Fitness 19 review: bad service ( 2 comments)

I signed up for a new gym membership with Fitness 19 on June 7, 2008. I was told that my initial membership costs would include a one-time activation fee of $49 and the first and last month's dues at $17 per month, bringing the total to $83. All dues thereafter would be $17 per month. My contract stated that I would be charged on the 15th of each month. However, when my first credit card bill arrived, I was charged $100 (The $83 initial costs plus the next month's dues of $17). After analyzing the situation, I determined that my dues for the first "month" were actually for only 8 days, not a whole month. Basically what happened is they charged me $83 on June 7, $49 for my activation fee and $17 per month for what they told me was my first and last month's dues when in reality the first month was only 8 days from June 7-14. Then I was charged another $17 on June 15 for the next month, bringing the total on my credit card bill to $100. I am disappointed that they misled me like that. They should have been honest with me and claimed that the first "month" would only be 8 days or until the 15th of the month, or they should have charged for the next month's dues 30 days after June 7 when I signed up. Charging me on the 15th of each month doesn't make sense because if that's how they do it, then all new members should sign up on the 16th of each month to get the full month for the dues they pay and wouldn't it make more sense to charge on 30 days increments from the date each new member signs up? It is fairest to the customer that way. That is my main complaint.