WASHINGTON, D.C. — A Florida sports club faces a lawsuit by the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia for alleged violations of consumer protection laws and also alleged violations of a 2016 legal settlement regarding the club's membership cancelation policies.
According to the lawsuit filed by the Office of the Attorney General, Town Sports International (TSI) LLC, which operates Washington Sports Clubs, did not inform gym members of cancellation policies and charged customers even after their gym memberships had been canceled. TSI told customers that memberships to the gym could be canceled at any time without any penalty; however the cancellation policy actually required a six-week written notice, the Attorney General's Office said.
In addition, the Attorney General's Office alleges TSI did not disclose all sign-up fees and failed to give copies of written membership contracts to its customers. TSI also violated a 2016 settlement agreement that stated the gym would no longer mislead customers about its cancellation policy and would make their policy clear to members, according to the Attorney General's Office.
“It’s clear that Washington Sports Club is still making money by deceiving consumers, and that is not acceptable,” District of Columbia Attorney General Karl Racine said in a statement. “We are filing this lawsuit to protect district consumers and to warn businesses that if they profit by misleading or hiding information, we will hold them accountable for breaking the law.”
The Attorney General's Office has received about 50 complaints regarding TSI's membership policies since the 2016 charges and settlement, Racine's office said.