Gym Membership Cancellation

It's likely that the State will permit fitness clubs to open within the next month or so. I assume that there will be protocols in place (sanitizing equipment, reducing number of people, temperature checks, etc.) I will still be uncomfortable in that environment both because of my age and my health issues and those of my wife.. Gold's (and others as well) have a 60 day cancelation clause in their contract. I would like to either cancel my membership without penalty or put it on hold for an indefinite period until I feel more comfortable returning.

Has anyone heard that the State is providing for any relief for people such as myself?

DrBob DrBob
May '20

Good questions but I doubt the state will get involved. The whole gym model has been shaken up, especially until a vaccine is available (unknown). You might have to look at it like a 2 month donation to a sinking ship...


My husband and I are also members. Funny that they ran our credit card on March 16th then closed that day per state guidelines. I called ABC financial and was told that monthly charge will pay for the month when they open again. As if I want to go! I plan on cancelling too. May have to bite the fee. I bought a Peloton while in quarantine and have no plans on going back.

I want my mail
May '20

I've had my Peloton for over 4 years now and have done a lot of rides, but it is really getting a workout the past two months. Really glad I have it and between the bik and all the other workouts, I have had no desire to go back to a gym either.

thomasnj thomasnj
May '20

I have monthly membership to Randolph Y. They have NOT charged me since shut-down began. When they get order to reopen...not sure what their policy will be. Usual is one month before charge is due to cancel - has to be in writing, etc.

SS2cats SS2cats
May '20

Many gyms will allow you to put your membership on medical hold with a note from your doctor. Maybe you could try that route.

Lynnada Lynnada
May '20

Call your credit card company and remove the charge.

Scott Scott
May '20

Riverside Health and Fitness VOLUNTARILY suspended billing and has kept members informed as to improvements and state regs.
Class act.

Stymie Stymie
May '20

Get a note from your doctor, call your credit card and get those charges off (do you have anything in writing that you wanted it cancelled?), AND report them to the BBB and Consumer Affairs. This all should get your membership cancelled.

I heard Gold's Gym has a lot of complaints with the BBB, etc.

Hackresident Hackresident
May '20

Hackresident your giving terrible advice, they should contact Golds. Golds put the memberships on hold during this. If they want to cancel they will have to follow the guidelines on the contract they signed. Calling the credit card company will just end up with the billing company putting them in collections. Why the hell would you tell them to contact the BBB? (By the way the BBB is almost completely irrelevant now.) People using the threat of bashing on social media is a week move.

Momof6 Momof6
May '20

I had a lot of trouble when I tried to cancel my Gold’s membership. I don’t recommend this establishment.

happiest girl
May '20

Golds also has filed for bankruptcy which is going to cause lots of other issues.


Golds filed for bankruptcy a few weeks ago

LibertyThinker LibertyThinker
May '20

Asking Gold's Gym for your membership cancellation does NO good!! You have to go above their head.

not all Gold's are closing I read.

Hackresident Hackresident
May '20

This is the current situations with Gold's with the Better Business Bureau:

https://www.bbb.org/us/nj/hackettstown/profile/exercise-programs/golds-gym-0221-3001099/complaints#386815951

Years ago, within a year or two+ after they opened, and people were trying to cancel their memberships, there were a TON of complaints to the BBB with Gold's Gym not cancelling the people's memberships, despite 'telling' them and providing a letter, etc.! I read the BBB site several times for the Hackettstown location. I'm not trying to hurt the Gym, Momof6, I'm telling you the truth. Do you work there?

You can't just ask for your membership to be cancelled. Write a letter or two to them, email them, get a doctor's note, and call your credit card company. If the monthly credit card charge still gets put on (like the next 2-3 months!!), contact the BBB and Consumer's Affairs. This is what needed to be done to merely cancel a Membership after they opened.

There are a half dozen complaints recently.

Hackresident Hackresident
May '20

Did you try calling Gold’s before making this thread? What did they say?

