ComplaintsforHCOA Fitness

• Initial Complaint

  03/01/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On October 2023 I had fullfed my personal training program, I was not using the services and i decide to cancel the month to moth charge. When i contacted the PT manager he persuades me to just freeze the program until i was ready to use it again, I only needed to pay a $20.00 fee.I agreed to the terms, follow his instructions and send the email to the gym. I was not charge for two months. On January of 2024 they charged me for the PT that 1. I am not using 2. I don't have a binding contract. 3. They placed on a freeze. I called and claimed my money and i was mistreated by the PT manager ***, she was aggressive, and told me no refund, to go to the gym and used it. I ask her to stop these payments and she didn't. She also told me that no one in this company was going to return my money and if i didnt pay they will ruin my credit and i will go to a collection agency. This is the second month with this charge on something that i don't even have a contract,This is unacceptable, stealing money from customers and mistreated them in the process.

  Business response

  03/01/2024

  Good afternoon *******, 

  Please see attached for two items:
  
  -Copy of your personal training service contract and cancellation procedures and buyer's rights highlighted.

  -Copy of Freeze that was processed on your accounts for  (2) months for November 2023 and December 2023.
  

   

  As reflected in the attachment provided in your complaint, you paid $20 for a 2-month freeze which was applied to the months of November 2023 and December 2023, that is why if you look at your statement s for you **** on file will see that you did not get charged your monthly dues of $196.24 for either month. 
  
  The freeze is a freeze to your payments for that duration of time, not a cancellation nor does it relieve you from your agreement terms as stated in your contract (copy attached). 
  
  You failure to use sessions does not relieve you of  the agreement terms as stated on page two of your agreement, we have kindly highlighted this section for you on the attachment to this communication. In order to cancel, as stated in your signed agreement (attached and highlighted) :

   

  "AUTOMATIC RENEWAL:
  At the end of the applicable
  Term, as defined below, this Agreement will continue
  on a month-to-month basis until the Client sends a 30-
  day written notice of cancellation, via certified mail, to
  the address provided on the Additional Terms and Provisions."
  
  
  You must provide your cancellation in writing as described in your agreement. 
  
  If wish to cancel your personal training agreement,  you may request it via this channel of communication and as a courtesy we will process it. Please note that you will be responsible for the next payment due within 30-days as stated on your personal training agreement.

   

  You may also send written request of cancellation to our **************** e-mail : ****************************

   

  You are not eligible for any refunds as you never sent a written request as stated in your agreement. 

   

  You may respond to this communication with a confirmation that you wish to cancel your personal training agreement or send your email to the email address provided above.

   

   

  
  
  
  

   

  Customer response

  03/01/2024

   
  Complaint: 21370149
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *********************************

  I was never informed by any of your employees that this has a freeze time of only two months. Where is the written notice that this has only two months to be applied? Their is no where in the contract stating that the freeze is only for two months. I need the money I didn't authorize for you to pull out of my account. 

  Business response

  03/04/2024

  ******* , 

  As reflected in the email, you provided as an attachment to this complaint you authorized the freeze for $20 which is 2 months, $10 per month. In addition to that, Freezes are not a contractual option / member right. We extend this as a courtesy to our members.

  Please refer to the attachments provided in the previous complaint respond, where a copy your agreement was provided.

  If wish to cancel your personal training agreement,  you may request it via this channel of communication and as a courtesy we will process it. Please note that you will be responsible for the next payment due within 30-days as stated on your personal training agreement.

  
  You may also send written request of cancellation to our **************** e-mail : ****************************
  
  You are not eligible for any refunds as you never sent a written request as stated in your agreement. 
  
  You may respond to this communication with a confirmation that you wish to cancel your personal training agreement or send your email to the email address provided above.

