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After a rise in consumer complaints against health clubs and fitness centers in 2017, Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette has issued a consumer alert to help residents make educated choices about fitness center and health club memberships.
In 2017, the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division received 595 complaints from Michigan consumers against health clubs and fitness centers. This is a 600% increase from the 84 complaints received in 2016.
More than half the complaints were made against Family Fitness, a West Michigan based chain.
The remaining complaints involved discrepancies between what consumers say they were told by sales personnel and what the signed contract actually guaranteed.
In particular, consumers reported the written cancellation procedure frequently differed from what they were told by the salesperson. Consumers also complained about high-pressure sales tactics and feeling rushed to sign contracts.
The Department of Attorney General took legal action against the Family Fitness chain in July 2017, filing a Cease and Desist, followed by a class action lawsuit in September. Those legal proceedings are ongoing.
