Fitness First
Reviews and Complaints

On July 10th I have introduced friend of my to Fitness first, since I had been royal member for nearly year. I have introduced my friend to Edison Ng, membership consultant who work for Pragon Fitness First 8 Floor.
He had told if I introduced friend then I will be able to get discount from my original membership fee of SGD 149.
I have not known this promotion but he was very insisted to ask my friend to join to fitness first. By the time Trans Chau who is my friend was comparing price range with California fitness.
After all she deiced to join, and I should have discount of SGD 20 for introducing two friends of mine.

The agent Edison promises to change my original price to SGD 129 (total)
After all up till now every month I have asked to get paid SGD 149. I have paid of Aug and he promised again to change my price due to his accounting side had a problem
and he asked me to fill in two forms for discount for SGD 20 which I have given them to him on beginning of Aug.

Up till now I have treated very badly to your receptionist on Nov 3rd when I asked to pay for sep and oct. The agent Edison Ng was not received call from the receptionist when she call to confirm. Since my payment has over due and even had terminated on Nov 5th. I have spoken to Edison Ng and he told me this had been mistake.

It had been very disappointed experience and feel offended by your staff members especially Edison Ng.
Its very clear to me that I should have SGD 129 and I am willing to pay for this amount however its because of sales staff had not been settled accounting side .
And why would I have to receive such a treat ?! its because of I have introduced my friend ? And eventually your sales person get commission so he doesn’t care what he promised ?
If this business practice is what you had trained this absolutely need to change.
I would like to ask to immediate effect for my monthly membership fee to SGD 129. Since it had been promised.

I joined Fitness First in March 2009, one of my main stipulations when joining was that there was no penalty to leave and not commited for a period of time in case my health condition. When this did actually happen in 28 oct 2009, I phoned Fitness First Menara Axis to ask to cancel my membership and direct debit. I was told that I was tied in for 12 months and this was disclosed on my contract. I protested on the grounds that I have never received my contract.

I decided to write to NCCC and outline the situation as a formal complaint. I contacted the outlet manager named Kenneth and he told me told I couldn’t cancel my membership without paying penalty of RM 465. I declared that I would be cancelling my membership due to my foot’s tendon just did surgery and my orthopaedic doctor adviced me and issued a letter stated that i need to rest at home for 2 months and not to do heavy exercise for next 6 months, meant 8 months can’t work out gym. But they said management still required me to pay the penalty according to the contract i signed.

I did sign a document in the gym to join the club membership, as I remember sales person din not menion to me that i need to commit to the membership of 12 months. Then now only they tell me that i couldn’t cancel it without paying penalty and has really annoyed me! The sales people – called Calvin ( Indian guy ) used his tactics to make me sign the contract, often lying...

The contract won’t lets me cancel within the first twelve months on medical grounds, and even then i have a doctors note to say im unable to train for a period of eight months . Other than cancel, the outlet manager adviced me can 'freeze' my membership...this entails still paying the 20% fees of RM 170 or transfering my membership to another person.

And another issue is i would like to claim back the bodyfirst training which is money back guarantee if dissatisfaction. When i signed up the club, the sales person convinced me to taking the bodyfirst training and i can claim back my training fees of RM 149 after the training. The only condition to claim back the money is i must complete the training of 3 course within 14 days. But i did fill up the money guarantee back form on May 2009, but no news about the money return back. I check with the receptionist for so many time but no response also. I also left message that ask them to call me back but nobody call me back after that. I felt disappointed for the illresponsible and bad customer service.

Any advice from here would be appreciated, I have not used the gym since oct and I would like to reclaim approx RM170 for oct I have paid since my leg injured when the accident happen on early of Oct.

I joined fitness first in march 2009, one of my main stipulations when joining was that there was no penalty to leave and not commited for a period of time in case my health condition. When this did actually happen in 28 oct 2009, I phoned fitness first menara axis to ask to cancel my membership and direct debit. I was told that I was tied in for 12 months and this was disclosed on my contract. I protested on the grounds that I have never received my contract.

I contacted the outlet manager named kenneth and he told me told I couldn’t cancel my membership without paying penalty of rm 465. I declared that I would be cancelling my membership due to my foot’s tendon just did surgery and my orthopaedic doctor adviced me and issued a letter stated that I need to rest at home for 2 months and not to do heavy exercise for next 6 months, meant 8 months can’t work out gym. But they said management still required me to pay the penalty according to the contract I signed.

I did sign a document in the gym to join the club membership, as I remember sales person din not mention to me that I need to commit to the membership of 12 months. Then now only they tell me that I couldn’t cancel it without paying penalty and has really annoyed me! The sales people – called calvin (indian guy) used his tactics to make me sign the contract, often lying...

The contract won’t lets me cancel within the first twelve months on medical grounds, and even then I have a doctors note to say im unable to train for a period of eight months. Other than cancel, the outlet manager adviced me can 'freeze' my membership... This entails still paying the 20% fees of rm 170 or transfering my membership to another person.

