Be careful when joining non-specific large chain operated fitness centers. Some of these places will charge you all kinds of fees when you decide not to renew your membership. They will justify it by saying that you needed to provide notice that you were canceling. Then they will hire a call center to harass you by telephone over a few dollars that you don’t owe them. I now go to an independently run gym in Halifax where people are treated like people. —Gym For Life
This article appears in May 17-23, 2012.
ah, the cancellation notice.
yep, bet that was written in the contract you signed.
I prefer zed’s gym…
a few bars and a bunch of plates in the living room.
I ain’t watching no fucking Maury Povitch or listening to celine dion while I work out.
Well. If it was written in your contract (that you signed in order to join) you technically did agree to it, so if you didn’t give them notice you technically do owe them the money. It’s a stupid cash grab, but you agreed to it and it sounds like you didn’t read the entire thing before you signed it. They don’t have to tell you it’s there, either because with any contract, there’s the expectation that you’ve read the whole thing before signing because OH HAY signing gives an expectation that you agree to the terms written out.
It’s yo’ own fault yo’ being harassed by a collection agency, dude.
Do you know how much paperwork it takes to cancel a gym membership? I can just imagine the emergency emails being sent out to all employees to drop everything and fly directly to corporate in Toronto. Thus forcing a feverishly paced marathon paperwork session, that won’t stop until your membership is finally cancelled. This could take weeks, dammit, if not months to complete.
hahahahaha
http://askapic.com/question_photos/thumb_l…
Geez, OP; I belong to the same gym, and am not planning to renew my membership either. How much notice did they say you had to give?
Why don’t you read the copy of the contract you signed, mama_mac?
Because of course you kept that with your important papers!
Are people really this dense these days? READ LEGALLY BINDING DOCUMENTS BEFORE YOU SIGN THEM, IDIOTS.
What a novel idea PK! I wonder how many people do that with every legal document. When someone’s online, how often do they click ‘I Agree’ before reading any part of the document that they’re agreeing to.
”The party issuing this document will be in full control of your soul, and thereby have you fully and legally by the balls. Do you agree to these terms and conditions?”
*scroll down, scroll down, scroll…* Agree!
You can always change the contract before you sign it as well.
Simply cross out the clause about the “notice of not renewing” initial it & then sign.
Most places don’t bother to read the signed contract they are to busy eyeing the check to see its filled out correctly !
For example when you work on a motion picture, you have to fill out a deal memo.
It is often 12 to 20 pages, dealing with union contract, NS film tax credit approval, taxes for Province & Fed’s, Residency declaration, Signing away “any & all rights to the finished product in perpetuity throughout the Universe” ( I kid you not that clause is usually in there !)
They also have privacy clauses…you can’t take photo’s on set today & post them on a crack site later . They also do making of the movie, where they film the cast & crew & you are told to sign any rights away.
I always mark a LARGE BLACK X through that page. When they are filming behind the scenes, tell them they do not have your permission to be filmed while working. They trot out their “you signed the deal memo” & I simply tell them they need to go check out mine.
THey come back wheedling for a signature & you simply refuse. Its perfectly legal. You agreed to all the terms you wanted to & crossed out those you don’t.
A contract passed to you by anyone particularly a ‘form’ contract is simply a wish list….you can agree to all their wishes, or you can add ones you like , cross out ones you don’t & sign it(make sure you always make a copy). The onus then goes to them to accept the new contract or come back to you about anything they have concerns with.
THe problem is MOST PEOPLE DON’T KNOW THIS.
Now you do.
if you are idiot enough to join in first place, then i have no pity for you. you are most likely of of those that whine and cry about a little sweat on machines, or that a person smells when they come in.
if you fit into either slot, get a home workout center, and just fuck off whining about money. you can now buy a complete workout center for home, at less than half of you dumb fucking gym fees. but let’s face reality here, you only go to watch the bodies, right?????
Yeah because we all have spare rooms just laying around right, LS?
you’re welcome to join zed’s gym mel.
🙂
gotta warn ya though, the owner’s a badass.
mel, you never heard tell of bowflex. i had one, and they give you a total workout. seriously people, for what a membership cost you, you can have you gym, workout, and save time and nerves all at home. never mind the stress that some of these muscle bound assholes try to put you thru, you do whhat and how much you want, when you you want. and no others using your shit, either. a lot less tension, all the way around.
Yes OP should have read the contract and he/she wouldn’t be in the pickle they’re in but I do understand the frustration. Why would a gym need advance notice of cancellation? For what possible reason? You join March 21 for a year’s membership, you expect to be a member until next March 21 at which point you rejoin at the current cost if you wish.
I currently belong to another gym but I must check with GL and see about that aspect of the agreement.
Read the fine print, or better yet, go to the outdoor gym. They’re free. The pervs in rush hour traffic will honk at your fat ass while you’re riding the eliptical – but fuck it, you’ll save your chump change & credit rating…and enjoy the fresh air (or a blunt between reps)
If you find gym memberships that bad to cancel, you’ve never tried dealing with AOL. 😉