• Initial Complaint

  12/22/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  In May 2023 I co-signed a 12-month gym membership with HCOA Fitness for my brother who is a minor. I was rushed by the sales rep to just sign as she vaguely explained that the contract would be just $33.44 a month for a year a total of $401.28 including tax. I was told to sign and put my initials digitally on an ATM machine but was hurried along and never allowed to see or read the contract whose letters were barely visible on the screen. I was told that I could be a co-debtor for my brother who is a minor but had no idea that the wording in the contract said that only a legal parent or guardian could sign for a minor. I am not my brother's legal guardian. Eventually, my brother and I moved and would no longer use the membership. I was then told by HCOA that the contract and monthly payments were still due and I would need to pay an early termination fee. The default payments were sent to a collection agency. I settled the debt with the agency for the remaining year of the contract by paying $595.72. and was told that this included the early termination fee and didn't owe anything else as of June 24, 2023. The contract says the total cost of the membership is $401.28 and I have paid more than $595.72. I have a letter from the agency that says that the $595.72 I paid in June 2023 brings the account current until the contract expires. The contract was for 1 year beginning May 11 2022 and was paid off and now expired. However, HCOA continues to send me e-mails saying that I still owe them $188.76 when the early termination fee and contract were paid in full through the collection agency. I have called them to tell them that I dispute the validity of this debt but they continue to make harassing calls and send e-mails threatening to send my account to a collections agency. I want no further business with this company and have continued to express this to them and dispute their claim that I am still under contract with them since I have not renewed my contract with them.

  Business response

  01/02/2024

  Client needs to contact  ************************* ******************* as account is no longer with company as of 12/26/23. 
  
  Contact information:

  GNR phone: ************
  GNR E-Mail  : ************************************** 

  We reviewed the information provided by Complainant and can confirm that client failed to process their written request for cancellation as stated in their agreement and copy of letter from GNR 06/24/23 - Which complainant provided in this Complaint as supporting documents. 

   

  Please contact Genesys at the information provided above. 

  Customer response

  01/08/2024

   
  Complaint: 21047247
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  This company did not allow me to see or read the contract when joining. They made me sign on a digital pad where I could not read it and the sales rep ******* me into cosigning for my brother who is a minor without telling me that I needed to be his legal guardian in order to do so. 

  When settling with the collection agency the first time, I made it clear to them that I had no intention of continuing the membership and wanted it cancelled. They told me I could pay for early termination, which I did and was told that this was all I needed to do to cancel the membership. There was no reason for the company to reactivate the contract. The terms were confusing and misleading.

  The letter stating that written notification was required was initially sent to the wrong email address by the collections company. 

  After HCOA fitness sent me an email saying that they were going to refer this to the collections agency again on December 31th not the 26th. This was confusing since I had paid the debt and early termination to cancel the membership. I sent them written notice that I dispute this debt on December 22 2023.

  I canceled my brother's membership in the exact same way that I canceled my own membership and I am not being charged any longer for my membership which was fully cancelled by phone and do not understand why my brother's membership was never canceled.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

• Initial Complaint

  08/20/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  HCOA changed my contract without my consent. I signed at the end of July 2023 to join in August 3, 2023. I was charged for the month of July when I specified I would join in August. I have the o contract I signed and the one they created with a false signature.

  Business response

  08/21/2023

  ******, could you please resend or rescan the copy of your manual agreement. In your original BBB Complaint, the image of your contract is not clear while the handwritten letter is. 
  
  Please resubmit this document so we can further review your claim versus the information we have in the system to further assist. 
  
  
  Member #SYLVIA  PEREZ (Primary) - 0541212838

  Customer response

  08/22/2023

  resent copy of contract 

  Customer response

  08/23/2023

  HCOA charged me for the month of July 2023 the bank pais them on August 2, 2023

  Business response

  08/24/2023

   We have reviewed the information and have gone ahead and processed a cancellation of the agreement. 

  Customer response

  08/25/2023

  Are they going to charged additional fees for cancelling. Even if they changed my contract with a false signature. I do not trust them. They did not say they would not use my credit card again.

  Business response

  08/25/2023

  To the member:  Account has been cancelled immediately with no further dues or cancellation fees.

