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:03/10/2025

  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 called Pure Barre Kenwood to cancel my membership of 8 classes per month in March of 2024 due to physical limitations that prevented me from attending classes. The owner convinced me to do a temporary account "freeze" instead of closing my account in case I may want to return in the future. Pure Barre Kenwood reactivated my account in June of 2024 and started charging my card $139.00 a month without notifying me or sending me a receipt or statement. Shortly after they reactivated my account, Pure Barre Kenwood sent me an email saying they "missed me," offering me a special 4-class package rate to rejoin the studio. This was a special offer only for "prior clients." (See attached.) Seeing this email I assumed that I had to take some kind of action in order to re-activate my membership. Had I not received this email, I would have called to either continue freezing or close my membership, since I can no longer do these types of classes. At that time, my husband was paying our credit card bills and did not think a $139.00 fitness membership was anything out of the ordinary, and these charges went on for 9 months without me stepping foot into the studio a single time.
  The owner refuses to issue me a refund, stating it was "my responsibility" to manage my membership and review my statements, even though I never received a receipt or statement of any kind. Nowhere in the member app is there a place showing you your statements or billing history. She refuses to explain the promotional email she sent asking me to come back to the studio which addresses me as a prior client. It is bad business practice to not send a receipt or notification of any kind when you charge a customer's credit card - this is very easy to set up - and and is terribly misleading to send an email to someone saying they are no longer member of your studio while you are actually actively billing them for said membership.

  Business Response

  Date: 03/26/2025

  Dear BBB Representative,

  I appreciate the opportunity to address this concern regarding a former client’s experience with Pure Barre Kenwood. As a small business owner, I take customer feedback very seriously, and I truly feel saddened that this client feels disappointed with her experience.
  
  Upon starting their membership, the client signed an agreement outlining the terms and conditions, including the requirement that all cancellations must be submitted in writing. This policy ensures clear communication and prevents misunderstandings regarding membership status. At no point did the client submit a written request to cancel their membership. Had I received such a request, I would have immediately processed the cancellation.
  
  In March 2024, the client requested a one-month hold on their membership due to physical limitations via the phone, and then in April requested another "one month hold". I have email documentation confirming this request. Following the agreed-upon hold period, billing automatically resumed in accordance with the signed membership agreement. Our system is designed to process membership renewals without manual intervention.
  
  The “We Miss You” email, which the client references, was an automated message sent after a period of inactivity. This email was intended as an opportunity for communication, encouraging clients to reach out with any questions or to request adjustments, not as a statement that their membership had been canceled. My system is highly automated, making this one of those hard-to-explain situations. I do see that the client was sent an introductory offer simply because they had not attended class in a while. Again, had I known they intended to cancel, I absolutely would have done so.
  
  I would also like to note that, as a gesture of goodwill, I refunded the client for January and February of 2025. I am unsure why she keeps ignoring this fact. I also offered her classes as I truly intended to make things right. However, I am unable to process refunds for charges incurred in the previous year because our system does not allow for retroactive refunds. Additionally, these charges include non-recoverable expenses such as taxes, royalties, and credit card fees.
  
  Our membership agreements clearly state that it is the client’s responsibility to monitor their own financial statements. All billing was carried out in strict accordance with the signed agreement, and I trusted that the client fully understood these terms after their freeze request was honored.
  
  While I regret that this matter has escalated to a complaint, our records and policies support the actions taken. I remain committed to transparent and fair business practices, and I welcome any further discussion to clarify these matters directly.
  
  I sincerely hope this provides clarity on the situation and reassures you that we have acted in good faith.

  Sincerely,

  Anna 

  Pure Barre Kenwood