LA Fitness in Richfield, Minnesota Mark Larsen Deceptive cancelation process, nebulous, undisclosed issues in canceling gym membership Richfield Minnesota

Hello:

First things first, LA Fitness in Richfield, Minnesota is a great gym to work out at. However, UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES should anyone ever buy a personal training contract from them if it is under the terms I signed up for one with. They're also nearly imposslble to cancel a gym membership (not a training contract, but an actual gym membership) with, unless it is done in person or the client signed up for, prints out, and mails in the gym's special cancelation form. A written cancelation letter apparently doesn't cut it in most circumstances.

I was told that I could just "put a stop payment on the training" by Mark Larsen (the chiropractor and fitness expert I signed up with). Not true. I was lied to. After putting a stop payment on the personal training sessions (for which a half-hour session melted into barely 25 minutes) and mailing in a letter canceling my membership five people in four states called within three days of one another. Please note, I received this barrage of calls only AFTER putting a stop-payment on the activity and canceling my gym membership. Funny: LA Fitness wanted my money, but not my business. My first letter (sent in early January) was completely ignored. It wasn't until my written cancelation and the stop-payment that I got any kind of reaction. Sloppy customer service? How about NO CUSTOMER SERVICE.

During my contract I lost over 18 sessions. I was told, "hey, if you can't make it, just call in to cancel and you won't be charged". Not true! My American Express card was faithfully nailed for $140 every month, regardless of how many sessions I participated in. At $140 a month for four sessions that is more than $630 lost. The person (fifth caller) today I spoke with said the gym needs $210 to cancel my membership because I signed a contract. As far as I'm concerned they can take it out of the $630 they owe me. I still plan to pay them, and to inform the Minnesota Better Business Bureau and Minnesota Attorney General's office regarding what's happened here. After time, money is the most precious resource we have, and I hate having mine stolen (more than $840 worth). If it costs them more than $840 in lost business, well, they made a choice, didn't they?

BOTTOM LINE: Don't buy a personal training membership from LA Fitness. Ever.