  Customer response

  08/26/2023

  I accept their cancellation with no cancellation fees. Thank you kindly for your help. 

  Customer response

  08/31/2023

  i can not understand your letter. I responded to all of your messages. The case was resolved HCOA cancelled my contract with no fees. 

• Initial Complaint

  08/02/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  On 6/25/2023 I signed up for a month-to-month membership. During the process I made it very clear that I would leave the island and go to ****** on august 30 to study. So I wanted to make sure that I would only have to pay for those two months. I was then repeatedly told during the signup process that as long as I did my cancellation before the 25th it would be totally fine. On July 26th I asked for to cancel the membership and was then asked if either the 1st, 2nd or 3rd of August worked for an appointment. Then today when I go to cancelled I was informed for the first time EVER that I would have needed to cancel 30 days before August 25 so as to not be charged for September. I cannot believe this, I am appalled at this predatory practices. I am sure that they didnt let me cancel on the 26th to gurantee another payment. Moreover, even after I heavily explained my situation as a heavily in-debt student and how I really wanted to avoid paying anything else, they never thought it fit to explain that if I didnt cancel 30 days before I would get charged again. In the end, I cancelled my membership, but now Ill be paying until September even though I wont even be in ***********. These interactions happens in their ****** location

  Business response

  08/04/2023

  In order to further assist or review  account, we need member's agreement number. 

  Customer response

  08/07/2023

   
  Better Business Bureau:

  It is forcing me to make the subject of the email "I accept the business response to resolve this complaint". However, I am only responding with the information they wanted:
  

  Club #****-11105

  Barcode #HCOA236654 

  Agreement number #****11105

  Sincerely,
  *************************

• Initial Complaint

  07/19/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On September 10, 2021, accompanied by my granddaughter, minor of age 15 yrs. old; with no legal guardian duty from my part, we went to enroll a gym membership for 2 years at the **** gym facility at **************** assistant completed 2 year- contract and signed granddaughter as a member and me as a buyer. I wrote letter and personally, witness granddaughter, advised this had to be changed afterwards because it was an error from **** staff. I am the one who will pay with my credit card[autopay] or debit card on a monthly basis. The **** staff never changed contract as per my various requests since 2021. I recently submitted a doctor certificate certifying that temporarily I am incapacitated to assist gym. I am requesting that month of August 2023, $39.01 be credited and gym membership cancellation be eff 09-10-2023. Sent various emails to Manager **** at *********** gym and contacted *****************, ****, *****, **. offices -July 2023. Unsubscribe from **** advertising brochures .

  Business response

  07/21/2023

  On July 14th,2023 Buyer of Account was provided with copy of her signed agreement  and was provided a cancellation procedures and company policies via email and also telephone calls.

  The requested resolution from complaint will not be processed as its outside of the contractual terms, which Buyer who is of legal age agreed to terms and conditions set forth by signing and initialing the agreement. 

  The account has a pending cancel status as previously informed, last payment as per agreement terms 08/10/23 and will have 30-days of usage until 09/09/23. 

   

  Customer response

  07/24/2023

   
  Complaint: 20344536
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  your ************ gym managers that since granddaughter ****** is still a minor, and I am responsible of the monthly payments, requested me to submit them at the gym a written request, and I could still attend gym as a member and her as a buyer.  Which I did, same day Mgr. personally instructed to do so.And he accepted the memo. From that time I will use their electronic gym card ( to be used solely by members)and not sign at all in their signature pad provided to buyer to sign. **** Managers at ****** gym were constantly reminded to submit written approval of requested authorization, to no avail. Memo was not photocopied since Managers said no problem with my request at the lobby area. My granddaughter was witness of said conversation with them. Also, they were informed of my hospitalization and submission afterwards of incapacitated form requested by them to provide proper credit to gym membership for August 2023. Approval to bring at gym a guest with kid was also done as a buyer.

