ComplaintsforNew York Sports Clubs

• Initial Complaint

  11/01/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I was signed up for a gym membership on 10/07/2022 I was told I would have 3 days to cancel, and that any cancelation prior to the second month would avoid an annual fee charged on the second month. I attempted to cancel same day. Unfortunately there are still recurring charges made on my credit card. Management (now almost a month later) now claims no cancellation is possible without paying the annual fee and two months .. and tried convincing me to keep my account open on freeze, after I had requested for it to be canceled in the same day of sign up. These are egregious, deceptive business tactics. I am in awe at the commitment to lying by this company in order to continue charging me after they lied to sign me up. I want nothing to do with this company.

  Business response

  11/07/2022

  After further review of the account details for *******************************, we can confirm that this membership was placed on a freeze. If ******* can provide proof of the original cancellation request made that is within his 3 day money back guarantee period, we would be happy to process any refunds owed. We recommend that ******* reach out to his ******** (************) to request a cancellation. We can also see that ******* disputed the annual fee charge. This fee is valid unless proof can be provided.

• Initial Complaint

  04/22/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I have utilized the SilverSneakers program at the New York Sports Club for about 2 years which is sponsored by my health care plan. In addition I paid for a personal trainer for 2 sessions each week for $680. When the gym closed due to COVID I still had 3 sessions that were paid for. Some months after closing I was consistently contacted by a trainer for virtual sessions. After repeated, consistent calls I agreed to try one session- which was not satisfactory at all- this was not the trainer I had been working with. Again the calls persisted and on at least 2 occasions 2/8 and3/4 I stated that I was not interested in continuing the training. When the gym reopened last year in June I returned for SilverSneakers program. On each occasion I was asked about past due payment of $765 for training sessions. I tried to explain the situation and asked to speak to the manager who was onsite at every visit I made. She refused and stated that it was a corporate matter. I was unable to contact anyone at corporate on multiple attempts. At the end of June I went to the gym and was informed that I could not use any services there and must leave the premises. Further attempts to speak to management have been refused. I believe that this is unjust as SilverSneakers is not related to the other services and that I am being charged for services I did not use as I had previously declined. This has been extremely stressful, I chose this gym because of the close proximity to my home and my disability that affects my balance and mobility as my decline has been noted by my neurologist at my last visit. I would greatly appreciate your assistance with intervention and resolution of this matter.

  Business response

  04/22/2022

  After reviewing the member's complaint I can confirm that, as a company we have removed/waived the personal training past due balance. The member was initially, correctly not permitted access to the clubs, as their account was past due. The member's Silver Sneakers agreement remains active on their profile and they may now utilize the club. 

  Customer response

  04/22/2022

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  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,
  
  ****** ******  
   
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  03/23/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  New York Sports Club continues to charge me despite never telling me that the account was going to be charged when on Freeze. They also have removed me off a frozen account and continue charge me for that.

  Business response

  03/24/2022

  After reviewing the member’s account we see that they are currently active, with a pending start freeze which will begin on 4/1/22 and end on 9/1/22, at which time, if there is no request to extend the freeze, dues billing will resume in September. Per policy, beginning April 1st, a $5 freeze fee will be applied to the member’s account monthly while they are on freeze. In June of 2021, the member was informed, via the email address on their account, that their free freeze, due to covid closures, would end, at which time, they requested to be placed back on freeze from 8/1/21 thru 11/1/21 and subsequently 1/1/22 thru 3/1/22. The member has been provided with credits and refunds to their account continuously to offset the $5 freeze fees and for dues billings which occurred when there was a gap in a freeze. Our freeze fee is $5 monthly, the member is aware of this as they have been compensated for this charge previously. At this time, no refunds or adjustments are due to the member. If they do not wish to resume a $5 freeze on April 1, they may reach out to a club location or via online to update their membership status.

• Initial Complaint

  01/26/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I started paying for a personal trainer 6 months ago, I never received a follow-up of my progress in writing, I did not have access to any of my classes in writing, the instructor changed my schedules without my authorization, they charged me 8 sections per month ($800) but I did not receive the 8 sections for complete. The instructor was verbally abusive talking about my personal problems while we were training, he criticized me because I consumed Herbalife products. The instructor (******) never scheduled an appointment to talk with me, he asked me questions about my disagreement in the training sessions to which I always answered that I was fine, because I was not going to invest time in my training sessions to talk to him. The coach redeemed our sections without having completed the 8 classes each month. My training times were always at 7am or 8am before I started my work day. I had no time to waste. After three months I decided to speak with the Assistant Manager in an interview at 6pm which lasted half an hour. I wasted my time because nothing changed. The coach (******) made his behavior even worse. I decided to talk to the General Manager and I activated my gym App so that I could redeem the classes by removing the promotion from my profile from the trainer who had asked me for my profile password from the beginning. But this did not work since the trainer did not have access to my account and the General Manager began to redeem the sections without my authorization and without having taken the classes with the trainer (******). I asked the general manager (******) for a report of my gym tickets for the last 6 months to confirm that I was not being robbed and they not owed classes. He didn't want to give me. Two days ago I spoke again with the General Manager (******) because they had redeemed January 13, 18, 23 without my authorization or days on which I had not been with the coach (******). I also spoke with ********(manager of training)

