ComplaintsforCrunch Fitness

• Initial Complaint

  10/10/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I requested a cancellation of service/auto payment at the time my service agreement ran out. They are still charging me. I have a serious back injury to to a work injury and have not been able to use the service most of the contract time period. They will not accept a "walk in" letter and had to be mailed. I mailed a letter and my request was ignored. I am mailing another letter certified-return receipt. Please ensure that they are complying with customer requests. Thank you.

  Business response

  10/10/2023

  Hello

  Mrs.M***** sent her cancelation postmarked on 9/27/2023 and was delivered and scanned into her account on 10/3. Her billing date is 10/7, hence why we require a 30 day notice to cancel to allow for the processing time.  I do show it was already cancelled and she has already been issued a refund to the billing on file as well as her auto email of confirmation of cancellation. I do not show any communication logged where she called or asked the club about this as it was received, scanned and processed within a few days and we could have easily given her an update versus sending a BBB complaint? I'll also reach back out to her personally today to confirm she has seen the refund and to confirm the account was in fact cancelled as per her original contract terms.  Please let me know if you need anything add'l.  Kelie

• Initial Complaint

  06/02/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I’m a traveling medical professional and do not have a permanent home. I stay in hotels, AirBNBs, and furnished finders. I was starting a new position in Florence, SC but was in Columbia, SC at the time and was looking for a gym. I decided to sign up for crunch Fitness. The only reason I signed up was because the guy who signed me up, Adam, stated that they we’re getting a gym there in Florence. That never happened and I emailed them to cancel. They required a lease or a utility bill but I don’t have those things. When you stay in hotels, AirBNBs, and furnished finders there are no leases and all utilities are included. I’ve reached out to them for over a year to cancel. I signed up April of 2022 and it’s May 2023 and they keep charging my account. I’ve only used their gym 2 times and they are giving me a hassle to cancel. Attached are some of the addresses where I’ve lived since I signed up. I would like a refund for all of the money they took from me because I’ve only step foot in their facility twice before having to leave. I would like this membership cancelled and for them to stop charging my account. Thank you.

  Business response

  06/02/2023

  Hello

  I have attached the only correspondence we have had with this member regarding her cancellation request. She joined on a 2 year plan, 4/25/2022.  I've attached the emails she has sent as well, summary below.

  9/12/2022- Member emailed that she needed to cancel due to a move to Florence, SC.

  9/14/2022- I responded to her email and included info on what we could used considering she was a travel nurse. I included alternate options to help.

  NO Response from member received.

  3/23/2023-Member emailed that she has been "trying to cancel this membership for over a year.... I injured my knee at the gym, and this is my last email I'm going to be seeking BBB."

  Note she joined 4/25/2022 (10 months before)

  Note this is her 2nd email (she did NOT respond to the response from her first email)

  Note she never sent in any proof of move

  3/27/2023- I responded to her email, explaining we had NOT received any info regarding her move proof and I included the original response (that she removed from the email chain) that showed her exactly what she needed to do

  Note, NO Response AGAIN from member.

  Today- we received this complaint, and as I had club staff pull her account to see if any cancellation or any other communication had been received, they alerted me that they "knew" this member and that she regularly posts about her workouts at another Columbia, SC gym.  They proceeded to then show me the recent posts of this member in fact, working out and posting about her workouts in another gym, in town, roughly 10 miles away.

  I am sad that time is being wasted to falsify information in an attempt to ridicule and demean a family owned local business.  We work to go above and beyond to make member experiences positive and work tirelessly to ensure we can bring affordable fitness to our Columbia market. Being deceitful in an attempt to falsify information and report inaccuracies to the BBB is just terrible and I apologize you and your staff have to respond and take time away from other important issues to deal with such complaints.  Please let me know if you need anything add'l, I have included the printouts of the emails and a running email log.  Out of respect for this members privacy, I did not include the social media posts that I was sent but I can send them if you need them.  Just let me know.  Have a great weekend.  