  It is not my fault *********** gym Management did not provide adequate training to recruiters when completing contract membership. Cordially, 

  
  
  *******************

  Business response

  07/25/2023

  Buyer of account is responsible for last payment within 30-days per agreement terms :
  
  "At the end of the applicable term, based on membership category marked below, your membership agreement will continue on a month-to-month basis until you or HCOA provides a thirty (30) day advance written notice of cancellation. Your notice of cancellation must be sent to *************** via mail or email to the following addresses: PO BOX ******, *****, ** ***** or ***************************** All payments must be current to terminate the membership agreement. You owe all monthly payments until proper cancellation procedures have been followed"

   

  "NOTICE TO BUYER: BY SIGNING BELOW, BUYER ACKNOWLEDGES READING, RECEIVING A FILLED IN COPY (PAGES 1 & 2) OF THIS AGREEMENT WITH NO BLANK SPACES AND AGREEING TO ALL TERMS AND CONDITIONS CONTAINED HEREIN."
  
  
  

  Customer response

  07/28/2023

  HCOA fitness gym has the public reputation in PR of not crediting time because of its installations  has remained  closed to their members or buyers due  to lack of energy or water, Codvi 19 during years 2021 to 2023 . Therefore, not proper crediting time to its gym users when requested. Bad faith in complying, due to enrichment without not considering other possible alternatives. I complied requesting my contract be changed from buyer to member, especially a minor was involved, but managememt PR and ******* refused to comply with my various personal and via phone requests;written statement from years 2021 until 2023. Disability certificate submitted as per HCOA orientation. 

  Customer response

  07/28/2023

   
  Complaint: 20344536
  
  HCOA fitness gym has the public reputation in PR of not crediting time because of its installations  has remained  closed to their members or buyers due  to lack of energy or water, Codvi 19 during years 2021 to 2023 . Therefore, not proper crediting time to its gym users when requested. Bad faith in complying, due to enrichment without not considering other possible alternatives. I complied requesting my contract be changed from buyer to member, especially a minor was involved, but managememt PR and ******* refused to comply with my various personal and via phone requests;written statement from years 2021 until 2023. Disability certificate submitted as per HCOA orientation.
  
  

  
  Sincerely,
  
  *******************

  Customer response

  08/10/2023

  A customer's complaint form has been sent to the DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. This agency has already received the complaint and has assigned a case number. Said process will take around 30 days for any action to be discussed concerning similar complaint  filed with BBB.

  As per BBB staff, I have an email in which he/she has access to, and recently I did not receive any additional statements or calls. Nevertheless, I appreciate orientation given during the BBB complaint process.

  I sent a message to HCOA manager informing gym monthly payment will be effective August 2023, and in September 2023 the membership is finally cancelled.Hopes no further problem with any collection agency within the future, stating still payment has not been received

   I still do not accept their response from HCOA in my BBB case . They failed to comply with my various requests concerning contract in which a minor was designated a member and me  as a buyer. A very irresponsable and unprofessional company. especially with members are  temporarily incapacitated to attend  their gym facilities.

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

• Initial Complaint

  06/19/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I joined the ************* gym on May 28th, 2023. I told them I would be in *********** for only one month and wanted to know the cost of a single month's membership. They told me the total would be $121.52 which included an initiation fee and a one month membership fee.I paid this and signed up. They actually double charged me and refused to refund that even after showing them my posted credit card statement with two charges of $121.52. I have already taken this up with ********** and do not require intervention from the BBB, but I wanted to note this as the first scammy experience I had with them.On signup day, I asked how to cancel so I don't get billed for a second month. They said just come in any time before I leave, and they can cancel my account.On June 16th I did exactly that. However they decided to reveal to me at that point that they require a 30 day advanced notice of account cancellation, so I would need to pay for the month of July as well. This was never communicated to me when I signed up - in fact the opposite was communicated.They showed me the membership agreement I signed where it does note this. So unfortunately, legally I am on the hook for this payment. But the way it was presented to me was predatory. I had to sign several long documents that weren't explained to me, and this clause was the answer to a question I directly asked them.I've now had 7 conversations with staff, managers, and customer phone support and nothing has been resolved. Including the duplicate charge, I will be billed over $300 for something I was told would be $121.52. The company is not taking responsibility for their failures and are just forcing me to overpay. It's at best a very bad business practice, and at worst, a deliberate scam. I would appreciate anything the BBB can do to alert others of this company's arm-twisting and remove my July charge, which I never knowingly signed up for.

