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Lucille Roberts Fitness for Women

Lucille Roberts • Self-Renewing Contracts • Cancellation Fees • Facilities • Other Problems

With more than 200,000 members in the New York metro area, Lucille Roberts is one of the largest women-only establishments in the country. Ms. Roberts, a native of the Soviet Union who immigrated to the U.S. at the age of 13, opened her first fitness club for women in midtown Manhattan across the street from Macy's in the 1970s. By the time of her death in July 2003, the chain was grossing $50 million chain and was about to begin a nationwide franchise operation.

Ms. Roberts said she wanted to build a low-priced facility that would be limited to women -- one that working women and stay-at-home moms could afford and one they could go to without being ogled by men.

But like all only-in-America success stories, there's another side. Customers complain bitterly that they have been victimized by self-renewing contracts, that they have been charged exorbitant cancellation fees and, in a few cases, that the facilities are not up to par.

In fact, the contracts are self-renewing but after the initial term, they become month-to-month, which isn't so bad ... or is it? See below.

Laura of Baldwin, NY (8/28/05):
I had a month-to-month contract with a 30-day cancellation. I called to cancel on Monday, Aug.15th, and was told that I would be cancelled on October 13th, because my billing cycle ended on Sunday, Aug.14th. They are closed on Sunday, so I called the next business day (Monday 8/15), which is acceptable in any business. I explained the contract reads 30 days and since August has 31 days that would allow me to cancel before the next billing cycle which would be Sept. 14th. I also stated that the contract said nothing about a billing cycle. She hung up on me!

I was sent a letter that stated I would be cancelled as of Oct. 13th and if they did not receive the payment my account would be active again and would be charged. I notified my bank not to pay the October bill but they said they could not stop until the billing was actually done. The bank made a note that I called and have cancelled the contract with Lucille Roberts on August 15th. I am a college student and I do not think that Lucille Roberts has the right to continue charging me.

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