Howard Beach Fitness Center, Inc.

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me and the matter has been resolved
Sincerely,
*** ***

At this time, I have been contacted directly by Synergy Fitness regarding complaint ID [redacted], however my complaint has NOT been resolved because: Synergy Fitness continues to claim I owe them money and is continuing to send a collection agency after me....


 
 
 
Sincerely,
[redacted]

Revdex.com:At this time, my complaint, ID [redacted] regarding Howard Beach Fitness Center, Inc. has been resolved.
(By clicking "OK", your complaint will be closed as Resolved.)
Sincerely,[redacted]

Review: I originally joined the [redacted] located at this address. The location was purchased by Synergy about two years ago. I never signed a contract with Synergy, but continued using the gym with my [redacted]'s pass and I continued to be billed the [redacted]'s rate, but by Synergy. About a year ago, I received orders from the Marine Corps transferring me to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. I attempted to cancel my membership at the gym, but was told I needed to do so in writing. I sent Synergy a written cancelation request, but continued to be billed. I went back to the gym and was told I needed to send the cancellation request by certified mail. The gym employee then confided in me that Synergy was never going to stop trying to bill me no matter what I did and that I should just cancel my card. I cancelled my card after being billed for about four months of fraudulent dues. Today I received a call from a bill collector. Apparently, Synergy has referred my "past due" bills for collection.Desired Settlement: I want my name removed from the collection agency and a refund for the dues I was improperly charged for. I also want Synergy to stop conducting business this way. If Synergy's actions are criminal, and I strongly suspect they are, I want the responsible parties to be punished appropriately by New York authorities.

Consumer

Response:

At this time, I have been contacted directly by Synergy Fitness regarding complaint ID [redacted], however my complaint has NOT been resolved because: Synergy Fitness continues to claim I owe them money and is continuing to send a collection agency after me.

Sincerely,

Review: I called to cancel [redacted] my contract and the [redacted] hung up on me. When I walked in to confront him he called me a jerk and refused to give me a copy of my contract or the phone number to corporate. This gym makes it very easy to sign up but impossible to cancel. They told me I have to send a written letter to them by certified mail which will then take a month to process. This practice must be stopped as many people are being taken advantage of given the delay in time it takes to cancel, the inconvenience of going to the post office and the expense to send certified mail. Also [redacted] should be fired for mistreating a member and acting unprofessionally. Who calls a customer a jerk in front of other customers??Desired Settlement: Refund of all membership fees since last attendance and apology from [redacted]. At a minimum, cancel my membership immediately or I will pursue legal action.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me and the matter has been resolved.

Sincerely,

Review: I have been trying to close my membership as of July [redacted], 2015, when I twisted my ankle and could no longer come to the gym. On this date, I was told by Alfredo to go online and email the company in order to close my account. 2 months later I received an email from George L**, stating that I had to pay the money, even though I hurt myself and was requesting a little leniency. He said no, that I have to pay. I asked to put my membership on hold because I cannot work out. George wrote back 4 days later, saying that there is nothing he can do, management and the financial department insist that I pay the balance. This just keeps going on and on, and I have asked over 6 times to be put in contact with someone above George; a manager, an owner, or the financial department. He ignores me every time and just writes back, Please pay your balance.I was only told TODAY (9/*/15) that the way to close my membership was to write a letter and send it certified mail. That is almost 2 months after the fact, and over $60 more.During this time (sometime in August) went to the gym location at [redacted] and was told that my membership would be cancelled. I signed a form and thought that it would be over. However, I found out that it was just going to be put on hold, which not only doesnt cancel the membership but charges me $10 a month to keep it on hold! Despite the fact that I live next door to it, it is poorly run, the management has been aggressive and disrespectful from the moment it changed from Golds to Synergy, lying about it being 24 hours (always assuring me that it would be next month), removing the sauna (which is one of the only reasons I liked this gym, among other things.I owe for the month of June, and up until July [redacted], when I twisted my ankle, and was unable to afford to get treatment because I stopped working at my job on June [redacted], 9 days before. I initially wanted to put my membership on hold but soon decided against it after talking with George L** who literally ignored my requests.Desired Settlement: Please cancel my membership and adjust my bill. I will happily pay what is owed, June 2015 and however much of July 2015 you will charge me until I hurt my ankle. BUT I will not pay for August or September. I have given them a doctors note; I gave it to Alfredo (general manager of the location) on 9/*/2015.I also have requested to cancel the membership over 6 times in different emails with George L**, as well as sent a certified letter.

