I joined this health club and signed a 2 year contract. At the time I signed up, I noticed that there was an automatic renewal clause which required a check mark next to it for it to be activated. I did not want the contract to auto-renew and I told the sales person that. The box was not checked, I signed the contract and they billed me--taking the money right out of my checking account--for 2 years as agreed.

Then they kept on billing me. I noticed after the 2nd month and called them. I asked to speak with the Manager and spoke to Brian. He said there's nothing that they could do and that I'd have to speak to the billing company. When I called the billing company, contract in hand, they refused to quit billing me.

Then they pulled another payment out of my account and I got really mad.


I made copies of the contract which clearly indicated that there was no auto-renewal at the time of expiration, wrote a letter demanding that they quit billing me and refund me the $120 they took improperly. The letter was not rude, but to the point. I sent copies of the contract and the letter to both the billing company and to the club addressed to the owner. After 10 days there was no response.


Calling the club again was pointless. I called the billing company again and they told me they would cancel the account but only after 30 days notice which means they'd be pulling another monthly charge out of my account.

Now I'm out $160 and I have received neither any response from the owner of this club nor an apology. I certainly did not get the refund I am due.

The only recourse I have, other than small claims court, is to spread the word across town--and across the world via the internet--about this club's dishonest business practices.

Clearly they do not care about their members and prefer to leave their reputation in the sorry hands of the unscrupulous billing company that pays no attention to actual contract terms.