• Initial Complaint

  01/17/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  In April 2021 I notified the gym in writing that I wanted to cancel my active membership and that I would be moving. They requested support so I provided them lease agreement, work return letter and other employee information. They did not cancel membership instead they continued to charge my account. I reached out to them several times afterwards and they have not process my membership cancellation. I want a refund of all charges against my account beginning April 2021.

  Business response

  01/17/2023

  Hello

  We do not show any record of this member in our database. I have searched with her name and phone number.  Additionally, the amount of invoice she has attached is not a rate this location sells.  This is Columbia, SC and I am assuming she clicked the wrong location while filing her complaint. Please let me know if you need anything add'l.

   

  Kellie

  Crunch Fitness, Columbia, SC

• Initial Complaint

  08/24/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I have a gym membership With crunch fitness that i no longer need And I would like to cancel my account I don't have a contract with them anymore my debit card was stolen and they were able to process gym membership once they notified me I told them I wanted to cancel my account they told me I had to mail a letter to the office and I asked them if I could do it over the phone so it could be quicker they said no but they are allowed to do everything else through the phone such as update payment information But they are now saying that i have to pay the remaining blance so i can close my account if not they are sending it to collection but they are charging me for 2 months of service which i would be unable to use any way because my payment method hasn't been updated

  Business response

  09/22/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/08/26) */ Member joined on a month to month plan in 2017. The purchased plan is month to month, cancellable with a 30 day written notice. Members billing on file stopped working with his 7/14/2022 billing. Our billing company, immediately started to contact member the following day to alert that his billing was not working in an attempt to help him clear it up before any late fee was applied. They contacted him via phone, email and text multiple times since the initial decline and using the contact info he provided upon joining(all communication is automated/timestamped into each members account to ensure we continue to have all records of any correspondences with our member base to aid with any member questions.) 1-7/27/2022-A timestamped call by the member to our billing company is documented on 7/27/2022 and the call log dictates the member claimed he joined another club and wanted info on how to cancel. The billing company logged the conversation included the specific instructions on how to cancel. 2-7/28/2022-I show an email directly from the club billing dept alerting of his overdue payment and too notating for him to update his billing to avoid add'l fees. 3-8/23 another email directly from the club advising his payments were now over 30 days past due and also attempting to help get him caught up by removing late fees. 4-8/23-5;58- Member called the club in regards to the email he received same day. Alerted he wanted to cancel. Front desk supervisor notated the balance on account and explained how to cancel. 5-8/23-6:35pm- Member called billing company to tell them he wanted to cancel. Billing company gave him the same cancellation instructions yet again. Member is month to month and can cancel with a 1 billing cycle (30 day notice in writing as described multiple times.) Member was already delinquent BEFORE he called to inquire on how to cancel. Members account is active and continues to be overdue with multiple notations on how to cancel. Member has not cancelled per the basic cancellation instructions. Members next billing date is 9/14 and as long as his balance is paid and he has sent in his cancellation (postmarked on or before 9/14, then 9/14 will be his final payment owed.) I too can provide the transcripts and notations/call logs/timestamps where members was given this same info multiple times yet has not done it. Please let me know if you'd like me to pull these records and send. Thank you. Consumer Response /* (3000, 7, 2022/08/29) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) I do not accept this response from the business it still does not explain the difficult process of canceling the membership which is mailing in my cancellation if I can create an account with crunch fitness through multiple outlets and they will take my money through multiple outlets why is there only one way to cancel the account you made it extremely difficult yes you reached out and I've asked you to cancel my account multiple times I even offered to come in to crunch fitness to cancel the account and i was told No And your monthly plan is charging me money for not being able to use the gym membership until i pay the balance that dose not make sense why are you charging me for something that i'm not even initially able to use a month to month plan is something Netflix prepaid phone bill etc where the charge you month to month and if you don't pay you don't use and not charge you money for a Membership that you can't use Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2022/08/31) */ Again, Member is month to month, can cancel at any time with a 30 day notice in writing. He has been advised multiple times now on how to cancel in writing and has not. It is a very simple process- you join, you are month to month, you give a 30 day written notice to cancel when you wish to cancel. I cannot speak to how "Netflix" works as that is a totally different entity. Similarly, like with an apartment lease (and after the original term you go month to month... you don't just "move out" without cancelling your lease with notice required. I am happy to help by waiving the late fees (2) on his account (even though the first documented call was AFTER he was already delinquent.) As long as your past due balance paid before your next invoice date of 9/14, I will personally go in and cancel it with no further payments due as a courtesy on the account. Please let me know directly at [email protected] once the payment has been made so I can make the adjustments on my end. The balance without the late fees is $43.90 Consumer Response /* (2000, 11, 2022/09/02) */ (The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.)

