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Greg of Grand Prairie TX (07/03/08)
I submitted a written request not to renew my personal training six weeks prior to the termination date. I included a copy of the original letter from Body of Change with the termination date and notice of 30 advance notice to cancel the auto renewal. Surprise surprise I got hit for the renewal fee after the termination date. If you go to their web site, strangely enough the ContactUs page has errors producing no contact information.
Bernadette of Desoto TX (02/07/08)
I joined LA Fitness in December 2007; I have no issues with the gym itself. My problem lies with Body of Change and their personal trainers. My husband purchased training sessions for me for a Christmas present, and he paid for them up front. I have had a couple sessions so far that have been okay, but just recently their lack of customer service just threw me over the edge. I always schedule my training sessions at 11 am during my lunch hour. Yesterday I showed up at 11 am, and they told me that I was on the schedule for 11:30. Okay, no big deal; I will train by myself today and reschedule for tomorrow at 11 am instead.
Well, once again I show up at 11 am and they tell me that I am on the schedule for 11:30. This time I am a very upset because I workout during my lunch hour, and my time is not that flexible. I asked him what else he had going on right now and if he could train me now instead of 11:30. He agreed to; however he said I would lose 5 minutes off my session because it is now 11:05. I spoke with the training manager and didn't get much further with him. If I could get my money back I would because honestly the trainer hasn't shown me anything I didn't already know. What a WASTE OF MONEY!
Gail of Schaumburg IL (02/06/08)
I asked to cancel my Body of Change membership because my husband had lost his job, and we had to cut everything we could because of our financial situation. I went into the LA Fitness Club and spoke with a trainer. He told me that they would waive one month for me but not anymore. I sent the paperwork via overnight delivery. I called to verify they received it and was told February, 2008, that payment would be waived. I went on-line to check something in my checking account, and another payment was taken out of my checking account.
I called the toll-free number to be greeted by a real snot. She said I need to have proof that someone told me that, and she would have to call the club, talk to the person I talked to and verify it, but that still would not guarantee the waived payment. She said it isn't fair to all of the other members for me to get a $29 payment waived. I told her that I now understood why there is a website dedicated to her business for complaints from other members. I will tell everyone I can to make sure they don't join up or believe anything their trainers and corporate office says.
Shawn of Reading, PA (01/03/08)
I have been a LA Fitness member for 10 months and I have witnessed some egregious behavior by Body Of Change trainers. In my opinion, most if not all, have very little training experience outside their own workouts. I have an Exercise Science degree and had worked for 7 years in the field. As I watch these trainers I cringe at the lack of knowledge and professionalism. Most don't know how to properly adjust the equipment or do an exercise properly, therefore forcing the client to do an exercise wrong. Many times I have seen them talking on a cell phone or to other trainers or members while the client is exercising!
I have seen about 25 different trainers in the 10 months I'm there. In my opinion, these people have no idea what they are doing and they are going to seriously hurt someone.
Watson of Dallas TX (12/21/07)
I would advise anyone with any thoughts of using trainers from Body of Change to think again. They pay the trainers $6/session and I would say 85% of them have no real experience in the field. They will hire anyone that thinks they would be a good trainer. I workout at LA Fitness and can only laugh at what I hear some of the trainers say to clients. As a Physician I have been closely associated with trends in the exercise industry and can honestly say for the most part these guys should be out of business for their lack of knowledge, not to mention their scandulous business practices.
Vrushali of Cumming GA (09/22/07)
When my husband I joined LA Fitness in the month of May, we were introduced to Body of Change. We were not ready to enter into any contract and the Company's representative, Stacy, said to us that we can try for a month and continue if we were interested. She specifically told us that do not worry about any paperwork and she had a handwritten paper that showed she will be charging only for a month. She asked my husband to electronically sign as a confirmation of what we had discussed. There was no contract for a year and we did not see any contract. Apparently, in 15 days Stacey was fired from the job. She deceived us by having my husband electronically sign a blank contract which is a crime and Body of Change is responsible for heir employee's action. At the end of the month we received a call from Body of Change if we wanted to continue and we said no. In the meantime they charged us on the card for additional 2 months. We contacted Body of Change and they advised us that we had signed the contract and they would not refund us any money and would discontinue for the rest of the year. We told them that it was a fraud and they did not want to listen.
