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Bally Total Fitness Memberships Consumer Reviews - Page 2

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Unsafe building - Refusal to cancel membership
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MIAMI, FLORIDA -- I have been trying to cancel my member for the past 6 months because the Bally's facility is under severe construction. I do not feel safe entering the building and there is no end in sight to the construction. I've waited almost 2 years for the construction to be complete and it's only getting worse. Bally's policy is to force their members to exercise at another conveniently located clubs.

The other clubs in my area would take approximately 1 hour in traffic to commute which is not a reasonable request. The club that I signed up for is directly between my commute from home to work. Also, a main reason for joining the gym was to use the pool which has been closed due to construction. The manager, **, agrees that I should be able to cancel my membership and explained that he gets these complaints all the time but he does not have the authority to cancel a membership. He explained that the Regional Manager would call me but I never received a call.

The corporate office has not returned any of my calls, which you are placed into a 30 minute queue each time you call, or letters. After waiting to speak to a representative for 45 minutes in March, I was told that they would stop the auto-debit to my credit card but continue to charge me and send my account to collections. They told me my credit would be destroyed so I better keep paying.

I've contacted the Better Business and it seems like there is no one that can get through to these people. I've never experienced such poor customer service in my life. All I want is my membership canceled and my dues returned. Given the club is not operational and the lack of customer service I've received I don't see how this company is still in business. Do not join this club!

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Ballys screwed me over
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FREMONT, CALIFORNIA -- My fiancée and I have been members of Bally Total Fitness for 2 years which was the term period we agreed within our contract. For 2 years we committed ourselves to $54.00 a month between the two of us. At the time we made the agreement we were under the impression, by the recruiter, that once our contract was up we would end up paying a little under $30.00 per month. At this point we felt the contract was tolerable and had no problem signing the contract. Now I will say the first year of the contract we committed ourselves off and on but the last year we would work out faithfully.

I heard complaints from co-workers about how they got screwed by Bally's but I avoided the subject since I had no major complaints. When our contract was up we believed we were going to save money since we were told the monthly payments were going to be $30.00. My fiancée even called customer service just to verify that their records show the same agreement, which of course, it did. So we're going to the gym contract-free with no worries, then we saw our bank statement and noticed Bally's was taking out $60.00!!! My fiancée then called customer service stating the discrepancy, but they were rude and basically told us to look at our contract and then call them back.

We turned our apartment upside down looking for our contract. No luck, but 3 weeks prior when my fiancée called everything seemed up to par. Why would we pay more than what we were paying when were on contract??? We called to cancel our membership and to refund our $60.00 since we strongly felt we were being treated unfairly and my fiancée wasn't going to have it any other way. :) They said they'd look into it. It's been a week and it's still being "processed." Bottom line if you plan on joining Bally's, read your contract carefully, ask questions and don't believe everything they feed you. I am very disappointed on how this company treats their members.

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7 day Guest pass scam
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LYNWOOD, WASHINGTON -- On Saturday January 29, 2011 about 6 pm in the evening - - I took my brother with me to show him equipments in the fitness center. I am a member, and he isn't so I asked for a guest pass, and one of the front desk employee gave me guest pass. However, the other employee started to make it as if he is doing a favor for us. Business is business and favor is a different thing.

His comments were very judgmental and unprofessional and he refused to let my guest in. His reason was the guest pass can be used after a 1 day wait time. Which is totally new "rule" which is applicable only if they like you. YOU CAN'T COUNT ON WHAT THEY ADVERTISE. UNPROFESSIONAL, UNWELCOMING place. I wouldn't recommend to anyone and I am planning to use a different fitness center.

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AVOID AT ALL COSTS!!!
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First of all, their membership contracts are actually installment loans that show up on your credit report just like a car loan. They don't bother to tell you this though. What they also don't bother to tell you is that when you've made your last payment and your balance reaches $0, that doesn't mean your contract is canceled. They want you to provide formal (usually written) notice to them of your intention to cancel, otherwise they will continue to bill you each month forever. That's right, forever.

I called their membership service number and after waiting on hold for 15+ minutes, was told my membership was now canceled, but that they couldn't (more like wouldn't) refund this additional charge. I had to file a claim with my bank -- not to mention the Better Business Bureau. Hopefully it'll all get straightened out. On top of their completely fraudulent business and marketing practices, their customer service is totally nonexistent, their locations typically are falling apart with mold everywhere and broken machines, and their personal trainers are amateurs. GO ELSEWHERE!!! AVOID BALLY'S AT ALL COSTS!!!

