Retro Fitness of Concord

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below
I attempted to work with another trainer but the trainer could not work with my scheduleWhen I inquired who would be flexible enough to work with my schedule, I was told that I would have rearrange my time to fit in with the trainer's schedule. My job is very demanding and I do not always have the ability to leave work at the same time. For over months I tried to work things out and then just ended up not having anything. It is clear that I was not a valued client and were not going to be able to reach a solution. I am only asking for the remaining portion of my training balance, nothing else
Regards,

I spoke with [redacted] 05/27/16 concerning her past due account. The claim is that our company went to her place of employment with an offer of a 30 day trial where she would be able to cancel within those 30 days if she chose to do so.We have never had a deal of that nature. We have...

a 3 day cancellation policy written into our agreements and a 30 day cancellation would change the wording of the contract that was signed. I spoke with an employee who was with the company at that time to verify if that deal was valid and was informed we never had a deal like that. When I conveyed that to Ms. [redacted] she was dissatisfied and requested a point of contact with our corporate offices. I gave her my Regional Director's contactinformation to try to rectify the situation.

I spoke with [redacted] 05/27/16 concerning her past due account. The claim is that our company went to her place of employment with an offer of a 30 day trial where she would be able to cancel within those 30 days if she chose to do so.We have never had a deal of that nature. We have a 3 day...

cancellation policy written into our agreements and a 30 day cancellation would change the wording of the contract that was signed. I spoke with an employee who was with the company at that time to verify if that deal was valid and was informed we never had a deal like that. When I conveyed that to Ms. [redacted] she was dissatisfied and requested a point of contact with our corporate offices. I gave her my Regional Director's contactinformation to try to rectify the situation.

I spoke with [redacted] concerning this matter. The trainer in question is no longer allowed to train due to a promotion and suggested they train together for free while attempting to place the member with a new trainer. We have trainers on staff and have attempted to set the member up with...

them to no avail. Rather than risk the member losing motivation to reach their goals in spite of the pre­ existing injuries the trainer explained how they would train when they could and do what they could. It was believed that this would be the best course of action as the member was not willing to train with any other trainers available.As of 6/2/16 the trainer is no longer able to do that for the member and explained that a new trainer would have to be assigned. A refund was requested but as we have trainers on staff that are more than qualified and able to accommodate the member's schedule as well as the pre-existing injuries a refund is not authorized by the owner. This was conveyed to the member as well as a request to set an appointment with our Fitness Director to facilitate the transfer to a new trainer. This step was never taken by the member and as such the member has not been training.

Review: I have to say I am pretty disappointed with Retro Fitness right now. After following the protocol of sending a certified letter on 7/27 to my local Retro Fitness gym I noticed that I had been charged $19.99 for the month of August and $49.99 for the annual gym membership fee, both on 8/3. I called my local Retro Fitness Gym and spoke with a front desk employee. I asked her if they had been in receipt of my certified letter, she looked up my name and said yes they had. I asked why I had been charged the $49.99 annual fee if they were in receipt of my certified letter and she said it takes 21 days to process the letter. 21 days????? I asked her why I was charged the fee since I was canceling my membership and asked if I could refunded the money and she told me it "wasn't her problem to deal with." First of all the certified letter is ridiculous in itself. If you want to hold people accountable for canceling their memberships, make them do it in person. But to make them spend money out of their pocked to send a letter that will take up to a month to process, that is just ridiculous. To get charged fees for services a person won't even be using anymore is even more ridiculous. I am aware that Retro Fitness has policies and procedures to follow but I feel that their terms of services are just a ploy to get more money out of member who doesn't care about wasting $19.99 a month on a gym membership. To say I disappointed is an understatement with the Retro Fitness customer service.Desired Settlement: I would like the $49.99 annual fee for services I will not be using moving forward refunded back to my Checking Account.

Review: I called to cancel my membership due to the fact that I am 9 months pregnant. I was a week past my annual renewal date. Because I was late in cancelling, I now have to pay 3 more months of membership fees before my membership can be cancelled. In order to officially cancel my membership I have to send a certified letter to Retro Fitness of Concord stating this and also including why I need it to be cancelled. I said that I could just come in and have it cancelled in person and show them my 9-month pregnancy belly but they said that this would guarantee a receipt.Desired Settlement: I understand the fact that since I was late, that Retro Fitness should not have to reimburse me for the month of June but I should not have to pay for 2 additional months that I do not want to pay for. I also will not be using the membership because I will be home recovering from birthing a baby and will be raising a newborn baby.