I would like Body of Change to reimburse for the additional 2 months the charged us on the card as well as reimburse us with all aggravation and trouble we went through in explaining to them about their employees actions. I think Body of Change should take responsibility for their employees action and should be dealt severely so that these practices are not continued.
Dennis of Mill Creek WA (09/18/07)
I received calls that a payment was due. I told the gal that my contract was fullfilled as it stated 11 payments. I was then informed that my contract turned to month to month. i was not told of this at signing, of course. I at this time requested that they stop the month to month and was told that I could only cancel if my account current. Therefore I have to pay for the month I didn't know was due and then another month after that. This is very underhanded paractice and miss leading. It appears very intentional.
I did not budget for the added monthly dues. Therefore I can't make immediate payment and can't stop the dues from climbing. There is no end to the cycle.
Ramona of Atlanta GA (07/27/07)
In March 07 i was offered one free session with a body of change personal trainer after becoming a member of LA Fitness. I had mentioned a vaction i had planed for July/Aug and the trainer, Mike told me they could get me in shape in time - i signed up. I was advised to sign up for a 12month contract as it would reduce the monthly fee but that i would be able to cancel whenever i wanted it would simply mean forfeiting the deposit money i paid upfront.
THIS WAS A LIE to get me to sign.
I know i am now leagally binded to the contract - i wanted to bring this to peoples attention before they make the same mistake i did. In my recent research i have found that many others too have fallen for the crafty sales tactics
My goals where never discussed after the day i signed up. There was no structure to my training. I was not once told to warm up or stretch and as a result - spent many days barely able to move (and that i promise is no exaggeration).
I was given a wrok book/journal when i signed up and after some weeks was told not to worry about the book and that i dont even need it. I requested remeasurement of my body 3 or 4 months down the road and NOTHING had changed (i never missed a session)
I have spasms, trigger points in my back as a result of such poor training
Gayle of Vancouver WA (04/27/07)
LA Fitness just opened in Vancouver, Wa. I joined. I asked about help with the equipment. I was shown three excerizes and then was pitched the 6 month trining plan. I asked to take the contract home before deciding. They called the manager who then called by phone the area manager. I was told it was against company policy to allow the contract out of the building until it had been signed. I could just read it there. The contract says in part that by signing the client acknowledges that the client had the opportunity to have the contract reviewed by an attorney at the client's discretion. Pointing this paragraph out to the manager had no effect. I had to sign the contract first. I could then have it reviewed by an attorney. If I didn't like the contract, I could cancel. I had three days. I was so angry that I cancelled my membership! That contract also contained a provision for changing the fees and that the client waives notice of the change--Meanwhile the Body of Change people had direct withdrawls for payment from the client's bank account! The B. O. C. people could change trainers!
the client has very little ability to reschedule the set program arranged, and of course...nothing is their fault and they can't be held liable for a thing.
People should know that the contract is one of adhesion. That If the BOP people have the policy to not allow the client to have an attorney review the contract, if someone else has problems, maybe they can sue these people for this policy of not allowing the client to seek advice of counsel before signing. Yet, making the client say that he did have the opportunity. I am a witness tht this is their policy.
Christy of Irving TX (02/20/07)
Signed contract for personal training based on advertising stating you make more progress with a trainer than you do alone. Unfortunately, what happens is that Body Of Change trainers are grossly underpaid and mismanaged, so the attrition is so high that it is impossible to get sessions with your own trainer. So you can't train, and you don't see results. Numerous calls and messages left by both myself and LA Fitness members for Doug Murphy, Trainer Manager, to return calls so I could be assigned to another trainer went unreturned for WEEKS. Meanwhile, BOC keeps getting their $312 every month and unused training sessions accrue while I can't get in to train! I'm not by any means the only member with this problem. FINALLY a customer service rep at the BOC corporate office just won't take no for an answer until Doug Murphy actaully comes to the phone. The result is his promise to set me up with another trainer. We schedule as many of my remaining sessions as possible before I leave the country in three weeks. Yes, so much time has passed due to inaction that I am having to desperately try to work in as many as possible in three weeks time. BOC advocates training the entire body in half hour segments, 2 to 3 times per week. I am booked for SEVEN segments each week. This will require careful planning by the trainer to ensure nothing is overworked and thus injured. I show up for my appointment the following morning at 5:30am. The trainer is not there; neihter Doug nor his assistant Roy troubled to inform the trainer that they'd booked a new client for him at a time earlier than he was aware of to show up for work. So another day and another training opportunity wasted. I leave Doug FOUR large messages to please call me to rectify this; as usual, he never does. The trainer shows up Monday, however, but still has not been told to expect an unusual schedule. He thinks he has me for just a half hour, not a full hour. We train very hard, and at the end he thanks me...and I say, whoa, you have me for another 30 minutes and I don't know what else we can possibly do! Guess what? Once again, Doug and Roy, who both ASSURED ME THEY HAD TAKEN CARE OF EVERYTHING...didn't bother to tell this poor trainer what was up. He'd not even been at the club two weeks and didn't even know he WAS allowed to train back-to-back sessions.
