LANSING, Mich. (Legal Newsline) — Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette announced July 19 that he has told Family Fitness, a gym in western Michigan, to cease and desist its allegedly unlawful practice of misleading gym members into believing they needed to make payments after already canceling their gym memberships and personal training contracts.
Schuette’s office has received a high number of consumer complaints against Family Fitness since 2011. In 2017, 48 consumer complaints have been filed against the company. According to Schuette’s office, the company believes it is entitled to full payment for any contract amount a consumer originally agreed to, even when the contracts ranges one to three years in duration. Family Fitness allegedly tells consumers they are obliged to pay hundreds or even thousands of dollars of unused contract months.
“When consumers enter into contracts the law requires that they be treated honestly and fairly,” Schuette said. “Using the threat of enormous penalties as a way of keeping customers locked into membership agreements misleads consumers about their legal rights.”
Family Fitness operates 14 centers in western Michigan, with locations in Allendale, Alpine, Grand Rapids, Grandville, Holland, Muskegon, North Muskegon, Norton Shores, Plainwell, Portage, Sparta, Standale, and Wyoming.