LA Fitness -  Steve G., Raphael Misrepresented their Contracts - Membership Agreements columbus Ohio

I went to the LA Fitness location in Columbus, OH (Located on Hamilton Road) to inquire about a trial membership for my wife.  This was going to be a surprise gift, so wanted to make sure that I was not locked into anything.  For all I knew, my wife might cancel it before showing up to the gym at all.  I also asked about looking at a trainer for her.  Again, to see if it was something she would like to do.  I stopped in on my lunch hour, which was my first mistake, because I was short on time.  I explained to Steve G., the General Manager and Raphael, the Training Supervisor, what I was looking for.  I wanted a trial gym membership, with two training sessions a week.  I wanted my wife to try the gym and training out, but be able to cancel if she did not like it.  At worst, I would be out a couple months worth of gym and training fees.  I signed the agreements and the paperwork for the membership and training sessions during my lunch hour and returned to work. 

A month goes by and my wife tells me she enjoys the gym, but would like to cut back on the training.  I called Raphael, who said he could adjust the number of training sessions.  Another month went by and my wife said she would like to take a break from the training sessions for a while, but still maintain the membership.  I called Raphael to have this changed.  I received no response.  My wife spoke to her trainer the next day about this and he informed her that I signed up for a 52 week training session for $4,320 a year!!!  I told my wife this didn't make sense since I told them I wanted a plan that would allow me (her) to cancel at any time, plus Raphael said he would adjust the training session down when I spoke to him last month. 

Well, I looked at my credit card statement and Raphael never adjusted anything.  I was still charged $360.  I went into talk to the General Manager about my issue and he seemed oblivious to the conversation we had when I signed up.  Then he said this was an issue with the Training Dept and that I needed to contact them.  I explained that I had left several messages for Raphael to call me back, at which point he said Raphael had been transferred and there was no replacement yet.  My issue is this...... I did, in fact sign a 1 yr training agreement.  Shame on me for not reading the contract all the way through.  But this is not what I asked for.  I specifically asked for a trial period, which I did receive on the gym membership. But not on the training sessions???  When I brought this to their attention; why would I sign up for a month-to-month membership, but commit to a 1 year training session, they said that was what I asked for.  This is not true and makes no sense.  I have talked to the GM, the Dir. of Operations and Customer Service in California.  No one can help me and they all point me back to the contract I signed.  Again, I am not disputing that I signed it, but it is not what I asked for...at all.  I think I was taken advantage of because I was in a hurry to get back to work, as I was doing this on my lunch hour.  I was hurried through the agreement and asked to sign in the electronic box(s).  I understand that I had several days after the agreement was signed to review it and cancel it, but again.....I thought I was presented with an agreement that was for a trial period....which is what I asked for.  So now I have a month to month gym membership with a firm, locked in, never to be gotten out of Training Agreement for one year.  This is a scam.  I went on line and there are dozens and dozens of similar complaints on LA Fitness.  Clients go in for one thing and come out with something else.  They actually describe the exact same scenario that I have listed in the complaint.   If they fail to pay really close attention, they're screwed.  This is a deceitful and misleading business practice and LA Fitness knows it, this is why the GM will not speak with me but simply redirects me to the former trainer that is nowhere to be found or Customer Service who just tells me "I signed a contract".