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Gold's Gym

Crystin of Wilmigton, NC February 17, 2006

My fiance and I applied for Golds memberships about a year and a half ago and were signed up by the manager.  This man lied and mislead us.

He told us it would be ok for us to cancel our membership after 6 months or if we wanted, we could tranfer it.  He also told me to put down that I was 18, that it wouldn't make a difference, even though I was under age and had no parent or guardian present.

When my fiance went to cancel, because we were moving, they told us that we had been signed up for a 2-year membership and we would have to pay the full amount.  We had no choice so they withdrew around 1500 from my fiances account.  That was 1500 we didnt have, so we now owe the bank this money.

When we moved back in town I went to the gym because I figured I might as well take advantage of the membership since we paid for it.  I talked to the same manager that signed us up and he denied ever telling us we would be able to cancel or telling me to write down that I was 18. He also told me that there had never been one payment to our membership and that I was no longer a member at the gym.

Ann of Rockville, MD February 10, 2006

My 23-yr-old son joined Gold's on some membership deal. Months later he joined the Army. He didn't cancel the membership. I called to find out how to cancel it, and did what they said, sending the certified letter. A few months went by and we began receiving letters from a collection agency. They asked for the documentation which I again provided...but the dunning goes on with the balance growing. Unlike other examples I do have the proof of delivery with the signature. Doesn't seem to make any difference.

Charges being piled on each month.  My son is in Korea and it is still very hard to even communicate with him. By the time I can, the charges will have doubled again.

Bj of Guilderland, NY February 7, 2006

On February 11, 1991, I contracted with Gold’s Gym to purchase a two-party membership under a special promotional plan being offered during the “Grand Opening” of the first Gold’s Gym in the area. This “one-time” promotional offer, referred to as the “Charter Membership” (ie: Lifetime)plan (hand written onto my contract), had as its incentive, the opportunity to lock in your monthly membership fee FOR LIFE. The membership fee contracted for was 29 per person or 58 for the two-party plan. In addition, an up-front deposit in the amount of 258 was required to secure this rate.

As explained to me by the Gold’s sales representative, Chad Kies, this deposit helped Gold’s Gym secure some of the initial capital to open the gym and in return I was able to contract a LIFETIME rate – one that I was GUARANTEED would never increase. A win-win situation for both parties. Since 1991, Gold’s Gym has increased its rates periodically but, as expected, my rates stayed at the locked-in rate of 29 per person as initially contracted. On two occasions, during such rate hikes, my rate was erroneously increased but the matter was quickly resolved as Gold’s Gym acknowledged the error, agreed my rate should never increase and corrected my rate back to the 29 per person as stated in my contract.

On January 20th, 2006, during a routine audit of my online banking, I noticed that Gold’s Gym had withdrawn 39 for my January membership fees vs. the contracted amount of 29. This was done without any prior notice from Gold’s Gym having been received, without my knowledge and without any written consent on my part. Please note that nowhere in my contract is it stated that Gold's Gym has the right to deduct any amounts other than contracted, especially without any prior knowledge or written consent.

I immediately contacted Frank Patinelli at the 20-Mall location and was informed that Gold’s Gym had initiated an across the board increase for all members, regardless of the contracted plan originally purchased. Mr. Patinelli stated that Gold’s Gym had mailed letters to its members but I informed him I had not received any such notice. I then requested he fax me a copy of this letter for my review.

Upon receipt of and my perusal of this letter, I was surprised to find two things: 1)The letter was dated November 29, 2005 2)The letter made no mention of the increase affecting those contracted under the “Charter Membership” lifetime plan. First, in regards to the date of the letter: Per paragraph #12 of the Gold’s Gym contract it states that Gold’s Gym must submit, upon a minimum of 60 days, written notice to members of such increases. Not only did I, along with many other Charter Members, NOT receive any such notice, but my rate was increased on January of 2006, thereby not meeting the 60 requirement notice. In addition to the minimum 60 days notice, members also have “14 days (from the postmarked date of such notice) which to notify Gold’s Gym of their intent to cancel”.

Although the membership I purchased under contract guaranteed against such increases, Gold’s did not meet the basic requirements they set forth for any members under contract with them. As a result any member who had an increase to their rates prior to a minimum of 74 days, (60 days minimum notice plus 14 days to respond), has had their rates increased illegally. Secondly, the letter DOES NOT state the increase applies to all members, regardless of the contract purchased and I have not spoken to one Charter Member who received this letter. This further lends to the belief that either Gold’s Gym did not intend to apply this increase to its Charter Members as done historically or that Gold’s Gym tried to pull a fast one of the very members who formed the foundation for their existence.

I believe that Gold's Gym must adhere to the contract I purchased and that over the years, by their actions, have reinforced the fact that my rates were never to be increased.

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