And another issue is I would like to claim back the bodyfirst training which is money back guarantee if dissatisfaction. When I signed up the club, the sales person convinced me to taking the bodyfirst training and I can claim back my training fees of rm 149 after the training. The only condition to claim back the money is I must complete the training of 3 course within 14 days. But I did fill up the money guarantee back form on may 2009, but no news about the money return back. I check with the receptionist for so many time but no response also. I also left message that ask them to call me back but nobody call me back after that. I felt disappointed for the illresponsible and bad customer service.

Any advice from here would be appreciated, I have not used the gym since oct and I would like to reclaim approx rm170 for oct I have paid since my leg injured when the accident happen on early of oct.

Thanks in advance for any replies, they are greatly appreciated.

Thanks & regards,
Michelle chew
[protected]@yahoo.com

My husband has had a bad experience of the above two club taking out the membership fee for almost a year after his contract had ended. The gym did not agree we had cancelled the contract although this assitional year was beyond the initial contract period. The direct debit was set up into our savings account which we generally do not monitor. We found out just last week and we have been requesting for refunds and cancellation. They just refuse to even listen. Does anyone know what we can do in this situation. Is there any way we can get the refund of our almost £1000 which drained our savings.

I have a serious issue with fitness first. I have signed no contracts as I only visited once using a free day pass after having received an email from you. Then after receiving a phone call from the particular branch in peterborough near west wood on lime kiln road, I gave my card details over the phone and was told to come in to sign the contract before any money came out of my account. I was told by greg at the branch that the first payment of 36 pounds would come out on the 1st september after the contract was signed. After this phone call I unfortunately had to move back to the cotswolds due to a family members ill health and upon receiving my bank statement it is apparent that fitness first took 36 pounds out of my account on the 17th august and then again on the 1st september, as I have said I have signed no contracts and feel absolutely disgusted that money has been taken out of my bank without authorisation. I have used the gym only once as I said, I was not given an induction and no one was there for me to spk to apart from a polish lady who knew nothing about anything in the branch other then to give me access I was left to work out the machines on my own. Having being told that no money would come out of my bank until the 1st september after the contracts were signed, I moved back to the cotswolds thinking that I would re join when I move back providing the professionalism was there in terms of me having a proper induction and some idea of what is available and classes etc. I feel I have been let down in a big way by fitness first and I am requesting the total you have taken out of my barclays bank account to be returned without delay. Totalling £72. I want someone to check on your systems that I have only used the gym once on a free day pass and that I have signed no contracts. I will take this as far as it takes to get my money back as I feel this is totally unacceptable.

My details are: nichola brown

Address when my details were taken over the phone: 180 watergall peterborough pe3 8nh

I joined fitness first about a month ago, attracted by their "7 days free trial". However, even before the trial started, they made (like I must signed a contract and provide bank details, and if I din't, I won't get to use the facilities) me into signing a contract with them and told me lot of craps.

Honestly, the staff at menara mbf totally failed to impress upon me their customer service (yet claimed to be the biggest gym). It was so bad but because I desperately needed exercise and yearned for a healthy lifestyle, I joined. From day one, the impression they given is me they care only for their commission.

Since I joined, I was only able to use my membership card for the first and third time. As for the second and fourth times, I was not able to use because of problems with my bank, etc.

And few days ago, I got a call from my "supervisor" a.K. A a sales person asking "if I had paid my bills and if not, her commission would be cut." hearing this, I was dumbfounded nevertheless asked her to just deduct from my bank account. She said there were problems with my bank again and said would check for me. I told her I was fed up with fitness first as there had been so many problems since day one.

I called back the second day and she said my bank was still checking my application, even if it has been a month and I asked my supervisor lots of questions, like the position I am in, would I be charge late payment interest, and how long this problems gona persists so I could get ready to pay by cash, etc which I think is very common for any customers.

Yet, she failed to answer my questions, instead she said thank you for joining (all the crap) and hang up my call. When I called back and asked for clarifications on my position, she not only failed to answer, she cried. Omg. She really cried. I got fed up and I hang up the call, as this is really ridiculous from the beginning. She kept asking me not to scold her and I kept telling her I was scolding but asking for clarification, (I lost count of how many times I said this). The funny thing is none of my friends / colleagues believe I am capable of making a person cry.

Now, I really regret joining fitness first. I really want to terminate the contract.

Any advice?

Fitness first has been taking out of my money for one month after I terminated my contract. When I rang up to ask, they said it is one month notice, I still have to pay for the member fees even i've ended the contract. This is called stealing.
Anyone who wants to join in the club will get rip off. My friends or many people I met had experienced different kinds of rip off from fitness first.

Stupid policy and non-flexible service for customer. Never want join again.

Don't let me cancel my membership!

My membership start at 12/1/07 and I was injure on 11/30/07 late night and when see doctor on 12/1/07.

I gave the doctor letter saying I twist my knee so I want to cancel. My membership just start one day and saying I cannot cancel by your staff.
Ok, I then want to freeze my account, then staff said can only freeze by next month.

I just join for a 4month plan and cannot do gym for 1mth. Not yet start already need pay hk$6xx + the admin fee which not cheap hk$450.

Playing for 3months cost me hk$1k... What a money sucking company! Very very disappointed joining fitness, never will join or recommend any one join your company again!