Where do I even start...

I'm not even getting into the fact that they screwed me out of hundreds of dollars by way of intentionally misleading verbiage and outright deception. I've already sent my cancellation letter and I'm currently trying to negotiate a price to buy myself out of the PT program.

The first trainer I ever had there was fired after not too long. He was 20 years old, was very inexperienced, and I find it hard to believe he was a certified trainer. I was then assigned another trainer. While this...classy individual knew what he was doing as far as training goes, he made me so uncomfortable that I left and couldn't come back until I learned he was gone.

He would have me walk up and down a side stairwell with weights during some sessions, which a lot of the trainers do. However, this guy repeatedly slapped me on the rear end, and at one point attempted to kiss me in the middle of a training session. This is borderline sexual assault and completely unacceptable! He was even calling my cell phone asking me to "hook up"! When I told the GM what was happening, it took them another month or so before they canned him, probably for something unrelated.

I felt very unsafe at this club. I feel prayed upon physically and financially. In fact, I felt the all-male staff were ALL a bit too "friendly" with me. I really shouldn't have to worry about being groped and cat-called when I go to work out!

Young ladies, stay away! If you go, bring along the biggest, meanest male friend you have for protection!

This club lacks basic customer service skills. We prepaid for two years before the club even opened. Our membership expired on a weekend and I came in the following monday to workout and explained that my husband would be in to pay for our renewal that evening. They were rude and tried to demand that I pay $15 to work out that day. I finally had to speak to the manager about it and she tried to say the same thing. After a long explanation about how I felt I was being treated unfairly I got to work out. Then when my husband came in to pay they back dated our renewal to the original date so technically Im out 5 days. Also they are supposed to give a free month for renewing but we didnt get that because we went past the renewal date yet they have no problem back dating our renwal and stealing five days from us!!! I also referred four people to that gym! All of this could have been avoided with some basic customer service skills. I will not go back to this gym after our next renewal unless new management is brought in and things drastically improve including the check in staff member in the morning who is very rude most of the time and when he does smile it is half hearted. The corporate office needs a serious makeover as well which is another story in itself!

I went in to sign up for L.A. Fitness because my husbands work were advertising them and saying that I could have my starting fee waved and 15% off every month.

When I went there, they said that my husband's work did not qualify at that time and I needed to notify them to tell them that their agreement with L.A. Fitness was expired. But before I could leave, the lady said she still wanted to help me get into the club. She said, 'How about I get you in for half off?' I told her it was my son's birthday and I could not afford anything because I was purchasing a Wii and some games for him. She said, 'Why not give him the best gift? A healthy mommy?' Needless to say, she guilted me into starting up a membership.

She did not explain to me what she would be charging my card for and it ended up costing me a total of $119.98 (79.99 to start and 39.99 for first month). I went into the club the next day to work out and saw a HUGE sign that said, 'Sign up now for only $29.00'!!! I went and asked the lady, who signed me up, what was with the sign. She told me that it was a new promotion that had just started that day! I was so mad. She new I was strapped for cash and yet she could not tell me to wait one day so I could save $50.00!

On top of that, the physical trainers bug you ALL the time about setting up time with them to work out. However, there is a catch...they charge $60.00 for 1/2 hour! And they always recommend 3 hours a week! I bet they do; they want that $360.00 a week from you.

I had a death in the family and canceled with them. I had to go out of town for a long time, and even though they called me 3 times a week to beg me back, they new I was gone and since I did not have a contract, I could quit at any time. When the next billing cycle came around, they CHARGED MY CARD! I called them and they would not do anything! I called my bank and my bank put a stop for them to charge my card again but said I was out the 39.99!!

So now they cannot charge my card but are sending me to collections because I stopped paying my monthly fee; even though was under NO contract and could quit at anytime!

They are scammers and liars; greedy as hell! Stay away!

8/11/08

Dear Sir or Madam:

Unfortunately, I have found it necessary to contact your office to inform you of a business that apparently has very little regard for its customers, along with the fact that they have broken the law.

On May 27th, 2008, I was participating in a water aerobics class sponsored by L.A. Fitness, located at 10180 West Forest Hill Blvd., Wellington, FL, when an instructor by the name of Creation Robinson, threw a volleyball-type ball at me. The ball struck me in the face, breaking my glasses into 2 pieces, scratching both lenses, and left a cut on the bridge of my nose. (Please see attached photo and documentation provided by Lenscrafters)

The glasses could not be repaired and were a total loss.