H. of Piscataway NJ (01/31/07)
I am a member of LA Fitness. I love the gym itself. I currently go to the Piscataway, NJ location. I have had a trainer with their outsouce Body of Change trainers since October and I have barely seen results (aside from doing the South Beach Diet). The first trainer I had was awesome, although he was kind of forward with his comments, actually took an interest in me and my progress, would train me for 45mins- 1 hour, instead of the 30 mins I was scheduled. He would call me the next day to see how I was feeling, and gave me tips and exercises to do at home. So since then he had to quit for a better job oppurtunity, and I have been through 3 trainers since then. One of them changed bc of scheduling conflicts (aka ALWAYS double booked and never available when I was), and the other one was a good guy, just couldnt remember my name (after 2 months!), and then the one I have now, is kind of rude and is always late. The 3 ones i've had since my first always showed a lack of interest and just basically rifled me through without any different workouts so I got used to it quick. This is not to mention the 3-4 random trainers I have had when they've been double booked. I never got the body analysis I was entitled, and I needed a new training book and I still haven't gotten one (2 months later!). I have tried to cancel my membership once already, and they refuse. The only way you can get out of it is if you move, or have a doctors note. I'm paying $115/ month for 4 sessions (one a week). I was supposed to get 24 free sessions, and then an extra 4 bonus. which equals basically 6 months of an extra session a week. Now They are saying they have no record of my free sessions and are giving me the run around. My trainer wont train me if he isnt getting paid, so I basically got brushed off.
Kristin of Ravenna OH (08/12/03)
I too signed up for A Body of Change. I signed the contract on 6/27/03 and after a day or two of thinking about it decided that i really didn't have the time or the money to utilize a trainer at this time, so I sent the bottom portion of my contract to the address provided on my contract. Isent it certified mail as instructed.
A couple of weeks later I had $60 debited from my account throwing my bank account off and bouncing a check.
I called the branch office where I signed up at and the guy i had signed with was no longer there, and the new guy had no record of me being a member.
He gave me a number for the billing office, I called them and they show I am still an active member. i asked for the number for the Corporate Office in Arizona. She said she could only give me the address. So now i have to write them and in the mean time another $60 will be debited. I have to close my bank account to stop them until we get things squared away. I talked to the manager again and he said that maybe the cancellation didn't get to them because they don't send it from there anymore. My question is, then why don't they include that bit of information in the contract?
I had to close my bank account with a negative balance due to an NSF causing me to not be able to write a check even with a new account because when you close an account with a negative balance you are reported to check systems and no one will accept your check. I feel irritated and cheated.
Judy of Atlanta GA (06/26/03)
I signed a contract with Body of Change and sent a certified letter to cancel. I am one year into a dispute with them and hired an attorney to sort it out. My attorney has negotiated a settlement but Body of Change has not lived up to their part of the agreement. They reported me to all 3 credit agencies. Part of the agreement was to remove the info at the credit agencies which they have not done to date. Body of Change did cash my check.
Joy of Alhambra CA (06/06/03)
I signed up for a personal trainer with Body of Change in Alhambra, CA on Janurary 10. I found out the next day that I needed to leave on an extended business trip in a week, so I went back to Body of Change on the 13th of Janurary to cancel. The manager of that branch, Dominic told me that he would take care of it all for me and that there would be no problems and no further actions were required of me. I didn't get a contract because he said that the contract would be mailed to me. I waited several weeks for the contract, but it never came. On top of that I got charged the $560 + $25 first and last month and registration fee. So I went to see Dominic and discovered that I might not have recieved the contract because I canceled within 3 days which is what I was supposed to have done. Well, I then asked for my proof of cancellation. He said he would get that for me. He never did.
