LA fitness - ripoff merchants (LA Fitness in general)

Member Name: jschaddock

Product:	LA Fitness in general
Date:	17/03/03 (782 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: None

Disadvantages: Rip-off merchants, liars, massive queues

I joined the gym in august 2002 and cancelled my membership at the end of december 2002. But you broke the 12 month contract, I hear you cry! Yes I did, and this was because I was told in plain english by the person who signed me up (to the leadenhall st gym in london by the way) that because I was joining as part of a corporate scheme (I work for a bank who have a deal with them) I could leave at any time and they would simply give my membership to the next person who wanted to join. No "you must find someone to take your membership", they said they would do it for me. I was also told that it would not cost me anything to leave and there was no notice period. Basically this person lied right to my face! When I went to leave in december I was told that they don't do any of this and when I told them that the guy who signed me up had told me all of this they said that he didn't work there any more! Eventually they gave in and I received a phone call in late december saying my membership would be cancelled at the end of december. I was not told that I owed them any money.
Fast forward to now (march 2003). I have received letters and phone calls from a debt recovery agency saying that I owe LA fitness £49 (a month's membership). I have informed them that I followed all their rules when I left and did not owe them any money. They tell me that because I didn't give 30 days notice of my leaving the club I owe £49. Just go up a bit to the part where I was told it wouldn't cost anything. Exactly! If this was the case then I would have stayed a member until the end of january so that I didn't waste a month's membership at my new gym (fitness first who are very good and tell the truth).
I am very angry as I write this, where do la fitness get off by lying to people to get them to join their clubs and then denying it all when you try to leave. I am damned if I'm paying £49 to this bunch of con artists but I fear that eventually
I will have to or risk being deemed a criminal in court when the only criminals will be the bunch on the other side of the room. Be warned, do not believe a word you are told by the person signing you up and read the contract very carefully before signing

Summary: