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Bally Total Fitness

Bally • Sales Practices, Contracts • The 12-Day Rule • "Lifetime" Contracts • Moved Away • Maintenance • Child Care • Opening Late • Headphone Policy --- News • Bally's Customers Hope To Exercise Their Rights

We get so many complaints about Bally Total Fitness, it's a workout just to sort through them. Maybe the most important thing to know about all health clubs is that the contracts are legally binding. If you want to cancel your membership, you must do it in the manner specified in the contract -- in writing, via certified mail, usually. Otherwise you end up like Kathleen (below).

Kathleen of Waterford, MI (8/4/05):
In April of 1990, I went to the Waterford Balley's (which at that time was called Vic Tanney) with my sister-in-law to see what it was like. The girl that met with us talked me into joining. After I filled all the paperwork out, she told me that I needed to bring back a cancelled check to verify my checking account. She also informed me that if I wanted to cancel that I should contact them within 4 days. The following day I called and cancelled the membership. I was then under the impression that everything was taken care of.

Now 15 years later, as I am trying to get my finances in order to buy a house, I find out that I was turned over to a collection agency and I owe over $1100.00 to Balley�s. 15 years later!

Patricia of Cherry Hill, NJ July 3, 2009

When I entered the gym this morning (July 3, 2009), it felt a wall of heat hit me. The gym felt like a sauna - definitely not a good environment for exericising. I approached a staff member at the front desk (no name tag, a muscular black man) and asked him if something was wrong with the air conditioning. He gave me a dirty look and repeated my question back to me as if I was an annoyance to him. I told him the gym was very warm and could he adjust the thermostat. He told me no, only the manager can adjust it and he wouldn't be for another hour. He gave me an attitude - poor customer service.

I approached another staff member (a young white woman with dark hair, again, no name tag) and asked her about the air conditioning. She was more friendly, but told me that only the maintenance man can adjust the thermostat because it requires a special code to be entered and he was off today. I approached another staff member (because at this point it became clear that you get a different answer depending on who you ask) and he agreed with me that the temperature is unbearable and confided in me that recently Bally's corporate offices have directed that they keep the AC set to a warmer temperature to save money.

I would estimate the temperature in the club at about 80 degrees which is not only uncomfortable, it is UNSAFE for people who are exerting themselves during exercise. It was so uncomfortable in the club, I was only able to tolerate half my workout before I had to leave because I was so hot. It was a waste of my morning. Since nobody at the club could (or would) address the problem, I asked the front desk for the phone number for the district manager. When I got home and called the number, it was a wrong number. I made several more calls and was unable to speak to any manager, nor could I get a live person on the phone at the main corporate number. How is it possible that no staff member at the club was able to adjust the THERMOSTAT? Shouldn't that be something that employees are able to do? Why was there nobody there who was in charge and could address this issue?

Secondly, if it is true that Bally's corporate has instructed their gyms to raise the temperature to save money, this is completely outrageous since the most important thing when exericising is to have a room that is a comfortable temperature so as not to get overheated and pass out. If Bally's really wants to save some money, they could easily afford to lay off some staff members. Most of them are unfriendly and rude and not helpful and the ones who are not rude are at best ineffective at addressing any issues that need to be addressed.

As an aside, the "lifeguards" at the pool are frequently literally sleepingon the job which is another recipe for disaster. Bally's is definitely going downhill. I have never been able to get any problems addressed effectively at that club and now I cannot even physically tolerate exercising there with this new air conditioning situation.

George of Philadelphia, PA July 2, 2009

Signed the contract when I was working full time. Only work 3 or 4 days a week now because of the economy. Have written to the Corporate office to have them cancel my contract and take the account off of ach, because can not afford the monthly payment due to rent, car, household bills, food and daughter in high school. Bally's will not cancel unless a doctor fills out a form stating that it because of a medical condition. I do not know what to do at this point because every time they put the payment thru to the credit card it takes it over limit and there is an extra chatge for an over limit fee. What do I do at this point.

Reeta of Wayne, NJ June 16, 2009

I became pregnant in Sep, 2008. My doctor advice me that I should not be going to gym. I sent them a certified mail in January, 2009 with my doctor's note explaining my medical condition and the time frame (unable to use gym services). It's been more then six months they have not made any decision on my case. I have been calling them last six months. Every time I called them they say that I should make my regular payments to avoid late charges and they will issue a refund.

Today on Jun 16, 2009 I called them again after seeing that their system is showing that now I owe them money in the amount 133.98 from April 9, 2009. Problem is that I been making all the payments on time and waiting for them to refund me. I talked to their customer service representative name Maria with employee ID 6521 about this matter she told me I should not make any further payments on this account and they are in process to cancel my membership. Further more she said I should receive a refund by the end of this month. I have serious doubt about this since its been more than 6 months and they have not met their promise.

Susan of Buena Park, CA June 23, 2009

The pool is so disgusting. It hasn't been cleaned for ions. Often the water is so very cold no one can use it. The showers are scary. They are SO dirty. Often there is no soap in the dispensers. The staff are totally incompetent. They are not friendly and seem to be totally disintered in helping anyone. I say good-bye.

sean of east greenbush, NY June 9, 2009

I signed up in 5/2006-3yr contract, called after two weeks to cancel- was unsuccessful.Today 6/09/2009 my bank account was charged by them for the monthly fee of 37.00. I called to explain that my contract had ended last month and they told me that it is in my contract that I had to call and retract the membership so no further charges were made. Seems a bit odd to me that when you sign a 3yr contract that it has an open end?

