I signed up for a 2 year membership at Golds Gym in 2005. I just got out of the hospital and was out of shape/overweight. I signed up in February and everything was great! The temp inside the building was a cool 65 degrees or below.
By May, the outside daytime temps began to reach 90 degrees. It was nearly as hot in the gym! My workout times began to shorten.By mid June, the temp was at least 90 inside the place. My workout time was less than 30 minutes before the heat would stop me. (20 minutes the last time I went)
I had made several complaints to the employees about the heat and was told the A/C was on the blink. They claimed to be "working on it". My last workout was around June 20th.
In July, I came in to pay my bill (my account wasn't drafted due to a salesman's error... Lucky for me). I had a friend that worked there and she complained to ME about the conditions. They even had an oscillating fan behind the counter for the counter personnel (and they weren't even working out!). Again I was told the A/C was out.
In August I went in to pay my bill, but felt I was being cheated because I hadn't worked out since mid June. After complaining without any solution, I called Golds Gym corporate office. The nice lady on the phone (Jennifer) told me to send an email with my complaints to a certain email address she gave me. I did. No response. Once it came time for the Sept. Payment, I decided to skip it to see if that would get a response. It did!
Golds Gym called to tell me I owed them for August and Sept.
I proceeded to tell them why I hadn't paid. They told me to go talk to the manager at my gym.
Once there, the manager whisked me away into her office. She listened to my complaints, but refuted them by saying, "It doesn't feel hot to me."
I pointed out that there were not many people at the gym lately (alluding to the excessive heat). She said it was a slow time of year.
I then mentioned the fan behind the front counter. She said, "What fan?"
We then went to the front counter where the fan was furiously working. She claimed she had never seen it before. This was the final insult (I thought) and I was about to leave without resolving the situation when the manager said, "There is nothing in the contract that says we have to keep the temperature comfortable". And also stated that, "Some of our members LIKE to sweat!" (Trying to make me feel like a wimp) So I walked out the door (which was wide open because of the heat) and never returned.
Golds Gym Corp. Talked to me on the phone several times (they called me because I had THEIR money) but no compromise was ever reached. I wanted them to waive my payments for the time I didn't workout or extend my time (add 3-4 months more to my contract). The would only give me one month even though it was unclear as to when the temperature would drop low enough to where I could use the gym again.
Within 3 months, a collection agency was calling me. I told them the story, but they said they could do a thing, they just wanted payment. The calls were brief and discontinued within a month.
{Fast-forward 2 years}
March I get a call from the collection agency asking for full payment. I explain what happened to the collections worker. She tells me, her records show that Golds Gym had agreed to give me 3 months extra time, but I wasn't satisfied. I told the lady, "That's news to me!"
She went on to listen to my story, but claimed that because I signed a contract, I'm obligated to pay.
I asked the lady, "If I were to pay Golds Gym, would I get to use the gym for the rest of my remaining contract (suspended since Sept. 2005).
She told me I have no time left. I said I wouldn't pay a dime. I told her if Golds would have agreed to my terms originally, this could have been settled in a timely fashion and I could have eventually continued to workout there.
But now it was too late.
She threatened my credit, too. I laughed!
The person I knew that worked there quit. She said, not only was the heat bad, but the manager was pushing counter people to become personal trainers or assistant managers. Assistant managers work for salary and are expected to come in on days off or when the manager decides she wants the day off. Bottom line: Longer hours, no extra pay.
She also said that Golds pushes people into being personal trainers, even if they arent qualified. (personal trainers have a high turnover rate in this particular Golds Gym)
What a great company.
Guitarcomet
Pollocksville, North Carolina
U.S.A.
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