitch about the other gym being in bankruptcy and how 24 will match the other gyms rate for me. I agreed to stay. what a mistake.

My May 10th billing cycle came. I was charged my initial amount. I called and was told that i made change in midst of cycle therefore would be billed complete amount. I dont agree since you pay a month ahead but i accepted that answer. June 10th came no reduction. I called customer service. They said although it was in the system it wasnt authorized I needed to contact the club manager.I was told the 10 difference will be credit back to my account. I called the club 3 times left messages. No return call.

I went into club. Manager said everything was fine. July 10th no reduction, no refund. called the same day and was told that that refund was not processed. Now i was told i would receive 20 credit in 5 business days. Today July 20th. No refund. called again and spoke to 1 representative who placed me on hold than hung up, and another who said that i have to wait an additional 5-7 days from the date of the processing for the refund. He stated they processed it july 17th. I advised him that is not what I was told and would like to speak to a manger. He siad there is not one available. I told him i will hold. he came back and said that i cannot hold and someone would call back with in 2 business days. May 1st was the day my contract was changed. when I asked whom else I can speak to to get matters resolved today he said the club manger. The one who said everything was ok twice. I am soo frustrated.

Laura of Houston, TX July 7, 2009

Now, when it says individuals you have dealt with, it is really hard to say because you can't get these people on the phone. My card was charged for 629 for personal training continuance I never authorized or signed a piece of paper for. Don't try calling their corporate line, they just revert you back to the club and say "it is our policy that the club manager deals with this and we have emailed them". Good luck getting that person on the phone. Have been trying to get my unauthorized payments back for 2 months now. Good luck.

Renato of Rancho Santa Margarita, CA June 28, 2009

I am writing this email due to an incident in 24 hour fitness gym located in Rancho Pkwy, Lake Forest, CA 92631. On June 5th, 2009 around 9:00pm I injured my leg in the 24 hour fitness indoor basketball gym. At that time I wasn't aware that I broke my Fibula and I was in a lot of pain. After a few minutes I was able to drag myself off the basketball court and laid down at the sidelines trying to elevate my leg but the pain was too much to handle. At this time I called my wife on the cellphone to come and help me.

Twenty minutes had past and still no employees had come near the basketball court where I could have asked for assistance. So, I had to drag myself outside of the basketball gym. Thankfully my wife had arrived and then notified the front desk that I had been injured. We immediately requested for ice packs and ace bandages, but the employee at the front desk informed us that she only had one emergency ice pack (the kind that you pop and shake to make cold) and no ace bandages. She even commented that they didn't have much of a first aid kit at all, only a few band aids and gauze pads.

Long story short this facility was not equipped to handle any inujuries like the one I was experiencing. The lady took an accident report but I never heard back from the company again. The following day I went to urgent care and they did x-rays and confirmed that my left fibula was broken. The doctor also said that if the facility had adequate first aid equipment that the damage of the swelling and the pain that I experienced would of been minimized.

After a day or so I called the 24 hour fitness to talk to a manager and informed him of the situation, and about his inadequate first aid kit. He said that he would look into the matter, but I also have not heard anything else back from him. So, I called the corporate office and left a message with their loss control department and I still haven't heard back from them in weeks.

I called the corporate office the second time and spoke to a customer service rep and she took down my information and statement and she promised me that someone from management would contact me, but I still have not heard anything back from anyone. I am hoping that this complaint will be heard and something could be done from this communication.

Rachael of North Richland Hills, TX June 25, 2009

I have gotten 3 phone calls TODAY for an unpaid account THAT HAS BEEN PAID. THey stated that I had to go to the local location with a copy of my bank statemnet to prove that the charge went through. I refused and gave them the confirmation ID number from my bank, and they HUNG UP ON ME!!! I called the customer service line.

THey offered to comp me a free month, but I refused anything but a monetary refund because I am cancelling my membership. She refused and I requested a supervisor. I was on hold for 26 minutes! I then spent another 20 minutes on the phone with that "supervisor" who did nothing to resolve the issue. I spent a total of over 70 minutes on the phone. I DEMAND A REFUND FOR THOSE CELLPHONE MINUTES!

David of Riverside, CA June 22, 2009

I was denied entrance to the club in ONTATIO AS IT IS A ''Super Sport Club '' Nowhere does it mention anything about being a Super Sport Club. I bought the first membership some time ago and then upgraded it to Sport so as to go near my job. Then this new club opens and they say I can't go there because of the new status. What's going on? I don't think I should have to now pay more to upgrade again when the last time I upgraded I was told that this would get me into ALL clubs.

Steven of Ontario, CA June 15, 2009

My wife and I had had a membership for 24-hour fitness for nearly 12 years. Foolishly, it was a month-to-month agreement which resulted in our paying way more than necessary.