• Initial Complaint

  07/29/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On July 27 2022 I went to re-establish my gym membership with crunch. I had not been a member of 16 months but had previously been a member for 5 to 6 years. When I went in I was assisted by a young lady. She informed me she had to send my request to the billing department since I was formerly a member. At that point I asked her what my TOTAL cost would be. Specifically, I asked if there was any back payments or activation fees. I had seen a promotion where crunch was waiving the activation fee and I wanted to be sure. The young lady told me that it would specifically be the 14.95 for my membership fee and nothing else. On Thursday July 28 2022, I called crunch and the same girl said the billing department was ok with me moving foward with my membership, so I went in. Upon arriving, after filling out everything, and signing everything, a young man (Map may be his name?) Then informed me they were trying to charge me 65 dollars because of the activation fee. This completely contradicted everything I had been told. After explaining my position he waived the activation fee. However, upon starting my workout, the young man came up to me in the gym and informed me management had yelled at him and said that I can either pay the additional 50 or cancel my membership. This is not how you run a business. Sometimes employees make mistakes. But I was certainly told one thing and then I feel in almost a sneaky manner tried to get 50 more dollars from me. I find this highly unprofessional and upsetting, especially since I had been such a long standing member before hand, and since there were online promotions waving the fee, on top of what the employee did and told me concerning the fee. I simply, still would just like the fee waived like I was told. I enjoy the facilities, I don't enjoy being mislead or gaslit, or having someone try and take advantage of me. Maybe the woman thought I wouldn't come back of I knew about the fee, but that's not my fault.

  Business response

  08/10/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/08/03) */ Previous member came in as described above- spoke with our front desk manager about rejoining. She gave him the correct pricing for the base plan that includes an enrollment fee. $50.00 enrollment and first months dues of $14.95. She was not able to immediately sign him up as there was a flag on his account from a previous management cancellation back on 5/21/2021 (hence why she noted and he described having him reach out to billing to find out more info.) I too have notations where she inquired on his behalf to see if he was eligible for rejoining since the notations were vague as to the earlier cancellation. I can confirm that the member was cancelled in 2021 by club management (something that rarely to never occurs. Details can be pulled but normally would be for reasons to ensure the safety of staff/members.) Member came back the following day to complete his enrollment and met with the same FD manager. Member began arguing over the startup fees, claiming he would not pay them. FD manager continued to work inside the facility while Mr. ***** decided what he wanted to do. He sought out another staff member, attempting to pursuade him to sign him up for a membership without the enrollment fee by claiming it was approved to be waived. Immediately the manager returned and notated back to the staff member that the system still would kick it back, as it did. Staff member went up to Mr ***** explaining that it was still not approved and we could either collect the correct and quoted membership or we could refund. Member asked for a refund and it was processed within 20 minutes. In a nutshell, member was cancelled by Management a year before (details are not in our system as we don't place detailed member info for anyone to if an event occurs. I can request a detailed report of why this member was cancelled and why it was flagged to "speak with the General Manager" before ever attempting to rejoin as well. The fact that he is claiming he was "not" told of this fee and that he "refused" to pay it the next day, and attempting to make up a story as to why it was to be waived summarizes his ill behavior and most likely one of the reasons for the earlier termination. Again, if member TRULY wants to be a part of this facility, acting and displaying good behavior on his part, we can certainly set up a quick meeting with the General Manager to ensure he allowed back under whatever plan we are currently selling.

