Buyer beware: New York Health and Racquet Club's business model is based on a near-impossible cancellation policy. Even if you have a month-to-month "No commitment, cancel anytime" membership, you can not simply cancel by phone, email, fax, or even in person.
First, you must go to a physical location of the gym to pick up a form (if you're out of the country, tough luck). But you are nor permitted to fill out the form on the spot and hand it back. No— you must mail it, by REGISTERED or CERTIFIED mail. Then, unless the letter is received a full 30 DAYS before your next scheduled billing, TOUGH LUCK: you'll be billed again, for a membership you've already asked to cancel.
This fraudulent policy is buried in the fine print of their 40,000 word contract, and they will not under any circumstances waive it. I know, because I called from FRANCE, where I had to move due to a death in my family, told them that to send a registered letter from there would be nearly impossible, very expensive and unreliable, and they refused to make an exception!
I spoke with 5 individuals at my branch, and was then referred to a Heidi Krebs (phone number: 212-220-0763; email address: [email protected]), who never returned by repeated calls or emails. Aside from the borderline criminality of this policy, the sheer refusal to make exceptions for humanitarian reasons indicates the depth of the hit-and-run, to hell with the customer mentality at this company.
Anyone considering joining a gym, you'd be insane to consider the criminal organization that is NYHRC the New York Health and Racquet Club.
Try the New York Sports Club, Equinox, the YMCA, or countless smaller gyms with superior ethics and some modicum of consideration for their clientele.
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