How to Cancel Your Gym Membership
The pandemic has changed the way many of us exercise, from temporarily closed gyms to new attendance restrictions and disguise requirements. But even if your local gym is open at this point, you may no longer feel comfortable going indoors to work out with a bunch of other people, you keep grunting, gasping for breath and spraying drops all over the place ( can’t imagine why ) … Unfortunately, if you finally decide to cancel your gym membership – perhaps only until you get vaccinated – you may find it a daunting task .
If you want to end your gym membership once and for all, here’s how to do the impossible.
Examine your contract
Somewhere in the niche of your filing cabinets, boxes, or letterbox is your existing contract. Find it immediately and search in any language that pertains to its cancellation policy.
Unfortunately, many gyms continue to make things very difficult for you and introduce provisions such as a one-month notice requirement before cancellation. Others require extenuating circumstances, such as relocation, disability, or death, for cancellation (although there are exceptions, such as if you have been misled about the language of your contract or you are still a very new member). And as Vox points out, now that many fitness chains are facing bankruptcy and lawsuits, they are not looking to make your life easier , pandemic or not.
To terminate your contract, you may have to mail to the gym by certified mail. Certified mail is proof that they received the letter (other gyms may require cancellation in person or by phone, so please read your contract or gym website carefully). Here’s how a couple of major gym chains practice their cancellation processes (note: cancellation policies may differ if your gym is a franchise rather than a corporate one, and by membership level).
Equinox
According to the FAQ section on its website, Equinox allows members who have attended their gym for more than one year to cancel at any time if they provide sufficient notice (according to one copy of the contract , that’s 45 days in advance), and to do so either “at the club” or by certified mail, or by calling their concierge line (866-332-6549) or by emailing [email protected] . You will have to pay the remaining prorated balance to stop billing.
If you have been a member for less than a year, you must have extenuating circumstances – for example, moving 25 miles from any Equinox location (you will need to confirm the move with a utility bill or letter from your HR department confirming your move). You can also bring a doctor’s note stating that you have not been able to exercise for six months. If you just want to suspend your membership until you get vaccinated, you can request a freeze, but there are some caveats here. too much. According to the FAQ:
You can freeze your membership once per contractual year for a period of one (1) month to three (3) consecutive months in one month increments for a $ 30 / month fee, payable in advance. Members will be charged monthly regular monthly dues on a monthly basis during their first year of membership until they meet their annual commitments, after which they will be charged the full amount of the freeze.
Planet Fitness
Planet Fitness Cancellation Language for US Members :
You can fill out a cancellation form at the home club check-in counter or send a letter (preferably by registered mail) to your club asking for cancellation. Unfortunately, membership cannot be canceled by email or telephone. Please remember that your request to unsubscribe is governed by any obligations of your membership agreement.
This rather vague policy leaves you at the mercy of your specific local franchisee contract. And note that the rules differ depending on where you live: in Canada , for example , you only need to cancel and notify at least one week in advance of the billing period, and if you signed up for a minimum number of months. – for example, if you paid for a year in advance – and cancel before this period expires, you will be charged $ 58.
You may be waived the cancellation fee if you provide proof of moving 25 miles from any Planet Fitness location if you are disabled or in general die. “In the event of death, your property must provide written evidence,” the contract says, so let your family know about it now!
24/7 fitness
The network, which filed for bankruptcy last June, hasn’t been overly generous with its cancellation policy. The FAQ section of the website simply suggests that you “are not eligible to withdraw from membership” during any “terms of commitment” or prepayment periods as stipulated in your contract. And their dedicated COVID-19 FAQ section offers no further relief beyond a vague statement:
[Y] You can click here and follow the instructions to submit your cancellation request. You can also send your cancellation request to PO Box 787, Carlsbad, CA 92018, Attn: Cancel Dept.
If you have a basic monthly membership with no minimum term, you only need to provide 24 hours notice (laughs) (but the chances that you have such a membership right now seem … low). According to one former 24 Hour Fitness coach , if you intend to become an annual membership, you will still be lucky with the cancellation, but you may have to pay 50 percent of the remaining contract amount. You can get rid of this, again, by moving from place to place, getting a disability, death, or sending you to the army.
Write your letter
If you know the terms of your contract and it requires such notification, the next step is to send a certified letter in the form of a letter of intent. What does this entail? Redditor u / krurran recommended a simple template that includes the following (note that it targets Planet Fitness members, so change the details for your selected chain):
Name: Address: Phone: Email: Date of Birth: Membership ID: Last 4 digits of the credit card / checking account associated with your Planet Fitness account: Agreement Number: If you have one. Check the email they sent you upon registration
And, of course, please indicate your need to cancel your membership and any relevant reasons.
Talk to the manager
Sometimes you will have to speak to a manager in person to cancel your membership – yes, even now. In other cases, they will magically forget your letter and you will have to keep an eye on it, so you should do this the moment you receive a notification that your letter has been received. Track your contract and certified mail delivery confirmation and prepare for battle (quite a bit).
If you are a member of a larger gym network, talk to your upline manager and not the membership advisor: I canceled my Equinox membership once and confirmed with the advisor multiple times that I would not be charged (I got paid anyway). I contacted the manager and received a refund pretty quickly.
Challenge the charge
“If you’re going to shoot that B-, you better not miss.” – Bethenny Frankel, Housewife
If your gym is still haunting you, even after completing each step, dispute the charge with your bank. Request a refund, indicate the reasons why, and the form of the contract, stating that you have met all the conditions. Your bank must apply on your behalf. Also, ask your bank not to authorize any future transactions from the gym to avoid other payments.
Whatever you do, don’t cancel your credit card to fix the problem (they might send your “missing” payments to a debt collection agency). And try your best to keep copies of everything, including emails – you may need them one day to get yourself together once and for all.
This article was originally published in February 2019 by Josh Ocampo and updated on March 2, 2021 by Joel Cunningham to include updates and add content related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.