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Planet Fitness review: billing practices 10

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1:23 pm EDT
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I originally signed up for the $10 per mont no contract membership for myself and my granddaugter in December. In the end of January, my granddaughter left the state for work and I was diagnosed with a foot injury that required surgery. I notified Planet Fitness that I needed to cancel both memberships. They continued charging my credit card for 2 months after cancellation. I filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau and with my bank regarding these charges. I was given a refund by my bank and was told that unless Planet Fitness could prove I owed the money, consider the membership cancelled. Well I didn't hear anything from Planet Fitness, the Better Business Bureau was satisfied that I got my refund and so was my bank. I thought this mess was over until yesterday, I received notices from a collection agency stating I owe Planet Fitness $120.56 for each membership. Now I'm about over the stupidity that they seem to perpetuate. I am filing a formal complaint with the Consumer Protection Agency and hoping everyone that has had a problem with them will do the same. It's about time a Class Action Suit was filed against them for their shear ignorance of the law. Join me and start filing complaints with the Consumer Protection Agency, let's see how they like it when it happens to them.

Resolved

The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

10 comments
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DoraS
Watertown, US
Oct 20, 2011 12:03 pm EDT

Planet Fitness located in Watertown, N.Y.
The female staff has sex in the tanning rooms with members. Just recently many Watertown City cops were waiting outside of a tanning room about one am in the morning when the place was empty of members, to go into the room after the employee had finshed having sex with the cop that was in the room with her.

10/20/2011

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ExPFmember
Austin, US
Jun 15, 2011 8:13 am EDT

What ever happened with the CPA? I just tried to cancel my membership and got squeezed for an additional month!

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angel2965
Vancouver, US
May 16, 2011 12:58 am EDT

i think i am going back to 24hr fitness. the cost is more but at least i can see my trainer when i need to and not with 5 other people. just not what i expected

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MariAsh
, US
Feb 04, 2010 12:15 pm EST

The same thing happened to me at another gym (Gold's). I sent a certified letter for the cancellation, had to CLOSE my bank account to keep them from taking money out, collection agency, endless calls, BBB complaint, the whole bit. It's become a very distasteful and slimy tactic that ALL the gyms are using. I attempted to pay for the upgraded PF membership for A FULL YEAR in cash with all sign up charges and everything to avoid having the headache again and was REFUSED! This just proves that they want to run the scam on bank accounts. What a bunch of _______s!

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Balboa86
Corpus Christi, US
Dec 07, 2009 10:15 pm EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I want to be involved in a suit if there is going to be one... I have been charged 25.13$ for the past 2 years on my card and Planet Fitness hasnt even been here all this time... They got bought out or somehting. Well the money stays pending as a pending transaction even after the months over with. Yes, I look back at my statements and for 2 years theres a pending hold for 25.13$ Thats 600$ that I cant get to thats mine becaue its pending and yet they havent taken any money actually out.. SO the 600$ is just sitting htere needing to be put back on my card! Im reporting them to the better buisness bureau for sure!

If anyone knows any information about them please email me at balboa86@yahoo.com

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jsgs
, US
Oct 16, 2009 11:16 pm EDT

We're in south Florida and had a similar situation that we nipped in the bud before the charges escalated. We had cancelled the membership and a month later, got 3 notices from ABS/Planet Fitness that we owed $25 (instead of the monthly $10)... $5 late fee and $10 handling fee on top of the monthly $10 (because the payment initially didn't go through on the credit card). And that until they were paid, they weren't able to terminate the membership... which meant that we were going to continue to incur monthly costs until payment was made. It's a racket. No wonder they can charge so little for their monthly memberships. They're making a fortune on the side. Complaints aren't enough... a class action suit seems warranted. Then again... an article on Digg.com might be effective too in spreading the word about Planet Fitness's business practices.

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pfhater
Altamonte Springs, US
Aug 30, 2009 9:22 am EDT

You should sue for violations of the Fair Debt Collections Practice Act (FDCPA - Title 15 U.S.C. §§ 1692-1692p). Look specifically at sections 807 and 808 among others. Civil damages for violations are $1, 000 per violation. Also look into violations of your states debt collection laws. It very easy to show that Planet Fitness regularly violates debt collection laws. In you motion be sure to ask for court costs, resonable attorneys fees as well as any punative damages the law will allow.

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K Devoe
Lake Worth, US
Aug 25, 2009 2:19 pm EDT

I will be filing the same complaint as well. They sent me to collections for $394 even though I mailed in a cancellation notice to them directly. They have the RUDEST two people ever working at ABC Financial. Unbelievable.

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Michael Fleener
Palm Beach Gardens, US
Aug 11, 2009 10:49 am EDT

Also, the no contract membership is a myth. It's a month to month contract with farily ridgid out clause that must be termed with a written document give X number of days before the next month begins. At least that is what I read.

Sorry for your troubles. The upside is you will most likely never go into something like this without being completely informed, if this lesson only costs you $120.56 consider yourself lucky.

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Michael Fleener
Palm Beach Gardens, US
Aug 11, 2009 10:43 am EDT

Ignorance of the law is a two way street. Did you read your contract in full or did you just sign it like 99% of most folks. The current PF contract I read looks to let you out if you have an injury with a doctors note, and yes moving away will also get you out. Did you file the proper letter "X" numbers of days before you wished to end your contract. You may think this problem is bad, its not. Spend some time looking into other clubs there are some real nightmares out there. I'm currently looking at three healthclubs to join and PF is one of them. So far thier contract seems about average and less restrictive then the flashy club my wife wants to join.

Bottom line, read your contract before you sign and don't just ask the people that work there what details of the contract mean, anything they tell you, could mislead you. Take the contract home and review it, post it to a message board if you need help not everyone has an attorney as a friend. I'll say this again in regards to talking to the local sales staff about the contract, you don't sign a conversation you sign/agree to the written contract.