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They Deliver a Poor Product and Lie About It
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MISSOURI -- I joined many years ago, paying $700 for three years, but then only about $60 a year after that. In the 1990s, one of the only employees to ever acknowledge my presence asked if I were satisfied with the membership. It was fine I said. "We can give you a better membership for only $5 more", he said. He assured me that "everything else" was the same as my original membership. I bit for it and signed a new contract without reading it (shame on me). Unlike my original contract, the new yearly rate increased 10% a year in and 15 years had gone from $60 to $250.

In the meantime, I used their filthy facility 3-4 times a week and on more than one occasion, considered calling the health department. This year, the yearly fee got high enough that I just bought my own exercise equipment. I can now avoid their indifferent staff, broken lockers, and moldy shower stalls. I communicated my complaints to Bally over several years and got no help whatsoever. I wish I had never heard of this company.

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Charging My Bank Account After Cancellation
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I joined Bally's 2 years ago with the promise of if I got a friend to join and we both paid for 1 year, the second year was free. This turned out to be false. After many calls to corporate I was told "Sorry, there was never a promotion like that." My son was a member also, he and I both cancelled our membership in June of 2010, with letters of cancellation. They tried to coerce him into staying with them with the promise of 6 months free. He said "No thank you." A year later he discovers they had been charging his account every month for membership.

Phone calls to corporate (at least 15 calls) were answered by different people and different responses. They said to send a letter to them and they would refund his money. A certified letter was sent. After 2 months of no response and more phone calls and apparent "supervisor" said they would not refund any money, and they had not received any letter. Their only offer to make it right was to give him "the 6 months membership that we offered him when he wanted to cancel". Calls and visits to the manager at the local Bally's, Tacoma, WA were of no help either. I am so frustrated and would not recommend anyone to enter into a membership with Bally's!

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Illegal Billing
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My daughter, husband and I joined Bally in March 2011 on a trial basis. We were told that we could 'cancel anytime' and there would be no penalties. On April 14th, 2011 I cancelled in writing per their requests. I called 6 days later to follow up. I received a notice we had cancelled. (They tried to charge my Visa and were denied.) Since that time they have successfully charge my Visa each month on 3 memberships. I spoke to a Rep (Mike) on 6.6.11 and was assured all 3 memberships were cancelled; they would credit my Visa $64.00.

On June 16th they credited me $32.07 (not $64.00) and the very next day took out for all 3 contracts and through July 8th have continued to do so. I tried to go online today but my membership number is not recognized. We have never received a card nor have we ever used the facilities. I am quite frustrated.

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Bally Total Fitness Complaint Nightmare
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I had the same problem. Signed up for monthly special, no long term contract but when the time to cancel OMG. I am paying for a dirty facility, bad service, old and outdated equipment. So I called to cancel my contract. I waited on the phone for more than 20 minutes to find out that I have to write a letter to the company. My solution is BBB. Complaint to BBB is the real answer. I recommend everyone that's having the same issue to do the same and hopefully the company will get it and change the way they do business.

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Worst Gym
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JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY -- Great advertisements and talks prior to enrollment but completely sucks once you enroll. Remember to read word by word your contract and after going through the contract for a week, then enroll if you are OK with conditions. Very simple though they say 10 day cancellation notice, it actually requires 2 month prior notice.

Lot of hidden costs and clauses, inconvenient cancellation/termination process, not suitable for personal work-out plan unless you hire a personal trainer. There is Bosu ball in personal training area but not available to members. Nice resistance ball in personal training area but small and bad ones for members. If you just want to do junk weight lifts and inappropriate cardio, this is the perfect place - crowded, stinking, lengthy cancellation terms, costs more in long term, bad equipment.

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Cancellation of Contract
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This is one of the worst organization in America. What a crap company. I called them up on 2nd Feb to cancel my subscription. My next billing date was 4th of February. They said they will cancel my subscription. But I was charged on 4th February I called them again, they said I did not give them enough time to cancel the subscription and they will not be refunding my balance. 2 days are not enough in this electronic age!! And I can't even mention how rude the customer service lady was; this was my first experience with such a customer service in America. I do not speak English so fluently, so I felt she was insulting me by the way she was talking.

I have called up my bank as well to cancel the auto pay option and do not pay them. I cancelled the subscription because I was moving from Seattle to San Diego. Bally is right around the corner but I prefer to go 3 miles to another gym and pay a little more and get a little more respect.

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Bally Total Fitness Memberships Rating:
Star Star Empty star Empty star Empty star
1.8 out of 5, based on 4 ratings and
40 reviews & complaints.
Contact Information:
Bally Total Fitness
8700 West Bryn Mawr Avenue
Chicago, IL 60631
773-380-3000 (ph)
562-484-2444 (fax)
www.ballyfitness.com
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