It has been 6 months now. Everytime I got my monthly credit card statement, it would have another $280 charged on it and I would pay Dominic another visit. I visited him on numerous other times every month. He just gave me the I'm waiting on corporate. excuse. Three months later I got the initial $560 and $25 refunded but not the $280 charged for the month of February and March. On May 23rd, after harrassing Dominic and Affliated (the company Body of Change charges through) I got credited $280 per each charge for the month of February, March, and April. Then I found out that I got charge again for May. Apparently, nobody told Affiliated that my account was canceled. By the way, Affiliated would not work with me at all since I didn't have my contract. I am still getting the run around by Dominic from Body of Change. And because of this mess up, it's affected my credit such that I'm having difficulting applying for a loan for the purchase of a dream home. I've spent countless hours trying to contact Dominic (who seldom returns my calls and is seldom there when I actually go in) and countless hours doing the legwork to see what else I can do to resolve this issue, especially with my credit card company which has been so fantastic and wonderfully helpful with this 6 month headache.
Marlene of Torrance CA (02/14/03)
On November 15,2002 I signed a contract for Personal Trainer services with Body of Change located inside the L.A. Fitness facilities in Torrance,CA. I specifically told the manager, Richard Ramirez, that I only wanted to have these services for 2-3 months. He assured me that I could cancel at any time but that I needed to sign the year contract because that was standard policy. In January 2003, I mentioned to my personal trainer, Nikki, that I would be quitting training sessions in a month or two. She then informed me that another client tried to cancel and then found out about the $250 early termination fee. I then went home and read the contract thoroughly. I then called the manager, Richard Ramirez, the next day and spoke with him. I asked him why he didn't tell me about the early termination fee when I specifically told him that I wanted training for a short term. He told me that he couldn't remember all that was said, that I couldn't get full benefits from personal training unless I signed up for a year, and that I should have read my contract. I asked for the phone number of the corporation and the name of someone I could talk to. I called the number (1-888-357-2474 extension 114, Alma Suchill) and got a recording. I left a message. I left several messages. On January 3, 2003 I sent a letter to the corporation in Phoenix,AZ, asking them to waive my $250 early termination fee because the manager was not upfront with all the important information. I also asked them to cancel my membership beginning March 1, 2003.
I have not heard from Body of Change at all and I sent the letter certified mail.
This company is dishonest and misrepresents the client. I would have gladly paid more monthly if I knew about the early termination fee.
This has caused me much mental anguish.
Marlene of Torrance writes (2/14/03):
On November 15, 2002 I signed a contract for Personal Trainer services with Body of Change located inside the L.A. Fitness facilities in Torrance, CA. I specifically told the manager, Richard Ramirez, that I only wanted to have these services for 2-3 months. He assured me that I could cancel at any time but that I needed to sign the year contract because that was standard policy.
In January 2003, I mentioned to my personal trainer, Nikki, that I would be quitting training sessions in a month or two. She then informed me that another client tried to cancel and then found out about the $250 early termination fee. I then went home and read the contract thoroughly. I called the manager, Richard Ramirez, the next day and spoke with him. I asked him why he didn't tell me about the early termination fee when I specifically told him that I wanted training for a short term. He told me that he couldn't remember all that was said, that I couldn't get full benefits from personal training unless I signed up for a year, and that I should have read my contract.
I asked for the phone number of the corporation and the name of someone I could talk to. I called the number (1-888-357-2474 extension 114, Alma Suchill) and got a recording. I left a message. I left several messages. On January 3, 2003 I sent a letter to the corporation in Phoenix, AZ, asking them to waive my $250 early termination fee because the manager was not upfront with all the important information. I also asked them to cancel my membership beginning March 1, 2003.
I have not heard from Body of Change at all and I sent the letter certified mail. I would have gladly paid more monthly if I knew about the early termination fee. This has caused me much mental anguish.
It doesn't matter if Marlene sent the letter engraved in granite. She signed the contract and it's most likely legally binding. Lesson: don't sign a contract that says something other than what a salesman tells you. The contract is binding. Verbal assurances are not.
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