A few of the group exercise instructors announced that a new facility, with more comprehensive features, was to be at a location that would be even closer to home. They said that current members would be automatically "grandfathered" so that we could have access to the new facility when it is ready. We spoke to the manager (Darnell) who confirmed what the staff members had said. To be grandfathered, though, we would have to have a longer term membership than monthly. We pre-paid for two 3-year memberships at the club we'd been going to for years. As the work on the new site progressed, information began to change. Darnell said that he would only be able to "grandfather" 300 members, but that we shouldn't worry--he would "take care of us". More time passed; his story evolved. We were told "well, corporate does funny things and it's beyond control". It seems we'd have to pay an upgrade. But, don't worry, even though he would be transferred to a different club prior to the opening of the new site, he'd give me his personal cell phone number and be sure to "take care of me".

Other members who had also been lied to were beginning to revolt. Petitions were being circulated and lawyers consulted. Darnell soon disappeared. We got a letter from 24-hour fitness saying that we'd have to pay an upgrade after a 30-day grace period. The new site opens in only a matter of days.

It is absolutely shameful that a company apparently has to resort to outright lies and manipulation as part of its regular course of business. I am still frustrated and angry about the series of lies from 24-hour fitness.

Kayleigh of Miami Lakes, FL June 9, 2009

When I first signed up for my membership, I also signed up for the 3 days with a trainer. They asked me for my schedule and phone number and told me they don't know if and when they would have someone available and that they would contact me to set something up. 25 days went by and I didn't get one phone call from the club. In the interim, I was in and out of the hospital because I was very sick and I also quit my job.

I called the club and told the receptionist I wanted to speak to someone about getting a refund for those training days, as I was no longer a member and I have never received a phone call to schedule anything. The gym technically did not spend one cent or even one second on trying to fulfill the training sessions. She told me someone would call me back. No one called me back so I called the next day and spoke to Sven. Sven told me he could not issue a refund and that Mike, the manager, would have to speak to me.

Again, I did not receive a call back and then I got my husband to call the next day. At this point, it was now after 30 days, which Leighton, the other manager, said even if he had the authority to give a refund he could not and would not give the refund as it was 30 days after I purchased the package! Let it be known, it was after 30 days, because no one would call us back or even talk to us about the situation. We tried rectifying it before the 30 days.

Leighton gave us the number for the corporate office, which my husband called and spoke to a representative, told her the whole story, and AGAIN was told someone would call us back within 3-5 business days. He is on the phone with them today, one representative hung up on him so he had to call back and now this other representative is telling him that the managers are in a meeting and they can't help him, so AGAIN they would have to call him back.

This is ridiculous and despicable. We just want out 99.00 back for the training session as they never even fulfilled their end of the "contract". In the mean time, we have to sit around waiting for a return phone call. The employees at the gym are rude and belittling. I have told other family members and friends to not even bother signing up at 24 Hour Fitness because they are trouble and conniving.

Alex of Ontario, CA June 8, 2009

I have been a member of the Ontario 24 HR FITNESS location for 20 years (formerly Family Fitness). I joined because the club is approx. a mile from my home. I can walk, bike or roller blade there. They are going to close this Ontario location club (Nov. 2009) and open a new Ontario club indicated as a Super Sport club (June 2009) a mile away. Management has stated I will have to use a club further away (in the City of Chino approx. 5 miles away) or pay approx. 50% more in monthly dues to be able to use this new Ontario facility. How long will it be before they close the Chino club and I will have to drive even further? My original membership was an All Clubs Membership (Nation wide). I was taught that ALL is ALL everyone. It was years later that 24 Hour Fitness change this definition to Active club membership. This process appears to be an unfair way to drive up revenues by making old member pay more and eliminate old contracts. If I don't pay more I will be burdened to travel further at my own expense with no guarantee that I won't have to keep driving further and further as these clubs close.

After reading the complaints in consumeraffairs.com this appears to be the trend. I could understand if this was due to circumstances of my own choice, then I would be obligated to pay the consequences, however 24 Hour Fitness has chosen to close my Ontario club so that I will have to pay to play (either in dues or travel). Remember the reason I joined was location. I have kept my end of the contract for 20 years. Do we no longer honor what is right and fair?

don of littleton, CO June 8, 2009

I have had my 24 hour fitness for 11 years without issue after paying a significant initiation fee and the 14.99/month for the 11 years. Now they tell me that my "ALL" access membership is not all access. They say that super and ultra sport clubs have more and new services. This bait and switch screams for a class action. I have been involved in class actions before. They take a long time but if you are persistant and have a legitimate claim they always work.

I know that many many folks have been ripped off by 24 hour fitness and have similiar claims. I'm presently taking offers from any firms that are interested in taking this class action. THere may be other classes in the initial stages and I would be more than willing to join with them as a joint "named plantiff".

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