Due to a recent dispute I have had with Nautilus Gym on Mont Royal, Montreal, I wanted to start a blog to track progress on it, and help any other people who might find themselves in the same situation.
I joined Nautilus Gym at 55 Av. Mont Royal in February, paying for 6 months up front (around 350 dollars). I agreed when joining to take one private lesson with a personal trainer to learn how to use the machines.
I found the private lesson pretty useful and agreed to another one 6 weeks after the first one. Each lesson cost $45 which I paid up front. The lessons were fine, the trainer was fine, I was pleased by the end of my second session.
However, at the end of the second session I felt I had had enough and didn't wish to take another private personal training session. The trainer was trying to convince me to take another lesson, which is understandable, but I felt he was a tad too pushy and made me feel uncomfortable. I agreed to one more lesson so I could leave, with the intention of cancelling soon after.
Nine days later when I went to the gym and handed in my card, the machine beeped and the girl working behind the counter informed me that I owed $45 for a lesson that was more than 4 weeks away. To cut a long story short, I told her I wanted to cancel and she informed me I could not, and referred me to the manager who was too busy to see me at the time.
The following morning I called and spoke to the manager on the phone who mentioned that :
- The rules of the gym stated that once you agreed to a lesson you can NEVER cancel
- The terms of my contract with the gym defined that I was bound to the lesson, and while I could re-schedule, I could not cancel.
Naturally I felt this was draconian and unfair, I had agreed verbally - this is true, but this appointment was well in the future and I was beginning to feel hoodwinked, like these people are put under pressure to make members take personal lessons, and then there is no way out!
I decided to research my rights online and found some very interesting facts. If the contract is for a service over $50 dollars in value, and you cancel within 10 days then you no longer need to take the appointment (http://www.opc.gouv.qc.ca/Webforms/SujetsConsommation/ServicesAbonnements/CoursCroissancePersonnelle/AnnulationContrat_En.aspx). Why they waited for 9 days to notify me that I owed money, and the fact that the lessons cost $45 dollars started to bear some significance.
So now I am in a situation where I have decided not to pay for this lesson and I will keep an updated blog on how the Gym treats me and how this ends up.
BUYER BEWARE - Nautilus Gym, Mont Royal.
