In January of 2004, I walked into the Club fit at the West location with a friend of mine to sign up for a membership since they had a sale on. 2 year membership for only $29.98 per month with some odd $100 bucks I think it was down to begin with. At the time, I was only 17, therefore I should have had parent consent to the program, however, I filled in my birth year a year behind so that I could skip over this process. I assumed that they would later on find out about my lying about my age since they had my social insurance number and other information that they could easily look up and see that I had lied. I handed over my void cheque to enable them to debit the money from my bank account, and signed the 24 month contract.
So silly me, I was lured into this deal and took it with the doubts in my mind that I would not want to finish the membership. The representative at the counter had advised me that if I ever changed my mind about the membership that I could end the membership or give it to someone else. He made quite clear to me that switching the membership would be no cost to me.
Well sure enough after only a couple months I was bored of the membership, and didn't have the time to go often, which had become not going at all. I returned to the club after a year of paying for the membership and not even going, and asked if i could discontinue my membership. The representative advised me that I could not cancel the membership without paying the outstanding fee on my account (1 year = $360). This was insane. He also mentioned that I could pass on the account to anyone who wishes to take on the rest of the membership fees. A few months had passed and my boyfriend had offered to take the membership from me.
Well, we went back to the club and asked to switch the membership over, and he had informed us that this would cost us $80.00 which of course was not mentioned before when I asked! Well now I am stuck with this membership, I have 9 more months to pay off with this cult of a business. I'm now wondering if I can use the fact that I was only 17 at the time of joining against them? They are not legally allowed to sign me on a contract without my parents consent. Hmmmm?
Lauren
edmonton, Alberta
Canada
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