Dear Reader,
This report is to detail two (2) complaints against LA FITNESS. The first is their blatant disregard for the diabled at the Laguna Niguel club. The second is going through what I have been through in trying to cancel my membership with LA Fitness and the ridiculous membership cancellation policy, it is very obvious the company is trying to milk their customer for every last nickel they can before they leave.
DISCRIMINATION - In 2008 I suffered a triple dissection of my Aorta. The doctors were going to amputate my right leg, however they only gave me a 10% chance of survival and instead placed me in a medically induced coma for 3 weeks. I was discharged from the hospital, deemed permanently disabled. I am unable to work and currently my only income comes from a disability check from social security. I contacted LA Fitness, spoke with the club manager who promised me they had access for the disabled ( I asked as the main entrance was up a very steep flight of stairs, there was no wheel chair access or elevator. I joined the club on his assurances as I detailed my medical history and disability. I was fearful of having to climb all those stairs. He referred me to what looks like a service entrance it was a solid metal door and that walls were solid concrete. You could not look in to see if anyone was coming to your aid. I was to ring the doorbell, and wait for the front desk person (who often was the only person working in the club as I went in the evenings to avoid the crowds) to leave the front desk, walk down a flight of stairs and over to the service entrance.
The rains set in heavliy in California in December. I would have to navigate myself across a parking lot and then stand out in the rain as there is no cover from the elements at this so called handicap entrance, and become soaked also cars would drive by and splash me with water. It was humilating, de-humanizing and it went on for weeks despite my complaints.
RIDICULOUS MEMBERSHIP CANCELLATION POLICY: Remember the club manager told me that the club had access for the handicap, they did not. Therefore in December I asked to cancel my membership. I had a month-to-month contract and wished to cancel before I was billed again.
You have to go through a procedure by which you have to put your name, barcode, and write cancel on a piece of paper and send it into a P.O. Box in Irvine, CA. If you want to be really official, there is a form that you have to get at your local LA Fitness where you basically put that information and send it in. Yes, you have to get it at the local LA Fitness. They won't even fax it to you! And if you DO go there to pick it up, they won't let you fill it out and hand it to them so they can either mail it or fax it to corporate. YOU have to do it.
If you want to cancel your membership, would it not be logical to just go to your local LA Fitness and sign some paperwork after presenting ID and then you would be done? You signed up that way... Why can't you cancel that way? If not, perhaps over the phone...on-line. Well, you can't. I thought it was such a ridiculous procedure that I called the corporate customer service number and when I eventually got someone on the line, She said she would note my account to not bill any further and then recommended that I send it in ASAP, which I did. Se said I had plenty of time to not be billed on the 26th as I always did as it was over 2 weeks away.
The following month, I was billed even though I followed the procedure.
I tried to call corporate about it, because that is where I sent the envelope. Makes sense right? Remember, the local club wants you to come in and pick up a form and fill out but you can't give it to them, you have to mail it to corporate. You would think corporate would handle the situation. But they don't. It takes forever to get someone on the phone, and all they will tell you is that they didn't recieve the envelope and they in fact DID NOT notate the account as they said they did from the call 2 weeks earlier and if you prod them to help you by escalating the situation, they will refer you back to your local club, who pawned you off on corporate in the first place.
keep in mind why their procedure might be like this. Multiply how many people they do this to on any given day that will not bother going through all I am going through to get satisfaction because of the relatively small amount of money this is. Do this to enough people, it adds up! If you had a simple and logical cancellation procedure, God forbid, you couldn't get the extra 30-40 a month times however many people try to cancel at any given time.
HANDICAP ACCESS - I tried to explain again to Mina at the corporate offices what had transpired, that I was disabled, that I was promised the club had handicap access, yet waiting 10-15 minutes out in the rain in wind left me soaked and equally embarassed, remember I am standing looking at a solid door and concrete wall that are unmarked. I told her that I had fallen and hurt my ankle while waiting for someone to respond to the bell I was ringing. I was sent back to a Joshua whom was to coordinate my cancelation. I called the Laguna Niguel LA Fitness and was told he would get back to me the next day. I heard nothing so I called him the day after and was told he was out. During this time, I was once again charged for monthly dues.
Therefore I called again to the corporate office, after being on hold forever a lady answered the phone and I explained to her my plight. She literally asked "Did you send your envelope in 'certified mail'"? To try to quit LA Fitness, I not only can't do it right at my local club, or any branch club which seems incredibly logical and rational, but now she is asking if I sent my cancellation in via certified mail! Notice, in all my conversations previous in trying to cancel, that was NEVER recommended.
Truly beyond reproach at this point. I ask her if I can speak to a manager. She says she IS a manager. Mind you, she sounds like she is 22 years old and acts like it too. I ask her if I can speak to someone above her that can help me and she said there is no one like that that I can speak to. She desperately tries to refer me back to my local club again. The same one's who lied to me about handicap access, dodge my calls and leave me out in the rains for 15 minutes at a time. I inform her, that I plan to file a complaint in regards for discrimination and no access for the disabled. Additionally, I shared I am disputing the false charges the last two-months. She agreed to waive those fees.
Today, I was once again charged by LA FITNESS. My credit card company told me they reversed the charges to bill me again.
Welcome to the LA Fitness Cancellation process. This is for a lousy $29.99 but for me, it is about the principle of the matter. After what I was going through, I KNEW there had to be massive complaints just like mine online, and sure enough, there is and after reading them, I realize there are many of you like me that just want to live in a world of decent morals and principles and when it is not happening, we have to do what we can to stop it. Shame on LA Fitness for screwing people!
If you know of a good attorney who champions the disabled, or whom I can file a proper complaint against LA FITNESS please contact me.
