- Report: #435800
Complaint Review: Bally Total Fitness - Encino California
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Bally Total Fitness
17401 Ventura Blvd Encino, 91316 California, U.S.A.
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Bally Total Fitness 3 year contract! Encino California
I signed a contract with Bally Total Fitness in summer of 08' and at the time i just turned eighteen. The salesperson was pressuring me so much that I signed up for their membership, thinking I can get out of it later.. I went to the gym for the first five days and stopped for two weeks.
I realized I didnt want to go anymore, and I thought it was easy to cancel... I called Bally and they wouldnt cancel my account. And they said that I havent gone to the gym a total of 17 times. I had a week left, so I thought I will go ten more times to be sure. Once I had completed going 17 times, I called the operator again.
The operator kept telling me that I had not attended the minimum amount. I even sent them the $50 amount they had asked for in order to cancel the membership. I even went back to the gym, to ask for the salesperson and they kept saying that she wasnt there and to call the 800 number.
I couldnt keep going back and forth to the gym trying to cancel my membership because school was about to start. And afraid that if I didnt pay, my credit report will be bad and besides it will be reported to collections, so I paid the amount for the time being... Little did I know they kept charging me, two months later I cancelled my credit card to stall for time. I tried to call the 800 number again and the salesperson, nothing good came out of it.
Now I give up, I dont know what to do, Im stuck paying the stupid monthly membership for the remaining three years, just like the contract stated. I need to get out of it, I know ive made a big mistake by signing the contract but I really really need to get out of it because my parents cannot pay the amount month after month. My parents earn only 30,000 and we come short even on some months just to pay for my tuition and food.
Anonymous
Tarzana, California
U.S.A.
I realized I didnt want to go anymore, and I thought it was easy to cancel... I called Bally and they wouldnt cancel my account. And they said that I havent gone to the gym a total of 17 times. I had a week left, so I thought I will go ten more times to be sure. Once I had completed going 17 times, I called the operator again.
The operator kept telling me that I had not attended the minimum amount. I even sent them the $50 amount they had asked for in order to cancel the membership. I even went back to the gym, to ask for the salesperson and they kept saying that she wasnt there and to call the 800 number.
I couldnt keep going back and forth to the gym trying to cancel my membership because school was about to start. And afraid that if I didnt pay, my credit report will be bad and besides it will be reported to collections, so I paid the amount for the time being... Little did I know they kept charging me, two months later I cancelled my credit card to stall for time. I tried to call the 800 number again and the salesperson, nothing good came out of it.
Now I give up, I dont know what to do, Im stuck paying the stupid monthly membership for the remaining three years, just like the contract stated. I need to get out of it, I know ive made a big mistake by signing the contract but I really really need to get out of it because my parents cannot pay the amount month after month. My parents earn only 30,000 and we come short even on some months just to pay for my tuition and food.
Anonymous
Tarzana, California
U.S.A.
2 Updates & Rebuttals
Joanne i
Skokie,Illinois,
U.S.A.
"Welcome" Is Out To Lunch
#2Consumer Suggestion
Thu, March 11, 2010
The person who callously told you "welcome to the real world" is out to lunch. Companies do NOT have a legal right to behave this way and as a matter of fact Bally's has been successfully SUED in California to the tune of multi -million$ for ripping people off and attempting to force customers into needless longterm contracts. The State of California is dealing with them. I have also had a run in with Bally and they even tried to get a collection agency after me to ruin my credit. I simply posted the tale of their abusive treatment on my credit report so that whoever read it would read my side of it, too. Contact the Department of Consumer Affairs in your state and enumerate the many ways you were ripped off and lied to by them. Don't roll over! FIGHT BACK! It always pays. Make sure you have written records and receipts and DON'T accept the nonsensical blather that "it was your own fault because you didn't understand." This is the rationalization for crooks everywhere.
I too was lied to and mistreated by Bally's. They use intimidating, high pressure sales techniques and mislead people as to what they are signing up for and how long they will be obligated. They also, as has been stated elsewhere, do not protect female customers from harassment by male clients and personnel.
Robert
Irvine,California,
U.S.A.
Welcome to the Real World...
#3Consumer Comment
Fri, March 20, 2009
"Now I give up, I dont know what to do, Im stuck paying the stupid monthly membership for the remaining three years, just like the contract stated. I need to get out of it, I know ive made a big mistake by signing the contract but I really really need to get out of it because my parents cannot pay the amount month after month." - Why would your parents bail you out? YOU signed up for the contract, and if you don't pay it will be YOUR credit that suffers. Perhaps your parents should have taught you some of these financial lessons before you signed up. You are 18 and now are legally held accountable for your actions. Don't expect just because you made a mistake people will just say "oh well" and let you out of it. Think of this as a lesson learned, where you need to read and understand everything you sign. If you don't understand it then don't sign it. Just be glad it was not on something more expensive such as a car. Good luck and enjoy the next 2.5 years at the Gym.