Their website says they froze all memberships until the gyms reopen.

https://www.goldsgym.com/brand-faq/

So is your membership due Currently frozen? Why not just call and cancel now and give them the 60day notice? If they aren’t charging you while their gyms are closed you haven’t lost any money. So What’s the issue with giving them 60 day notice? Why does the government need to get involved?

Jim L Jim L
May '20

I am referring to their practices in the PAST (BEFORE the Corona Virus) and the utter inability to get them to stop taking payments out of the credit cards left with them for memberships. It Seemed like these were "Lifetime memberships" unless you had to pursue beyond telling them the membership needed to be cancelled.

i'm talking about the years late 2006 and 2007 and 2008. Telling them wasn't enough to get them to cease billing the credit card. letters weren't enough to get them to cease billing the credit card. a doctor's note wasn't enough to get them to cease billing. phone calls weren't enough to get them to cease billing. and calling the credit card company had to be involved, and after NO CHANGE, the BBB and Consumer Affairs needed to Help. They were going to report me to Collections, AND I THINK THEY DID!!! (if memory is still intact from 12-13 years ago). It was a twisted maze that shouldn't have been! Go look back, if you can, of their Complaints with the BBB from 2007 through latter years.

I hope they've improved their practices since 2006! Especially now with the deadly pandemic. I hope they cancel memberships when asked.

Jim L.: I wouldn't be writing this ALL here unless i'm told I did something I shouldn't have. It was needed, as were dozens of others having the same sort of problem way back. I don't know about these days, but read the BBB link above.

What is hard about simply cancelling a membership? It didn't go THAT way. It's the truth, Jim L.

Hackresident Hackresident
May '20

Again....call credt card company and remove the charge. Its not difficult. The suggestion that you will be sent to collections is wrong. Dispute the charge, tell them why and they will reverse it and fight it on your behalf. After 60 or 90 days the cc company will notify you of the result. You will most certainly win.

Scott Scott
May '20

Definitely call the credit card and dispute the charge. Worst comes to worst, cancel the credit charge they keep charging. Inconvenient yes, but may be worth it.

For reals For reals
May '20

And provide your credit card company with your Letter of Cancellation, email of Cancellation, dates/times of phone calls to them, and a Doctor Note if that fits in your cancellation reason.

Hackresident Hackresident
May '20

As a business owner, I’d just like to chime in for two seconds. Your first call should never be to the credit card company unless you truly do not recognize the company/charge on the statement. Baring that, your first call really should be to the company itself to try and resolve the situation. If it is not remedied by then, absolutely start a chargeback.

Jnnjr Jnnjr
May '20

Just to be clear, I have no issue with Golds ( I like the facility and the staff) since I know that they have frozen all membership payments as of March 16, nor do I wish to involve the State for a handout. I placed a hold on my membership a week before the shutdown as I was scheduled for knee surgery and knew that I would be out of commission for 3 months.Obviously, that was cancelled. (God knows when that will be rescheduled) I will still be uncomfortable returning to a gym (any gym) for some time after the State decides to "open." I also recognize that the management of Golds will do all in their power to make the establishment "safe." Since NJ has issues a raft of directives that deal with other financial penalties (utility shut-offs, rent etc.) I was curious to see if they would opine on cancellation fees for things like gym memberships. If they don't, I'll just eat the two months charge.

I assume that Golds being closed would mean that calling them won't work and ABC financial is not helpful so I thought that the thoughtful minds on this forum might have an answer. I'm also not going the credit card route since, so far, I'm not out any money.

DrBob DrBob
May '20

Canceling at Gold's is a terrible situation. They have a two month pay clause. Two months. You have to pa that fee or they will not cancel your contract and keep charging.
They do not deal with the finances in the gym but through a service which you contact.
It is a miserable experience. We moved - no gyms in the area and they were still horrible.
Never would recommend. Same happened to my friend- they kept charging until she paid two months fee to cancel contract.
Yes- it is in the contract you sign when you join. Yes, I did not read the small print.
Yes, I own the error.

