Golds Gym

BUYER BEWARE! We have several Urban Active locations in the central Ohio area. There is now suit against Urban and it's been in our local media as follows (sorry but this won't let me post a link so I had to remove the 'm' in com so please add it in order for the links to work):

www2.nbc4i.co /news/2011/apr/15/9/lawsuit-alleges-uban-active-fitness-clubs-violated-ar-454916/

www.dispatch.co /live/content/business/stories/2011/04/14/urban-active-faces-class-action-lawsuit.html

I received a questionaire from the Ohio Attorney General as well. Urban has several complaints with the AG's officee:

www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/searchconsumercomplaints.aspx/?from=nav

On April 1st, 2010, we (account holders) were told the Nolensville Road branch would be closing temporarily for "repairs and remodeling". We were told we could go to any of the other locations while the remodeling was being completed. After a month of going to the Edge-O-Lake drive location (see my review of that garbage location), I began calling the manager of the Urban Active requesting when the repairs would be completed. I was repeatedly told, "Should be just a few more weeks" or "I know it should be soon. Please bear with us." After over two months of being told this, I had finally had enough. I called the manager yet again and said that I would be canceling my contract unless I could be given a definite date the Nolensville Road location would be opening up. He told me they would have an announcement about that location the next day and to make sure I stopped by the Edge-O-Lake drive gym to hear all about it. Well, I walked into the gym and ran straight into a large sign reading, "Unfortunately, due to tough economic times, the Nolensville Road location will be closed for good...etc, etc." So, for almost 3 months, they kept people on the hook waiting for that location to re-open, all the while knowing it would not! Do they honestly expect me or anyone else that had a membership there to believe it took 3 months of "remodeling" before they realized they should close? Of course not! They closed their best location, lied to their customers, and fully expect people to be okay with the fact that now they are sending all of us to garbage locations that stink of armpits and back sides due to poor ventilation and are loaded with at least decade-old machines that are just as garbage as the air quality! Do not believe anything they have to say! I will be canceling my account and will give anyone that listens advice to go ANYWHERE but Urban Active!

It began with a 1 year contract. After 9 months, we decided to tell urban active that we won't renew our contract. They responded, "Sorry, we can not accept cancellations until 30 days before the contract expires. Come back on August 1st." Great, we have to make another trip in 2 months.

August 1st rolls around, and we go back to urban active. They charge us a $10 fee to "cancel" the automatic renewing contract that kicks in after our 1 year contract expires. We pay the fee, receive some signed cancellation forms, and everything's a done deal. Well, not really.

A month after the contract expires, we get $39 deducted from the credit card. We call repeatedly, but only get put on hold and then the call drops. We leave voice mail, but no one calls back. So, we take another trip to urban active. The service desk person tells us that our account was billed for an additional month, since they require 1 month notice before cancelling a contract. We were 1 day late, having come in on August 1st rather than September 29th. Nevermind that earlier they stated we can not cancel until August 1st. So, we throw up our hands an pay the $39, hoping to end this.

Another month rolls around, and we get debited $39 again. This time, the explanation is that their cancellation department must approve all cancellations, and this may take up to two months. We decide to call our credit card company and cancel the charge instead.

Next month, we get another charge, and cancel it again. Who knows how long this will go on, and whether urban active will decide to give bad credit reports due to this. It seems urban active won't accept our cancellation, no matter what we try, and will probably hold our credit rating as hostage when they can't freely remove $39 from our credit card every month. Just Great..

Do yourself a favor and pick another gym.