  Business response

  06/22/2023

  Good afternoon, 

  We appreciate you reaching out and providing your bank statement. 

  We have issued a refund in the amount of $121.52 to your MC ****. Please see copy below this message and have processed an immediate cancellation and waived the next payment due on 06/28/23.

   

  Please let me know if you need anything else and we apologize  for the inconvenience. 

   

  ___________________RETURN____________________
  
  
  
  __________________DUPLICATE__________________
  
  
                 HCOA Corporate                
                  PO Box 527266                
              *****, ******* 33152             
                 (******************                
  
  
  06/22/2023 04:56 PM    #************
  
  Employee:          Adianes ******
  
  _________________Member Info_________________
  
  Name                DYLAN  ******
  Agreement#             0542211660
  Barcode#          MDBKYWJAKQAF14R
  Prepay Balance              $0.00
  
  _____________________________________________
  BBB 20207078         -1 @ $121.52    -$121.52
  Upc # Misc Items                             
  
  
  ___________________Totals____________________
  
  Extended Price                       -$121.52
  Sub Total                            -$121.52
  Tax                                     $0.00
  Total                                -$121.52
  
     Returned to Master Card              -$121.52
     Account       XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-****
  
  
                 1 item returned               
  
  
  
  
  Merchant Copy

   

  Customer response

  06/23/2023

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

• Initial Complaint

  12/14/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  In June of 2021, I expanded my membership with HCOA to include an additional gym location, without anyone telling me that I was also starting a 12 month contract with them. The term of the contract should have been with no term commitment, or at least that is what the sales rep had said. 6 months later, I try to cancel the contract, and HCOA tells me that I need to pay a $200 cancellation fee to get out of it because it still has 6 months left on the term. These are fraudulent and abusive sales practices where no one told me I was signing up for a 12 month term and now I am stuck with a $65 recurring monthly payment.

  Business response

  12/16/2022

  We cannot address the complaint as no agreement number have been provided. Please provide account number. 

  Customer response

  12/19/2022

   
  Complaint: 18571532
  
  I am rejecting this response because: not satisfactory, here are the details requested:

   

  Club # ***** Member # _____5_4__1_3_-_1_1__7_3_8__________ Barcode # ____H__C_O__A__2_8_2__8_7_4_________
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

  Business response

  01/04/2023

  We have attached to this e-mail a copy of the member agreement signed by client. If client, wishes to cancel they are under their legal right to cancel under the available clauses mentioned on the agreement. Please see page 2 and Page 3 for member's rights. If client wishes to proceed with a cancellation, they must request their cancellation as indicated on agreement. At the moment, ****** is still in-term (contract) where the only available option to cancel is under the Early Termination Clause (clause 10.F) which requires a fee of $199 since they're cancelling before the completion of term.

  This information was provided by our office on 12/13/22 to the client via telephone call conversation. Client was offered our email where client expressed that it was unjust, was going to call the authorities, report the company to **** (************* ******************** and would put a stop payment on his card to block all EFT transactions. Client was provided information on his contract term and options to cancel. Client refuted information and hung up on agent. 

   

  If client continues to proceed with a cancellation at this time under the Early Termination clause with the fee of $199, notice of cancellation must be sent
  to *************** via mail or email to the following addresses:

  PO ********************************** or ****************************
  All payments must be current to terminate the membership agreement.You owe all monthly payments until proper cancellation procedures have
  been followed. 

  Client must include authorization of draft for cancellation fee.

  No changes have been or will be processed at this time until client completes procedures as stated on signed contract.  

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