Like other people who have filed reports, I have been lied to and misled by Lady of America in New Port Richey, Florida (I only wish I had found this report before I signed my contract with them).
14 months ago, I decided to investigate this gym to see about a membership. I was given a tour by a very personable woman, who is the site's manager. The gym is small, overcrowded on nights and Saturdays, and is not open on Sundays. After the tour, I told her I was concerned about them not being open on Sundays, and being crowded at night, the only times I can get to the gym (I work weekdays). She told me they were going to start opening on Sundays the following month, and that they were also adding more classes nights and weekends to accomodate their growing membership. She also told me they were having a membership special that week, and if I signed a 36 month contract, she would personally guarantee that if I had any problems whatsoever and wasn't completely satisfied with my experience, AT ANY TIME, they would cancel my membership, no problem. She talked with me for over an hour, addressing every concern I had. She gave me a tour of the entire facility. She introduced me to her entire staff. They were all very kind. I gave in and signed. She seemed so sincere.
Needless to say, they did not, and have not, opened their gym on Sundays. Nor have they added any more classes (or physical space) to the gym during weeknights. I often have to wait to get on machines, and their night classes are so crowded you bump into other people constanstly and can't really do any real workout for fear of kicking or hurting the people next to you.
To compound frustrations, a cardiac arrythmia that I have had since I was 25 has become worse in the last 6 months. It is aggravated by excercise specifically.in addition, I have suffered financial hardships, due to both a loss of income and to medical expenses, including an unexpected surgery. I no longer use this gym and have not for the last half year. I can not afford, either physically or financially, to continue to do so. Upon explaining this to the gym manger, she shrugged. She told me that I'd need to take it up with the billing company, who is a different company than their New Port Richey operation. I called the biling company, and they refused, and said my contract had no "quit clauses" in it at all and that I'd continue to pay through 2012.
I am certain I was lied to by the management of this gym in order to pressure me into signing a contract before I walked out the door, a contract they purposely misrepresented in order to take my money. I believe I was a victim of fraud, and that I have a right to recoup the money they are literally stealing from me every month, in addition to cancelling my membership. I do not want to cancel my credit card, because I do not want my credit score to be effected by having them refer me to a collection agency. They have done a good job thinking through their scam and leaving me with few options as a consumer.
I left a message with the Lady of America Corporate headquarters, and hope to get some resolution through them, but I'm extremely skeptical.
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