  Business response

  01/28/2022

  After reviewing the members complaint we see the members PTM is set to cancel effective 2/3/22. We apologize for the members recent experience at our ***** ********. However, based on the members appointment and session use history, the member has trained/utilized all sessions which were billed and issued since August 27, 2021. For the sessions billed and issued on 12/27/21, they were used on 12/29, 1/6, 1/8, 1/11, 1/13, 1/18 1/19 and 1/23. For all of these sessions, excluding the 1/23 session, either club check in or member authorization were utilized, validating session usage.  The session scheduled for 1/23 will need to be used or reinstated to be used at a later date. The member was billed and issued 2 sessions today, as their PTM requires a 30 day cancel notice.  The cancel request was received on 1/4/22, to be effective 2/3/22 and the final 2 sessions will expire on 2/3/22. We see that the management team at the club has or will be reaching out to the member so they may utilize a different personal trainer for their remaining sessions, so to resolve this issue.

• Initial Complaint

  01/03/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  To Whom This May Concern, I have ended my membership with New York Sports Club since 2020. My last payment was $31.98 on April 2, 2020. On February 1, 2021 I received a payment for $12.01 under gym membership dues and subsequently received payments for $29.99 in the following months. When I called the number associated with gym membership dues on my account it led to New York Sports Club. On December 2, 2021 there was a charge of $29.99 and also and additional charge in December 7, 2021 for $69.99. The last charge I received from them was January 1, 2021 with the amount of $29.99. I haven’t been able to contact anyone on the phone from the online number and the gym I used to go to has since permanently closed. This is how I know I did not start a new membership with New York Sports Club. I have sent emails to the company and am waiting for a reply back. I am trying to stop payments on my credit card and for the future. I would like them to stop charging my cards from different accounts and to reimburse my charges totaling to $411.89. Please let me know if these problems can be resolved. Thank you very much for your time.

  Business response

  01/04/2022

  After further review of *****'s account, we can confirm that there was an online submission on 4/10/2020 requesting cancellation to her membership. Charges that were made from February 2021 until current month (January 2022) will be refunded back to the VISA card that was billed, in the amount of: $411.89. We ask that ***** allow 5-10 business days for processing. The membership has also been canceled as of January 4th, 2022, with no further billing.

• Initial Complaint

  11/25/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  For the past several months, I have been trying to cancel my membership or put it on hold, but been unable to do so. I have reached out through the website, through email, by phone, by text, and nobody has helped me. I even spoke to a trainer (Paul) who stopped replying to me as soon as i told him about the issue i was having. I also emailed ***** **** (a manager, they said) about this in August, as he had frozen my membership for me in the past, to no response. As I have been trying to cancel or freeze, and my credit card was stolen, i have not updated my payment information. The gym has said they would cancel my membership if they did not receive payment, but apparently, they have not. Instead, I recently got an email saying that my account would be sent to collections if I didn't pay for the last three months, despite multiple attempts to contact the gym, despite that I have not attempted to use the membership, despite that i no longer have a home club as all three of mine shut down, and despite the fact that I haven't lived in NY in the past year and a half. They refuse to help. They don't help me when one of their trainers stole money from me, either. My membership was only set to cancel automatically after 90 days of nonpayment and they told me it would be sent to collections. At this point, I'm done, and I'm furious.

  Customer response

  11/30/2021

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have been in communication with the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me and the matter has been resolved. If the business takes no further action against me, I consider this resolved.
  
  Sincerely,
  **** *****  
  
  
   
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  10/24/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  NYSC cancelled my membership in January 2021. I had paid for the full year October 2020 thru September 2021. They did not even offer me a pro rated rebate of a ¾ refund. They also would not let me re-join at my lifetime rate which had been established decades ago. Initially at ********* *** then **** ******* then *****'s then ****** then NYSC. They said the new owners of NYSC did not have to honor the lifetime rate that had been established and honored during every other bankruptcy and takeover. My life time rate is $40 per year (yes, per year! That is why I do not want to lose this membership.)

  Business response

  10/25/2021

  THIS MESSAGE NEEDS TO BE CLOSED. THE COMPLAINT SHOULD BE AGAINST THE OWNERS OF HIS MEMBERSHIP, WHICH HAS BEEN EXPLAINED AT LENGTH TO THE MEMBER. NO ACTION WILL BE TAKEN TO RENEW THIS AGREEMENT WITH NYSC.
  
