Bally Total Fitness Consumer Reviews - Page 6

After I was manipulated into signing a three-year contract, the Bally club I was attending closed down. An agent told me I was entitled to a contract cancellation and full refund. I tried calling for a month thinking I was getting a cancellation, but the number he gave me made it impossible to get through to anybody. I managed to acquire another customer service number through an operator and I was told they were not going to cancel because there was another club within twenty-five miles away, despite what the other agent told me.

They instead offered me either discounts or additions to my contract until they finally agreed I could pay seventy-five dollars to cancel if I wrote a letter to the cancellation department in California. Needless to say they refused to grant me any refunds.

Contract is basically a credit contract. If you don't pay it, they will have a collection agency call you. When I signed up in 2006, they said I could easily cancel if I pay for a cancellation (like a phone contract). BUT, this wasn't the case when I wanted to cancel my contract 1.5 years ago.

I called customer service to cancel, but said I had to either pay the full contract or write a letter stating that there is no Bally gym 25 miles within the vicinity. Of course I didn't want to do either, I just wanted to cancel because the gym I was going to sucked (had old equipment), closed down, and the next gym would be 15 miles away!!! Now they have a new campaign that introduces a monthly membership that doesn't apply to me and members who signed up before 2009. What a load of crap! I recommend other gyms with monthly payments.

The other day I noticed one of the clerks humiliating a customer. He even asked the clerk to lower the tone of his voice, clerk didn't care. Clerk retained the man's card and called up for a manager. Since I had had a similar situation decided to hang around to hear how the manager would resolve the issue. Boy ho boy, poor man was treated like dirt and humiliated even when the man had apologized.

Management is so poor not to mention the facility itself. Clerks/managers are so money hungry that even among themselves fight just to get that sale. Clerks/Managers bring in their friends & relatives for free and they push for contracts to others. Fortunately I don't have a contract and will terminate this Club.

MONTCLAIR, CALIFORNIA -- Today, I tried to request that I could cancel my membership over the phone because I could not afford my bill and that the automatic payment was actually making my account go into an overdraft. The person that helped me was being absolutely rude to me because of my financial issues. She told me that the members should have received a letter in the mail, which I never received, in December of 2008 about the terms and conditions of canceling the membership. Neither my boyfriend, nor I, have received this letter in the mail, thus meaning they have lied to not only me and my boyfriend, but to many others as well.

This company is not in it for helping people, they are in it for the money, and conning people out of money. So beware and do not sign up for this contract, either work out at home, or just sign up for another gym, even places like college schools, with your student ID, and things like that let you work out for free. So please do yourselves a favor, do not sign up for Bally Total Fitness.

DEARBORN -- I signed up for the membership on 16th JAN 2008. The sales person was smart (I have to admit), talked me into the contract along with my wife who was not even there in this country at the time of signing the contract. Never during the initial conversation I was informed about the 3 day limit for cancellation. I was told that I can cancel the contract with the first 2 months. I was never informed about the fine line - You should attend the club for at least 17 time to be eligible to cancel the membership.

Here comes the frustrating part, I call the cancellation department after one month and they tell me that my wife who is not in the country during the whole process should also attend the club for 17 time to be eligible for cancellation. I DON'T KNOW HOW IN THE WORLD THIS CAN BE POSSIBLE. Now when I call them they simply say, "You signed the contract and you have to pay for the entire term no matter if you use the club or not". Don't be fooled with the low prices of the club. Don't even think of signing a contract with BALLY FITNESS CLUB.

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK -- I joined a Bally's in my Brooklyn neighborhood in Oct 2008, and have been very disappointed in the quality of maintenance at the club. In the women's locker room, I have seen roaches several times, the lockers are rusty and often the locks are broken and therefore the locker is unusable. When I find litter inside a locker, I will see it there for days. Litter on the floor of the locker room also remains past one day. The sauna at this club has been closed by order of the Health Commissioner- I have never seen anything like that in any health club I've ever belonged to.

Today happened to be the 3rd day in one week that there was no toilet paper in the women's bathroom. When I report this to the staff at the front desk, the response is always that he/she can't do anything about it. The weight machines in the club are rusty and worn, and when pins go missing, it can be days before they are restored. If a weight machine or cardio machine breaks, no one posts a note indicating when it will be repaired. The staff at the desk are often on personal phone calls.

Previously, I belonged to a very busy YMCA, a very high use facility with dozens of children there every day. The entire facility was clean and neat throughout the day, the machines were well-tended, and the staff was professional and available to help. I see that there are other similar reviews of Bally clubs on this website. I hope that a Bally's executive reads these consistently disappointed descriptions of poor service and unclean facilities.

IRVING, TEXAS -- I belong to Bally. I go to several different clubs in the Dallas metro area. I have problem with the security. They don't provide the customers with a safe environment. Most of the time is not well lit in the parking lots and around the buildings. I had my car broken into at the one in Carrollton. My window was broken and they took my purse out of my trunk. It is very dark at this one and since then they have had more break-ins and they don't do anything to make sure customers are safe. I also go to the one in Irving. There have been break-ins there too so I leave my stuff at home. Needless to say I don't go to the one in Carrollton anymore but most of them are not well lit.

ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA -- This Bally's, located on Magnolia & Broadway in Anaheim, CA is unsanitary, with mold and standing water in the so-called stretching area. There is no hot water at the sinks in the ladies' room. When machines break down, they put an "out of order" sign on it and a chain around it, where it stays for anywhere for 1-5 months and then they just haul it away. Four televisions were just ripped off the wall by disgruntled fired workers about two months ago. No replacements. Bally's Corporate could give a damn. When I called them, they were more interested in my membership number than the problems. This gym SHOULD BE CONDEMNED!!!!

Health Department PLEASE! LOCAL NEWS CHANNELS PLEASE REPORT ON THIS. Pool, showers and Jacuzzi are deplorable. The sauna is also out of order. And the club manager cannot do anything to solve the big problems. The roof leaks so there is standing water up on the walking track. The place is 40 years old and looks every bit of it. Channel 2, 4, 7, 9, 11 and 13... Please go with your cameras and take a look!

EL PASO, TEXAS -- My 3 cents. I think that consumers should benefit from being able to sign up at a health club that they can afford. While, Bally Total Fitness does have a contract, they also offer month to month. Other health clubs offer month to month as well. However, the pricing is a lot higher. A huge down payment and huge monthly dues. However, in our economy that is just not something that consumers can pay for upfront. So Bally offers a low down payment and low monthly payment. All they are asking for is a 36 month or 24 month agreement. Depending on the fit of the consumer. Besides, fitness is a lifetime commitment not a trend.

However, people are so quick to complain because they are mad at themselves for not reading their agreement and passing the blame to the company. I suggest that people take more accountability and read before they sign. I am sure that people are educated at some point to read anyway.

SOUTHFIELD, MICHIGAN -- My Neighbor and I can walk to this Gym and were looking to join. When we went in the floor and walls were not clean we stood there 5 min. before we were acknowledged. We had questions about the programs offered and the fees but were given a hard sell to give personal information on a form 1st before we could find out about a package or get a tour of the facilities. When we said "Never mind, we will look elsewhere," then we got some information and the tour.

I had been told by a friend that this is the worst kept location but I now see that the Bally we see on the ads is not the one you will see after you join, and pay a lot of money for. To keep a business you have to keep up your business or as a lot of businesses have found, someone else will. AT&T, and many cell phone companies, airlines, GM, Ford, & Chrysler had to learn that and many more who took their customer for granted and almost lost it all.