Consumer

Response:

At this time, I have not been contacted by Synergy Fitness Club regarding complaint ID [redacted].Sincerely,[redacted]

Review: I am writing to bring to your attention a serious issue while visiting the establishment listed. On January *, 2015 at approximately 1230 I along with my Fiancée visited the gym. During our visit we were not greeted nor did we feel welcomed. The representative was impolite and extremely arrogant. On January *, 2015 we visited the gym and the exact same representative took all our information and explained to us that everything was in order. However, it seem during this visit that he did not want us there and started giving us all kinds of lies on how he informed us to see him before we left for the night however we did so and he said nothing. The representative kept looking at us and giving us misinformation as well as excuses to why we could not enter the gym. During the incident he said I don’t know why you two are here however he paused when he said and then said because you don’t have your I.D’s. Please note that our Identifications were submitted the night before and we were allowed to work out however he continued to state that we did not present our Identifications.Desired Settlement: I would like my 7 day pass to issued back to me and I want a typed apology from the business as well one year free membership to another Gold's Gym Location for my FIancee and I in that we were unable to work out and felt discriminated against.

Review: Gold's cancellation policy states that if you move more than 25 miles away you must mail via certified or registered mail a utility bill AND upon receipt they would cancel. FLASHING RED LIGHT- what does receipt mean? Does that mean when [redacted] (the [redacted]) decides he would get in and check it- (from past experience when I had a question about a Yelp deal he was not very eager to RECEIVE the question and reply). Had the contract stated when the by certified mail or registered mail receives it, we would be talking about something more legitimate. However, due to the convenient language [redacted] has now allowed himself some more leeway to cancel when he arbitrarily "receives" it.

This brings me to my encounter today. I came in with all the utility bills necessary to show the utility bills that are more than 25 miles away. Steve's response -"No play by the rules and mail it, and when I receive it i'll cancel it." When you receive it? Who knows when you yourself would receive it? The staff themselves say it has to be [redacted] who receives it and deals with it. Not even the front counter can cancel for you. How does that seem to work? Seem sketchy of course. So I explained to him you now leave me with no choice but to charge the card and dispute and he responded with "If you do that I will send collections you." So you run a potential scam and because you are exposed you want to come to me? Forget it.

The staff is nice nothing I can say, but the gym as a whole is like a circuys and the [redacted] (who by the way has no business card) is a prime example of why it is the way it is.Desired Settlement: I would like the $150 refunded to my card.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me and the matter has been resolved.

Review: I was a member of Synergy Fitness (formerly [redacted]) for over a year. I cancelled my membership at the end of April due to a serious injury and had to have surgery. After checking my account statements over the last few months, Synergy has been continuously charging me for a membership that I cancelled months ago. I called the gym and talked to the [redacted] about this issue. He told me that the person who cancelled my account did not do it properly and that it wasn't their problem anymore. He told me that I was responsible for the charges even if they made an error. After going through with their ridiculous cancellation process (bullying to keep the account, as well as sending a certified letter in the mail to verify cancellation) I was assured my the person working the front desk that my account was cancelled. This was not the case. They told me that they never received the certified letter and that my account would continue to be charged on a monthly basis.After doing some research (a simple [redacted] search of "Synergy Fitness [redacted]" will bring up dozens and dozens of bad reviews from customers who have been scammed in the exact same manner. Synergy tells bullies people who want to leave the gym, then when they send a certified letter in the mail instructing Synergy to cancel the membership, they said that they lost the letter then continued to charge the person's account. I consider this a criminal act and I will definitely be contacting the police and/or filing a lawsuit against this company if the charges aren't reversed soon and this situation is rectified.Desired Settlement: I want a full refund for the months that I was charged after the date that I cancelled the membership with Synergy.

Business

Response:

[redacted] sold business and its assets on February **,2014 to Synergy Fitness. I, [redacted], is not and never was in any capacity affiliated with Synergy Fitness. Synergy purchased the assets (memberships) including [redacted] membership. He states that he cancelled in late April. Neither I nor [redacted] can help him . All correspondance should be directed to Synergy Fitness , [redacted]. Please advise. Thank you.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# [redacted], and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

On the date in question, this business represented itself as [redacted].

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Sincerely,