Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/22/2023

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I ended my contract with golds gym in March of 2023 as required going to a register at my gym and requesting it and advised it was a done deal. Recently started receiving emails saying I owed $135 from after ending my contract. I went in to my golds gym and advised them I followed the procedure of my contract to cancel and I should have not been billed any further. They agreed I havent been to any golds gym since that date but threatened me with sending my information to debt collection and saying it will mess up my credit. In fear of that happening I paid the $135.46 and left the businessbut when I arrived home I found out they changed an additional $118.47 without my permission. I know ******** is a large corporation but should they be allowed to mistreat customers without any repercussions? I was coming back in the fall with my membership? I only canceled because my workload was too much to go to the gym this summer. I just want my money back without threats to my credit. I did the right thing?

  Business Response

  Date: 10/03/2023

  We pride ourselves on providing excellent customer service and giving our members a positive experience, whether it be while working out in one of our locations, or when the time comes, ending a membership. After looking into this account, it appears that Mr. ******** did not submit a request to cancel in March 2023. Per our Membership Agreement, Gold's Gym requires members to request their termination with a 30 day written notice with a manager or may mail in a letter to our location. When Mr. ******** came to the club on 9/20/2023,  he was informed of the balance on his account. Our Billing Manager understood his frustration but explained to him that there was never a request to cancel nor to place the account on a monthly freeze therefore he would be responsible for the balance.The member requested to cancel his account and pay the total of $135.46 which included his final payment. On 09/21/23 Mr. ******** spoke with our Assistant Manager and explained there had been an additional charge, it appears that our billing company had also ran *********** card for his past due balance. We immediately contacted the billing company and issued a refund as it was done in error. It seemed as if the member was content with the outcome and had nothing further that needed attention. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/06/2023

  What additional information do you need? I followed my contact instructions on ending my contact? I went to the front desk and requested an end to my contact? They were on the computer for a while and advised me I was good to go? My contract was on a reoccurring monthly payment through my credit card? Why did it not come out of my card after the date I advised the front desk to cancel??? Are they saying i stopped the reoccurring charge??? If so would that make sense I cancelled my membership??? Then when I started receiving threatening emails from *** fitness about non payment is when I visited my gym, this was the first time since Ive been in the gym since I cancelled??? How was I satisfied as they say from the results? Especially after they charged me an additional $118 over the $135 I did not receive service for??? Who would be satisfied??? Does this make sense?

  Business Response

  Date: 10/09/2023

  Per our Membership Agreement our members can send a letter to the gym with their name, number, DOB, and reason for cancelling and we would process the cancellation promptly. They may also stop by the club to process their cancellation with a manager. (Monday-Friday 9am-6pm). We have no record of a cancellation request for Mr. ******** therefore monthly fees would still be assessed, and he would still be responsible for payment. We do understand the frustration with the double transaction, and acted immediately once the error was recognized. The refund of $118.47 was returned the member. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/11/2023

  As advised in my original complaint I did stop in to my gym and canceled my membership at the register. Once it was completed I was advised it was cancelled. Ive always had it on a reoccurring charge during my entire membership. Once I canceled my contract so did the automatic payments. I was later advised by ******** that I had an open debt on a membership I had already cancelled. I followed policy. Seems Golds is not following their own policy. I should not be penalized for inefficient staff.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/31/2023

  We do not have record of a cancellation request from the member. Once a cancellation request is processed with a manager, the member signs off on their request and the member receives an email confirmation of their termination. If he can provide this email then please have him reach out to management *************) at his earliest convenience as we are eager to come to a resolution. However, since we have no record of his request the membership dues continued and were assessed as they were the members responsibility. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/09/2023

