Gold's Gym Didn't Process My Membership Cancellation, Continued to Charge Fees, Didn't Reply to Appeal Letter East Windsor New Jersey

After completing my contract and deciding that the membership cost too much ($42 per month as opposed to $20 at Retro Fitness down the street), I went into the gym and filled out a membership cancellation request form.  They asked for "last month's fee" in cash, but since I had just been auto-billed for the next month (which hadn't started yet) I told the guy I didn't think I should have to pay it.  He said he would check with his Assistant Manager and let me know if I had to pay it.  I never heard from him.

Two months later, my wife pointed noticed a charge from Gold's Gym.  It turns out we had been charged twice, for a total of $85, since I had requested that my membership be cancelled.  I went in to talk to the Manager and she refused to help me.  She admitted that my cancellation request form was still sitting on her Assistant Manager's desk, but said that my cancellation was invalid because I hadn't paid another $42 to cancel it and refused to cancel even the second fee.  She said that I needed written proof that I had requested a cancellation before she would credit anything, and refused to give me a copy of the cancellation form that was on her Assistant Manager's desk or to use this as proof that I had made the request.

I went home and wrote an appeal letter to the Franchise Owner, which I e-mailed to the gym and asked them to forward.  I never heard back.  Either the Owner ignored my appeal, or the Manager refused to forward it.

I worked out at this gym for two years and frequently noticed angry people arguing with the Manager about fees.  I should have realized that something was up.  This is clearly a business that doesn't believe in customer service and makes extra money by screwing people who try to cancel, even after ther membership is up.  I work with the new faculty at my boarding school and used to recommend this gym to anyone who asked, but now I recommend (((competitor's name redacted))).