Review: On Sunday July 12th, 2015, I went to retro fitness to work out around 8:00 am. I purchased a water for $1.50 in the morning while working out. My card information is on file so she looked me up and charged my card. I also signed the receipt for the water and I left the counter and continued my workout. After about more than an hour there, I left and went home. Later that evening, I checked my account online and noticed an additonal purchase from retro fitness in the amount of $8.60 that I did not make. The following day, Monday July 13th, I contacted retro fitness and spoke with The manager about the situation. He told me he would look into it and to give him a call back later. I called back later that evening and spoke with a woman. She was the woman who rang me up the previous day for the water. She told me someone gave her that info later on to buy a shake and that she was sorry and it was a mistake. She also told me that the $8.60 would be refunded back to me. Later on that evening, I called my bank to cancel my card because my card information had been compromised. Tuesday July 14th, I visited retro fitness to obtain a receipt of my refund for $8.60. The manager I spoke with the previous day was there and he refunded me the amount right there. I told him that I only came to the counter one time on Sunday the 12th, and that was to purchase a water. He told me that he saw me come back on video a second time. I told him he was "lying to me in my face" and I asked him to show me the video. He would not show me the video. I asked him to "close out my account with retro fitness because my personal information is no longer safe here" and he told me I "have to write corporate a letter and it would take 60 days." He told me to "look at my member agreement." I told him that "this is a fraud issue and I shouldn't have to write a letter to close my account out." He told me "it wasn't fraud and that I could have purchased it on accident." I told him "I know what I purchased and since you do not take this serious enough or want to show me the so called video where you say I came up to the counter twice," I'll call the police. So I contacted the police and a Delaware State trooper arrived and heard my side and the manager's side. I told him everything that happen up to that point. The same information that is in this complaint that I am typing now. When the trooper finished speaking with the manager, he said that the manager told him that "the video had a blind spot on it and he didn't know for sure." I told the officer that isn't what he told me. He told me that he saw me come to the counter twice. This conflicting information makes me even more suspicious on who used my credit card to make a purchase and if it was intentional or accidental. I reached out to the corporate office in New Jersey and they are aware of the situation. I have not heard from the district manager of this location yet or any one else about this matter but it will be going further now that I am being lied to and somebody is covering up something. I have the name of the manager and the Delaware State trooper but did not want to put their names on here for security reasons. If they are needed, I can provide.Desired Settlement: I need my account closed out with no further charges and all of my personal and financial information removed from the company. After that is done, I want no further contact with the business.

Review: The Retro Fitness refuses to start the initiation process of cancelling my gym membership and has continued to bill me after I expressed my will to stop using their service. I first started a few months ago by calling the gym and asking to cancel my account, but they wouldn't. So I walked into the storefront and asked to cancel at the same help desk that I originally signed up for a membership. They wouldn't start the cancellation process. They asked me to put it in writing. So I said I'll sign a paper right then and there. Then I was told it had to go through the US mail system. I asked where I would be sending it to, thinking it was handled at another (corporate) office. I was given the same address of the very building I was already standing in. I asked why I had send it in writing if I'm willing to give them my request in writing in person. They said it was "for my own protection". I explained that I was moving out of the state, 2,900 miles away, to California, and google maps showed that I was more than 2 hours away from the nearest Retro Fitness gym so I know I wasn't going to use it anymore. He said he's heard of a lot of complaints about their cancellation policy. I asked to speak with a manager, the manager's name, and the manager's contact information but was told that would get me nowhere and it wasn't provided.

This is an unethical practice. I'm not asking to back date my membership status, and I understand that many gyms make their money from people not going to the gym, I simply want then to initiate my cancellation request.