• Initial Complaint

  07/05/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  **** ******** (cell phone number: XXX-XXX-XXXX & email address: *************@gmail.com) is the owner of Crunch Fitness gym located at *** ******** ***** Columbia, SC XXXXX. Crunch Fitness has a policy that all membership cancellations must be sent via certified mail. I have attempted to send certified mail and the business will not sign to receive the request. The post master informed me that Crunch Fitness and their employees refuse to sign for certified mail and this is a regular occurrence. I have also tried to walk in to Crunch Fitness and cancel my membership in person, and the employees tell me I must send a certified letter. Crunch Fitness continues to withdraw money from my bank account on a monthly basis and will not follow their own policy. This should be illegal. Neither **** ******** nor his staff will sign for the certified mail I am trying to send to cancel my gym membership. Crunch Fitness has a policy that all membership cancellations must be made via certified mail and yet they will not sign for any certified mail.

  Business response

  08/04/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/07/05) */ Hello- I just pulled both members accounts up. No notations with club level staff. ****'s last checkin was 6.11.2018 and ******* was 3/4/2020. Our billing system, ABC Financial has a timestamped log of all communication with any member, including calls, texts, emails and mail to/from each member. A first call was made 6/8/2022 with member **** and notations regarding wanting to cancel for non-use. Member was given information on how to cancel and he refused, wanting to speak with a supervisor requesting billing immediately removed from account. Call shows transferred to supervisor where member was again told how to mail in a cancellation and member then alerted he had "mailed in a cancellation" 2 weeks prior and explained process to have billing removed from accounts. Note- all cancellations are mailed to us directly and are delivered to a mailbox in our strip shopping center like all retail tenants of the shopping center. The locked mailbox is accessible by one manager. All cancellations are scanned and processed and member gets a confirmation email completing the cancellation all within the cancellation period. If a member sends mail certified, the post office mail person will deliver the individual piece of certified mail directly to the counter of the facility for signature capture. Club manager just this morning opened the locked mailbox and the slip was inside (attached)- hence the postman did NOT attempt to deliver the mail piece to the club- he delivered it to a locked mailbox outside the facility during a holiday weekend. Additionally, manager drove to the post office an hour ago today (Monday 7/5), speaking with the supervisor, ***** ****** and showing him the attached slip. ****** alerted he would be contacting the carrier and alerted too he may be an "intermittent carrier" not following correct Post Office procedures. Note the letter (cancellation) was postmarked 6/30 (after the 6/8 initial call to ABC Financial.) Additionally, we do accept all cancellations via mail and I have too reached out to ABC to ensure they understand this as well. Certifying it is just an added layer for any member that is optional if they would like a signed receipt. Additionally, we have received no emailed communication from these members. I have one email (attached) that was sent from our internal billing dept to both members after noticing their accounts were overdue. We received NO response from this 6/29 email (the day before he mailed his cancellation.) Both memberships are month to month and cancellable with a 30 day notice. With the received 6/30 postmarked cancellation request, both memberships technically would have one additional payment due on 7/25. One of the accounts is showing overdue for June still. As a courtesy, I will remove the July 25th invoice but both accounts need to be paid for their 6/25 invoices.I too have attached the postmarked letter for 6/30 with the letter inside that was backdated to 6/9/2022. Too, I can request the voice transcripts of the 6/8 call into *** Financial (the summary of the 6/8 call above) but it will take a few days but happy to if needed. Once the June payments have been made on both accounts, they will be closed early as a courtesy. Please let me know if you have any further questions. I've attached several items as well for review of the above. Thank you. Consumer Response /* (3000, 12, 2022/07/14) */ This case has not been resolved. I would like my membership canceled first and I will pay any outstanding amount I owe. I will not provide payment information to this company if they still have an active membership for me. Business Response /* (4000, 15, 2022/07/19) */ Again, I have waived your 30 day notice as a courtesy, even though both accounts should be active for yet another invoice per your cancellation mail date. The outstanding invoice is for Nina and is 11.95 plus her late fee of 15.00 from her 6/25 invoice. You can call the club directly to make payment on her account 803.569.1515 or stop in to make the payment. Your account is closed as the last payment was made per my early termination allowed. Her account will close if the past due payment is made as described above before her next invoice date of 7/25.If left unpaid, correct, it will continue to accumulate add'l fees with each add'l month active. Consumer Response /* (2000, 17, 2022/07/18) */ Crunch fitness just called and informed me that I needed to make two payments to cancel both of my accounts. I was informed that to make a payment that they would need to add payment card information back to both of my accounts. Crunch fitness and I both agreed that this AMEX payment method was to only be used for this one time payment and my account would be closed after that payment is processed. I asked when the payment will post to my account and they informed me it would not post until 7/25 (the date of the normal reoccurring payment). Please keep this case open until 8/30, so I can ensure that my **** will only be charged on 7/25; and will NOT be charged on 8/25. I want to ensure the membership is actually canceled and that Crunch Fitness is no longer charging my account. Thank you BBB for helping us move towards the current state. Please keep this case open for another 35 days so I can verify that true state of this case!