  Type:Order Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  My family has been going to the Gold's in Dundalk for nearly 20 years, right after they opened the ******************* location! I have consistently paid EVERY SINCE MONTH for almost 20 years because of the automatically payment system. As part of my original membership, I was allowed to bring 1 guest to the gym for free and the advertised promise was exactly "free guests for life!" Well, guess what. I'm still living, but Gold's has illegally changed their policy which violated my original contract. I have not been allowed to bring a guest without paying extra. This is ridiculous and extremely unfair. You can not go back in time (20 years) and change what I was promised and paid for. During 20 years, there were many months and even years when I was not able to go to the gym, but I kept my membership paid up because I hoped to return one day. And I kept paying because I did not want to lose my original benefits by canceling the membership. So, I was a loyal customer even when I could not use the gym. So, I am asking for the BBB to help me get what is fair and that is to bring a free guest occasionally when I want to show a friend or family member around the gym and workout.

  Business Response

  Date: 06/21/2023

  It's never our intention to cause frustration, and we would be happy to look into the account. Free guest membership privileges were removed after the gym reopened from the Covid closure in 2020 as Gold's Gym reserves the right to add to, eliminate, or alter any program when deemed necessary or desirable in Gold's judgment. There is a minimal fee for guests to utilize our services and amenities. However, members with full access membership are given a 50%discount on this guest rate. This applies to guest fees only; the cost of the membership has not changed. Please reach out to management at ************ or ***************************************************** for further clarification.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/28/2023

  Type:Order Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I came into the gym to cancel my membership at exactly 6:40p and was told I can only cancel between 9am-5pm. That time does not work for me, because I dont leave work until after 6pm. And where does it state that in the contract? I called to cancel my membership and was told I need to send a letter with a copy of my ID. I will NOT SEND MY personal information through the mail, inviting my identity to be stolen. I want this membership canceled effective February 2023 when I initially came in to cancel and ANY funds charged thereafter, refunded! You shouldn’t have to go through this headache to cancel a gym membership, and giving people false information in an attempt to keep charging them for a service they no longer wish to have is a deplorable business practice. And I’ll be sure to share my experience with my 2 million TikTok followers.

  Business Response

  Date: 05/09/2023

  Mr. ********* first reached out to corporate via email attempting to cancel his membership on Sunday, March 5th at 7:11 pm.

  Corporate returned the email on Tuesday, March 7th at 9:46 am requesting the member to contact our location as we are independently owned and will handle the termination directly. (see attached)

  Corporate attached Golds Gym Dundalk to this email as well, and we reached out via email Tuesday, March 7th at 1:16 pm explaining the cancellation policy. (see attached)

  On Friday, April 14th 8:01 pm, Mr. ********* sent another email cancellation request.

  Monday, April 17th at 11:21 an return email was sent to member which included March 7th's email stating our cancellation policy. (see attached)

  Mr. ********* checked into the club to and requested his cancellation on Friday, April 28th. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/09/2023

  
  
  Complaint: ********
  
  
  
  I am rejecting this response because where does it state in the contract I have to cancel between those proposed times? I understand you purposefully make it mission impossible to cancel but to make up specific times, that don’t work for most of the working population is absurd and it’s nowhere in the contract I signed when I joined. Also, there’s conflicting information regarding what is to be included in the “cancellation letter” because I was told over the phone, to include a copy of my ID which is one of the reasons I’m filing the complaint. That is an unreasonable request that increases the likelihood of my identity being stolen. 
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  Adrian *********

  Business Response

  Date: 05/19/2023

  Attached is page 6 of our Member Agreement which states in 2 sections of the document what Gold's Gym Cancellation Policy is, and how to go about terminating an account. Also, in addition to being able to refer back to his Member Agreement that was emailed to him on June 28, 2022, Mr. ********* had 2 emails sent to him on March 7, 2023 and April 17, 2023 clearly stating Gold's Gym's Cancellation Policy. Neither the Membership Agreement nor emails sent to him suggested or requires a member to mail a copy of their ID to the club to terminate their account. Mr. *********'s account is cancelled and no further payments will be assessed.