I continued to get charged on my credit card. So I called up my bank, and explained that I tried cancelling a subscription but it wasn't cancelled yet and asked to stop allowing them to charge my credit card. The bank said that they don't just stop charges, but will call the billing company so we can work it out. So the three of us joined a conference and I explained my predicament. The corporate billing office said that they would stop billing my card.

So my charges stopped but now I'm receiving past due notices from the gym. And I'm receiving phone calls from the corporate office asking me to up date my credit card information. So I called the corporate office back, verified all of my information on my account, and explained what had happened up to this point. The person at the corporate office explained that they only handle billing but not cancellations. So they called the gym and left me on hold, when she came back online she said I have to put it in writing. I explained that I was in the store in person and am not trusting they will start the cancellation process. I asked the representative to call the gym back and conference me in so I could understand I want it cancelled again. She refused to call the gym back. I asked for an explanation of the charges and was told I was being charged for the monthly membership fee and I was also being charged a late fee.

I think this business adds as many hurdles as possible to continue to bill their members, and it crosses the line of reason; At this point, they are stealing my money.Desired Settlement: Honor my original request date to cancel and halt further charges to my name under the guise of having an active membership.

Review: I have written a letter to resign my membership due to being verbally abused by a retro fitness employee. I refuse to use their club due to this issue. They have advised me upon me resigning from there club they will still be charging my account a balance for the next two months I feel this is unethical business practice, due to the nature of my reasoning for leaving there club.

Here is the letter I have written to them:

Retro Fitness,

I brought a guest in to work out, I was paged to leave for work due to an emergency situation, and I had to leave in a hurry. The front desk attendant was working alone. I was very courteous and considerate in asking for my friends Identification back. The employee responded by saying, “here’s your [redacted] ID” and threw it at me! I was highly offended and feel disrespected.

Due to being mistreated and disrespected by a staff/employee, I would like to cancel my membership. I feel that the altercation will create a hostile environment for me.

I personally exercise to relive stress; I feel if I continue to use your facility, it will create more unwanted stress in my life.

Please consider this as my resignation, and cancel my membership effective immediately.

Sincerely, Mark Dominick

I have emailed the club direct and will also hand this letter to the club manager.Desired Settlement: I would like my membership and fees terminated immediately and I feel me still having to pay for the next two month, when I refuse to use their club is not fair and poor business practice.

Review: On 11/30/13, I was solicited by email by Retro Fitness Concord promoting a "Black Friday" membership special of $19.99 pr month with two free months of membership. I met with a sales agent named [redacted] who charged me $19.99 plus a $29.99 processing fee. He completed the online registration for me while I was standing nearby. I began using the facility during December and decided to cancel the membership. When I called the fitness club, I was told I could not cancel and I was "locked in" for an entire year. My credit card has been charged $49.98 (1st month dues for 11/30/13-12/30/13) plus 19.99 for January plus a late fee of $9.50.

This club is aligned with ABC Financial of Sherwood AR who is the third party billing agent. When I called them, they referred me to the Retro Fitness Manager, His name is [redacted] and when I spoke to him, he said he was sorry but he could not cancel the membership. I explained that I was never informed by the sales agent that I was locked in for one year. In addition, I have not been using the facility. I tried reaching [redacted] again on two attempts but hes will not return my call.Desired Settlement: I would like to cancel the membership immediately. I agree to pay for the first month's use of the facility (December).

Review: My initial phone call informing the manager (TK or TP something) that I will not be rejoining the gym and with my work schedule, I was informed this was ok and he would note it since he was the manager.

I originally paid up front last year, $250 and only attended the gym 3 times.

This letter shall serve as my 4th notice, and first certified mail notice that I am not nor did I renew my gym membership, nor did I receive anything in writing or notice regarding this continued service nor force to resign.

I have informed them many times and in person that I am not rejoining the gym but state that they renew it automatically, due to my job and travel I no longer wish to spend money on something I already lost the first time.

There are nothing but negative reviews on this gym franchise and location with regards to their unethical practice of phantom billing and being sneaky in how they attempt to have clients get resigned.Desired Settlement: I want a notification that the harassing phone calls and letters will stop and want a notification that they have stopped the billing for something I did not sign up for, was not notified of via email, phone call or correspondence. No one will return calls from this establishment and has excuses after excuses as to why this matter has not been resolved.