Sister Jane
May '20

Many gyms try to pull that clause of two months. Should be like online services, truly month to month. But, I understand they have a brick and mortar location to support. Again, look at the two months as a donation under these times...


It’s a shame it shouldn’t be that difficult before or after the pandemic. In my opinion that was an old way of doing business and not at all a good way to either to invite new clients or keep old.
I too had a problem with them and went straight to the manager face to face !! I was very polite and explained the situation and got results. There is no discussion On the phone with the billing co. They don’t care it’s not there job.
New times, new practices!!!

Patti d Patti d
May '20

They have been trying to manage membership in different ways over time. Anyone remember Bally's, I got 3 year memberships when younger and it was a deal. They planned on many fizzling out in less than a year but not me. Anyway, month to month is all the rage with no strings attached. Gyms need to adopt this as the standard operating procedure.


Join Riverside Fitness and Gym just 1 block down Rt. 57. I believe that they are month-to-month.

Hackresident Hackresident
May '20

Riverside is technically month to month but STILL charge 90 days additional when you cancel, which to me is criminal especially with the pandemic. Not going to feel comfortable going to the gym for a LOOOONG time and I'm getting better results with what I'm doing at home.

Somechick1 Somechick1
May '20

Many gyms are going to go under, consider it a donation...


Donation? Lol ..I would rather donate to other places thank you iJay.

Sister Jane
May '20

Some chic-NOT TRUE.
30 day cancellations policy.
Not the owner, not an employee, just a member.
And congratulations for maintaining on your own.

Stymie Stymie
May '20

Stymie - yes you can cancel with 30 days notice but then they still charge you an additional 90 days.

Somechick1 Somechick1
May '20

Yes.....I'm a current member at Riverside....it's 90 days. I would love for it to be just a month.

Makeitstop Makeitstop
May '20

That's terrible that you get charged an extra 90 days at Riverside.

Question: Can you still workout in those last 90 days that they are charging you for?

Hackresident Hackresident
May '20

My family and I have been members at Golds for the better part of a decade. Most of them are definitely not going back when gyms reopen. I'm on the fence about cancelling because I love the staff and find the environment more motivating than working out at home. However, I don't think I will feel safe working out for a while. Is there an option to freeze my account for a few months?
I am aware of the 60 days of charges prior to cancelling and having to go through ABC Financial, which sounds like a complete nightmare. If I were in your shoes, I'd try cancelling now so that you are not charged when reopenings happen.
Keep us updated either way. I'm curious to see how gyms make out with this crisis.
Also, if I'm not mistaken, the bankruptcy filing does not affect our location since it is franchise-owned.

Stargirl Stargirl
May '20

I to had a bad experience at Golds here in Mansfield. Bottom line, it does you no good to contest it with your credit card company as all they have to do is show the contract that you signed and they win. I notified them to cancel my membership when the contract was up and paid the two months cancellation fee and moved on. It was not worth it to do other wise. If planet Fitness opens up next door,that will be the best place to head to, as they have far more reasonable terms.

hammer hammer
May '20

The Better Business Bureau and Consumer's Affairs helped me.

Why should they get an extra $80 to $90 when you cancel? Is it a "Lifetime" Membership??

Hackresident Hackresident
May '20

Here is the word from Gold's billing service which is consistent with what many have said. I sort of knew this would be the answer but I thought it was worth a try

"We have received your request to cancel your membership. At this time, your account has been set up on a pending cancel status. Before your account can be cancelled, you are responsible for a 60 day written request (this has been fulfilled via your email) and any payments that fall within that time period. Your final payment will draft from your account automatically on your next scheduled due date or when your club resumes its monthly billing process. I do apologize, we do not have the authority to deviate from the club's cancellation procedures. Thank you"

I guess that any waiver from the policy is up to the owner of the franchise and I am absolutely certain that he is not likely to waive the fee so I'm not even going to pursue it. It would be a waste of time.

DrBob DrBob
May '20

What does the current contract that you signed say exactly?

Hackresident Hackresident
May '20

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