Any way, after being on hold with Bally's for 30 minutes, I hopefully will not be charged any further. This company should have the pants sued off of them because they are nothing more than thieves! If there are any lawyers that are interested in pursuing a case against this company,I would be the first among many to go after them to get all my money back! Note: I had only used their facility a few times in the first week and never went back, but still honored my obligation because they would not allow me to cancel after only two weeks of being a member!

shifali of jersey city, NJ June 9, 2009

I had joined Bally's on April 30th along with a friend of mine. They had an offer going on at that time where there was no long term contract involved and so you could cancel your membership at any time. Now when we spoke to the sales guy, he told us that one of us had to buy the membership and that we could use only one credit card to pay and could not use our individual credit card to pay our individual amount, inorder to avail the offer. My friend was the buyer and so it was his credit card that would be charged and I was the primary member on the contract. When I joined I specifically told the sales guy that I needed the membership for 2 months only that is for the months of May and June. He said that wasn't a problem and I just had to tell them a month before I had to leave inorder to cancel. He made it sound that simple. So they charged me 24.00 for the first and last month (total of 48.00+ 10 for the card+ taxes which came up to 62.06) I assumed that was all I had to pay. On May 21st I went to my local bally's where I had enrolled and I told them that I wanted to cancel my membership from June 25th. They tell me that it cannot be done by them and that I had to call the customer services. This is something the sales guy conveniently did not mention. So I then call the customer services on, May 21st and it is a torture to get through to their agent as they just put you on hold for a good 25 minutes to half an hour. Anyways I had no other choice but to wait and had to spend my cell phone minutes as they are open only from 6am to 5pm(PST) Monday to Friday.

I finally got to speak to the customer care agent and told him that I had to cancel my membership and he told me that I was all set and my membership was cancelled. But on May 28th my friend calls me up telling me that his credit card has been charged for 25.68 in spite of my cancellation. We ended up paying the amount of 25.68, but had the charge been on my credit card I would have definitely disputed the charge. Since it was my friend's credit card I was helpless. I believe that this is another wrong selling practice. Why should someone else pay for you? Anyhow, I called customer services again and had to wait for half an hour to finally get to an agent. I told her that I had cancelled my membership and still was charged and she started saying that the 62.06 I paid was down payment and this was the monthly payment charged. I told her that this was not what was told to me and nothing of that sort was mentioned on the contract. She bluntly told me that I just could not get a refund. The customer services is so pathetic that they will come up with some new excuse every time you call them.

I then decide to go to my local bally's to see if they would help and they were as bad as the customer service. I spoke to Brian there who was a real butt head, arrogant and rude. All the sweet talk with which they woo you into signing the contract was gone and they told me that I had to deal with customer services myself. So I get on the phone and call corporate again and this time they tell me that I had to call them 10 days before the monthly payment due date (my payment due date was 05/28/2009) something again which was not informed to us by the sales guy.

Had the sales guy given us the right information we would not have to go through all this. Who would read a 3 page contract when you have asked all your questions and have got the answers from the sales guy assuming every word he says is the truth. We were mislead about the cancellation policy and had to come out of this bitter experience losing the money. So beware all you future customers as these people will just rip you off. Their selling practices are pathetic which needs serious correction and all their employees are thugs.

Elidon of Lodi, NJ June 18, 2009

When I first signed up 2.5 years ago I was never told that I had to attend the gym for 12 or more days for the first 30 days in order to have a chance at canceling my membership the first month. So when I did try to cancel the first month they got me with that. I figured I couldn't hurt my credit so I kept it. But now my financial situation is such that I am sincerely approaching them asking to cancel my account by settling it for a sum of money. I clearly explained that there is simply no way I will be making any payments to Bally's anymore. They are just so stubborn - they don't care for the consumer, they don't care if you're dying - all they care is to get their money.

As a business they have a responsibility to this community and as such they should honor difficult financial situations and make exceptions. For God's sake we're talking about a gym membership, not a mortgage Knowing that they will never receive another payment from me they choose to hurt my credit rather than settle for a small lump sum. Now this is just right down shady, dirty, sick, and unthoughtful of the customers that make make Bally who they are.

Alex of New York , NY June 15, 2009

After a month of calling and asking for a document so I can transfer my membership they have yet to send a document. Meanwhile no one is using the membership and I did pay for it in full. They are irresponsible, unprofessional and should be fined for abusing clients. I will be contacting an attorney if this does not get resolved and will call the media if possible - NY1 and channel 7

Sini of Thousand Oaks, CA June 1, 2009

I enrolled in Bally Membership on 09/04/2008. I moved to LA recently and I want to cancel my account because I never went to the gym. the representative said, he is not going to do anything about it, asked whether I can speak to his Manager, he said 'You can talk to anyone you want, but its not gonna change anything'. I feel this is a rip off, they had some things in Fine print and the representative did not discuss anything while enrolling me in. This is a scam! The representative told me that he is going to put my case to collection agency and will incur more charges to deal with.

Rebecca of Milwaukee, WI June 2, 2009

After honoring my contract with Bally Total Fitness, I have attempted to cancel payments on at least five different occasions (they DO continue to charge monthly fees after your contract is up). It is nearly impossible to contact someone over the phone. I "cancelled" my payments back in January and I am still being charged almost six months later. I have since tried calling the hotline (unsuccessful), the actual gym(unsuccessful), cancelling through the website (good luck!)and I am about to march into the headquarters if necessary! This is an out-right scam and they are STEALING from me. I would not recommend this gym to anyone and I am quickly spreading the word. Please speak up if you have been part of a similar situation, the CEO's of this organization should NOT be allowed to take advantage of hard-working, regular people like myself.