National Fitness, Pivotal Fitness, Lady Of America Gym, World Gym You can't QUIT this GYM SYSTEM! They don't let you, and charge you anyway! The Company Is Located In Layton, UT, But Has Branches EVERYWHERE! South Carolina

A year ago I joined a new gym that opened in Greenville, SC, Pivotal Fitness. When I joined, it was not explained to me that they were a member of a larger company of fitness centers. The parent company is apparently National Fitness of Layton, Utah.

Over Labor Day weekend 2006, I moved to Cape Coral, FL, ~750 miles from the gym. When I called Pivotal Fitness BEFORE the move, I was told that I am unable to quit the gym without contacting their national membership with proof of move. When I called National Fitness, I was told that I would need to fax a copy of my new driver's license to them and they'd take that as proof of relocation. (Already I'm mildly suspicious, but I gave them the benefit of the doubt.)

My driver's license was issued on September 5, the day after the Labor Day holiday. I faxed the copy of the license to them on September 11, which they have record of. A week later I got a phone call that the copy of the license wasn't legible, and could I send it again. I complied, and the second was sent before the end of September. (Both times what went into the fax machine was legible, I don't have record of what came out of it!)
No phone calls after that, and I figure we're good to go.

WRONG!!

I call in October after I see that they've drafted my checking account AGAIN. Then I get a snippy little "customer service representative" that tells me that BOTH copies of my license aren't legible on their end, and that I should have checked to make sure it was legible before sending. Okay, so I'm fuming, but I agree to MAIL in a copy.

So, I mail in a copy that was VERY legible. Clear as day. Nope, they don't get it. I don't find out until they draft my account again in November.
Now, I'm really mad. And get on the phone and ultimately, like an idiot, finally agree to send it again.

A "supervisor" by the name of Stacy has so far refused to refund the bank draft for October, and I haven't seen the refund for November yet either! Not to mention, I believe I'm entitled to a refund in September since they did have verbal notification of the relocation since BEFORE LABOR DAY. Obviously, I haven't been to the gym at all in September, October or November and have a valid proof of move dated 09/05/2006.

I'm out $117 because they're idiots, which frustrates me to no end. And, I'm also frustrated that something that seems so simple turned into such a difficult problem.

Stephanie
Cape Coral, Florida
U.S.A.