• Initial Complaint

  05/10/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I tried to cancel my membership, and was informed that I had to move or have a medical reason in order to cancel, after I purchased the membership. They told me it was a month to month membership, not a one year contract. My reason for cancelling is because I'm not working right now because I'm in school. But that not enough for the, my bank account is in the negative so I have no money to give to crunch fitness.

  Business response

  06/03/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 8, 2022/05/16) */ Member originally joined 10/28/2020 for 2 years on a base membership. He was immediately given a copy that was emailed to him as soon as he joined. His account went bad debt the following month when the monthly dues did not clear his account. He was bad debt until he participated in an amnesty program in July 2021 where we removed his past due balance and helped him rejoin on the same plan again,(base plan for 24 months) and removed him from collections at no cost to help the member get back on track again. 10/13/21, (3 months after the 2nd agreement was initiated,) member wrote a letter to cancel, claiming he had no time to workout. He was alerted of his cancellation rights and that proof was to be submitted of move, medical or military so to be allowed to break his now 2nd contract. 4/1/2022 He emailed (3 of the same emails within 10 minutes) that he wanted to cancel. Again was given the cancellation information yet again (attached.) Member began several emails, each time given the same response in an effort to continue to explain to him that he joined, went bad debt, rejoined again and had to provide proof to cancel his agreement early. Member simply is not understanding that he joined for 24 months (although in person, 2x, receiving all paperwork and emailed copies by different managers on site.) He references wording at the gym about it being a monthly membership, which is correct, much like a cell phone, rent for apartment, etc. You pay it monthly. He has continued to send inappropriate, threatening language and profanity to business email and also have a 2 minute voicemail he left, with a tremendous amount of vulgar, disgusting, hate related language that I am happy to provide audio of as well. The member joined willfully, defaulted within 30 days, was given grace by staff who wiped his entire balance due and restarted his plan again, removing him from collections only to have him now attempt to defame a business that went above and beyond to attempt to help him. Please let me know if I can send anything add'l including the latest 2 minute voicemail he left on 5/9/2022. Consumer Response /* (3000, 11, 2022/05/17) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) Because I have no money to give them. It's the staff fault that they misinformed me about the monthly membership. When it's really a annual contract. Business Response /* (4000, 13, 2022/05/17) */ Hello- Member has not been given incorrect information. Member has joined now 2 times under the SAME contract terms, and has been provided contract copies of BOTH agreements. He has also acknowledged the contract in his emails, saying he would just "pay it when he gets his welders license." As unfortunate as it is that he does not have the monies available, the burden is on him to remain a good paying member under the membership he has purchased. His previous balance was removed by Crunch in an effort to help him already once. We continue to have a variety of members of ALL ages join, including college students who pay monthly. As discussed earlier, I am happy to move his billing date to a different date also if that helps align with paydates as well.

*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. ↩