The incident happened at approximately 9:30am on the 27th, and Ms. Robinson apologized and quickly responded by telling me she would pay for the glasses.

I reported the incident to Rich Force, the general manager at the time.
Luckily, I had purchased the glasses at Lenscrafters located directly across the street in the Mall at Wellington Green. I should mention though, that the management at L.A. Fitness was quite indifferent about my predicament that of being visually impaired thus making driving quite difficult. In fact, they offered NO assistance whatsoever in getting me to a doctor or back home.

I managed, on my own, to get to Lenscrafters and luckily they had my original frame and lenses in stock and after an hour or so wait, they were able to fit me with a new pair of glasses identical to the ones that were destroyed, at a cost of $281.69. (Please see the attached copy of the receipt)

That afternoon, I returned to L.A. Fitness to fill out an incident report with Jason Morris, the “Operations Manager”. I asked for a copy of the report to which Mr. Morris replied “No”. He added, “This was an accident and accidents happen. You are not going to get your money back!”

Upon hearing this, I immediately cancelled my membership to L.A. Fitness and expressed my great dissatisfaction with the entire management at their total lack of concern for my well being, not to mention a good, loyal, customer who always paid on time.

At that point I left the establishment and later that day, called L.A. Fitness and asked to speak with Ms. Robinson regarding her offer to pay for my glasses. She was unavailable at the time but did in fact return my call a few days later. She asked that I come in and discuss the situation with her and the manager.

On Tuesday, June 3rd, I and my fiancé, Stuart Harvey, went to L.A. Fitness to settle the matter. To my dismay, Rich, the manager, was nowhere to be found but Ms. Robinson handed me 2 post-dated checks. One was for $150.00 dated 6/6/08 and the other was for $139 dated 6/22/08, totaling $289.00. (Please see the attached copies of the checks)

Although I was concerned that the General Manager was not present to help resolve the matter, I was somewhat pleased at the thought of being compensated for the full amount of the cost of my glasses.

Ms. Robinson had left the “pay to the order” section of each check blank. I waited until 6/17/08, a full 11 days past the date entered on the first check, before going to her bank, only to discover that there were not enough funds in the account to be able to cash it!

My fiancé, Stuart, tried on several other occasions after that to try to cash the first check but to no avail. In fact, after a rather lengthy discussion with bank personnel, we discovered that she had never had a balance high enough to cover either check!

I could only assume that she had in fact never intended to make good on her offer to repay me for the destroyed pair of glasses.

My fiancé has made several attempts to call Ms. Robinson by phone, with no response. However, Stuart did manage to speak with Ms. Robinson at L.A. Fitness whereby she told him that she had stopped payment on the checks and that the matter would have to be resolved through the manager, Mr. Force. When Stuart spoke with Mr. Force he told him that “the matter in no way concerned him and that it would need to be resolved with Ms. Robinson”.

I am now left with the trouble of lodging a formal complaint against L.A. Fitness.

Copies of this letter have also been sent to the Better Business Bureau of Central Florida, and the Florida State Attorney General’s Office – Check Diversion Program to be resolved.

I am only asking for Ms. Robinson to make good on her promise to reimburse me for the replacement cost of the glasses. A more vindictive person could have easily asked for much more based on the time and trouble we had to go through thus far.

As for Mr. Force, the General Manager, I am appalled that he and the rest of the management staff felt no obligation whatsoever in the matter and their total disregard for my well being.

If this were my business and I found out one of my customers was treated this way, they would all be immediately terminated!!

If you require any additional information regarding this issue, please feel free to write or call me at the number listed below.

Sincerely,



Leann M. Elges
7250 Golf Colony Court
Unit # 101
Lake Worth, FL
33467-3995
561-434-3659

Read similar complaints on this site about their cancelation scam. They billed me for 6 months after I sent cancelation form, and battled with the credit card company because they continued to pay them each month. Their "headquarters" in Toms River would tell me they never received my cancelation form, and because I could not prove I mailed it, they would not refund me for their continued billing. Then when I personally brought the cancelation form to the gym, they still did not cancel and again the Toms River "headquarters" said I had to mail it to them, not give it to my gym (even though they did receive it in Toms River, but said it was not submitted properly). I was so mad at how they treated me and their smirky customer reps that I contemplated standing in the parking lot giving out fliers about their shady tactics. They did finally refund me for 3 months, but would not refund for the entire time. So warning; MAIL YOUR CANCELATION FORM CERTIFIED MAIL!!!