  
  
  
  Our old ownership purchase ****** in September 2018. Your home club location was named **** *** *** in our system.
  At that time, the former owners of NYSC placed your membership in our system for viewing, however, your billing occurred in a separate system in 2018, 2019 and 2020.
  In September 2020 when we reopened clubs post covid we did not reopen the **** *** *** location. We did however, move your membership from **** *** *** to **** ****** *******.
  Your membership stayed there until separation of ownership groups (officially 12/1/2020).
  You may have selected **** **** as a preferred location (basically a club you intended to use) but your home club went from *******s location of **** *** *** to **** ****** *******. It never ‘lived’ at another club name/location during your agreement tenure and never belonged to NYSC **** ****.
  On 12/1/2020 our organization finalize bankruptcy and separated. Our current ownership group did not retain **** ****** *******. That was acquired by our former owners, under their new corporate identity “Group”.
  “Group” took ownership or your agreement and all of it’s terms and access on 12/1/2020.
  Your association with NYSC and our brand ended on this date, upon “Groups” retention of **** within their brand of gyms.
  Due to the separation of our business, we had to keep your agreement information active in our system, but we were not billing any of the “Group” members, nor did they have access to our clubs, etc.
  In January 2021, we ended /cancelled all agreements in our system for “Group” members.
  This “delay” is for compliance across billing/vendors and a number of other legal complexities with the separation between NYSC and “Group”.
  
  
  Any issue with the terms of your agreement not being upheld need to be directed to “Group”. They are the responsible party to honor your agreement terms and it was acquired in their location purchase/member acquisition requirement. We have no ownership of your membership or it’s terms. NYSC will not honor your membership renewal for 2020 to 2021, as your agreement was fully transferred to “Group”.  Due to not being affiliated with “Group”, we cannot provide any contact information regarding how to resolve your open issues with their company. "Group" is used to reflect the owners of **** ****.

  Customer response

  10/25/2021

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# ********, and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

  NYSC is using double talk and obfuscation to avoid taking responsibility for the cancellation for my membership and refusal to honor my lifetime contract. Shifting responsibility to **** - which also denies that I am a member (yet, will offer me a pro-rated rebate) is just about the only thing that is happening here.  The little guy is screwed again!  What a world!

   

   

   

   

  In order for the BBB to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** *******
  
  
  
  
   
  

  Business response

  10/26/2021

  We have provided extensive information about the ownership of this membership. No further replies will be provided relating to this matter, as we do not have ownership and no action will be taken.

  Customer response

  10/26/2021

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# ********, and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

  And, my complaint will NEVER be resolved. So I guess this is the end of the line. Big Business wins again and the little guy is screwed.

   

   

   

   

  In order for the BBB to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** *******  
  
  
  
   
  

• Initial Complaint

  09/11/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  Town Sports International is the parent company of ****** ****** *****. At the outbreak of Covid I cancelled my membership. *** filed for bankruptcy and closed their gym in my town. For the last 8 months they have been charging me a membership fee monthly of 81$. I am sure they are doing this to multiple other members. They make it almost impossible to cancel a membership. Thank you. ******* ***** **

• Initial Complaint

  09/03/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I was a member at New York Sports Club and requested that my account be paused in June of 2020 due to COVID19 after being charged when not only clubs were closed but my local location had permanently closed. I was charged again in December of 2020 and cancelled my account. I received an email confirmation from general manager ****** ***** | General Manager on 12/29/20 to confirm my account cancellation. Today my account was charged $64.99 for a monthly membership! I am unable to get anyone on the phone and was unable to send an email on the account site. This company isa bunch of criminals.

  Customer response

  10/17/2021

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  At this time, my complaint, ID ******** regarding New York Sports Clubs has been resolved.
  

  (By clicking "OK", your complaint will be closed as Resolved.)

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** ****

• Initial Complaint

  09/01/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  IT APPEARS THAT YOU, NEW YORK SPORTS CLUBS, ARE LIARS, BALD-FACED LIARS. FIRST, YOU DISPUTED MY DISPUTE OF EACH AND EVERY OVERCHARGE YOU MADE, AND SO THEY ARE ALL BACK ON MY CREDIT CARD ACCOUNT! SECOND, YOU STILL HAVE NOT ISSUED ME A CREDIT FOR 5 MONTHS OF OVERCHARGES, AS YOU PROMISED YOU WOULD ON AUG 13, 19 DAYS AGO, OF $15.67 x 5 = $78.35! WHY NOT? THIRD, YOU PROBABLY DID NOT ADJUST MY NEW MONTHLY CHARGE AS PROMISED! I WILL PROBABLY AGAIN BE CHARGED TODAY THE INCORRECT MONTHLY AMOUNT OF $78.36, INSTEAD OF YOUR PROMISED AMOUNT OF $62.69!! BECAUSE OF YOUR LIES AND YOUR FRAUD, I MUST NOW DO THE FOLLOWING STEPS: 1. DISPUTE AGAIN THE 5 OVERCHARGES, OF $15.67 EACH; 2. FILE COMPLAINTS AGAINST YOU WITH NEW YORK AG AND NEW YORK BBB; and 3. SUE YOU IN NY SMALL CLAIMS COURT. YOUR LIES AND YOUR FRAUD WILL BE RECTIFIED AND PUNISHED! WHERE IS MY PROMISED CREDIT OF $78.35?? AND YOU HAVE THE AUDACITY TO PUT YOUR LIES BELOW IN WRITING, FOR ALL TO SEE?? HOW DO YOU LIVE WITH YOURSELF??

*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. ↩