I joined VI Fitness in Courtenay in November of 2011 and have had nothing but problems with them since. At least once a month I received a phone call stating they had not received my payment... which automatically came out of my bank account. After about 3 trips down there with bank statements showing they had indeed taken money out every two weeks, I quit answering their phone calls. Last month I received a collection notice from VI Fitness's accounting department for over $700, stating my account was in arrears and would be sent to a collection agency if I did not pay up. I gathered 8 months worth of bank statements, all of which showed clearly they had taken money out (including an extra $33, which was an accounting error on their part) and went back to the gym yet AGAIN. At this point I informed the manager I was sick of the screwups and wished to cancel my membership. The manager filled out a cancellation request and assured me for about the 10th time she would see the accounting problems were fixed and she would call me back to confirm.
No dice.
After a week without hearing back I went to the bank and discovered not only had my account not been credited the money they "accidently" took out, but another payment had been taken out on top of it. At this point I was livid and went back to VI Fitness AGAIN, only to discover there was a new manager who claimed not to know anything about the situation (which was a lie, since later in the conversation, she suddenly knew a bunch of the details. Huh.), except to inform me the ONLY way I could cancel my contract was if I moved. Oh and the money they took? The cheque is in the mail. I suggested rather loudly that as far as I was concerned they had breeched their end of the contract by screwing up my account for the last 9 months including taking out extra money they were not authorized to take (sorry, that's not an "accounting error"... that's stealing). Also, how is it that they can take money out, but they cannot either put it back in or credit my account?
Today I get a phone call from the VI Fitness manager in Nanaimo (apparently the one here in Courtenay is still traumatized by the verbal butt-chewing I gave her last week and does not want to speak to me lol) who informs me the problem has been fixed. And I do not have any option other than honour my contract. Oh, and my cheque (for the money taken from my account months ago) is in the mail. After 9 months of promising "the problem is fixed", excuse me if I don't believe one word that comes out of your mouth. And seriously, there is no one in your head office I can talk to? If the manager in Nanaimo is the final authority, then how can she not be authorized to cancel a membership?
Moral of the story:
Do NOT let VI Fitness have access to your bank account. Their accounting department is apparently staffed by people who do not know basic math and they see no problem taking money that doesn't belong to them and not give it back. But you can bet they'll have absolutely no problem taking money out that you owe them in a timely fashion. Interestingly, someone at my bank informed me that VI Fitness is notorious for accounting errors and continuing to take money out of your account long after your contract is up
Do NOT sign a contract with VI Fitness. Because unless you move or die, you will not get out of it. Even after they spend 9 months screwing up your bank account, sending you a collection notice for money they have already received, taking money out of your account they are not authorized to take and doing absolutely nothing about it except to give an insincere apology, pretending to have "never heard of such a thing happening before, ever! " and cheerfully informing you you have absolutely no recourse.
Hands down, the absolute worst customer service and shady business practices that seem borderline illegal... I'll be making a point of warning everyone I know NOT to do business with them
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