Incorrect billing & pathetic customer service, with no response!

On 20 September at the Menlyn NuMetro Cinema there was a Planet Fitness stand at the NuMetro Girls Night Out where we inquired about the specials packages being offered. Once they told us the package was R299 for only the first two months and thereafter R399 both myself and a friend of mine declined and said that we are not interested as we already play another sport and it would not be affordable for us to do both.

Upon walking away the Manager that was in charge at the display called us back and said he would give us the contract at R199 per month for 12 months with no joining fee, we only had to pay the tag fee. We asked numerous times if this is possible and if they are sure this is correct and they said they will note it on the system accordingly. Thus, we completed & signed a manual contract for R199 per month for 12 months and made the assisting staff member (Lucas) write the R199 on our manual contracts to ensure the authenticity of the contract, paid our tag fee and scheduled the debit order date for the 1st of every month.

On 25 September I received a call from Lucas stating that I need to contact head office and cancel the contract because they cannot give us the package they promised. Upon which I made it abundantly clear that the only reason we accepted the offer was because they called us back and made us the offer of R199, thus we will not cancel as we signed a contract under those terms and we want to gym hence we accepted their offer. Lucas then told me that he will speak to his Manager and sort it out and I never heard a word from Lucas again.

However, on 01 October a debit order went off of my account for the amount of R299 with the reference Pf-SC ********** 000. I went to the front desk lady at the Planet Fitness in Hennospark and they told me that there have been a few complaint about incorrect debit orders and took down my details and said she would take it up with Management and revert back to me. Two weeks later when I was checking out at the gym the same lady reassured me that they have not forgotten about me and will get back to me with feedback soon. I haven't heard anything since.

To my surprise, on 30 October, a debit order of R100 was deducted off of my account with the reference Pf-SC ********** 000, leading me to the assumption that the issue at hand had been sorted out, but apparently not.

After logging in to my online banking on 02 November, another debit order had been deducted from my account of R299 with reference Pf-SC ********** 000.

On 2 November I emailed Planet Fitness the above details and asked them to please explain to me who authorized a debit order of R100 to my account and on the incorrect date that was signed and authorized and how it was possible that a company as large as Planet Fitness can act in such a manor where they are deducting the incorrect amounts from my account and that I signed a contract for and signed a debit order for on my account. I requested for them to rectify my contract to the original contract we agreed and signed contract for irrespective of who ever it is at Planet Fitness that is responsible for the negligence.

I noted on email to them that I am willing to bring proof in the form of my copy of the manually signed contract and debit order deductions to the club for them to review and rectify the issue.

After 11 days, on 13 November they responded stating the following: "Kindly send us the signed contract as the club cannot find the copy of the contract in order for us to assist further."

Shocked I noted that I will scan and mail the contract to them, however it is my busy season at work and their patience will be appreciated. A few days later, 21 November 2018 to be exact, I received an email from them stating that they have finalised my query and should I have any questions I should contact customer services. Frantically, I responded stating that they cannot finalise the issue without an outcome and I haven't heard from them since.

Upon waking up on Monday morning, 03 December 2018, I received two sms for the amount of R399.00 that went off of my account via debit order for Planet Fitness. Once again not the amount that I signed a contract for and although a levy is charged in December on our membership (which we also were not informed about) the levy is supposed to be the agreed upon contractual amount of R199.00. Thus, my total spend this month was supposed to be R398.00 instead it is R798.00. This on top of the other 3 debit orders that went off incorrectly. Therefore, I have paid a total of R1 496.00 instead of R796.00 which is what I signed a contract for.

Now here are my biggest issues: 1. I find it highly unacceptable that they do not have a contract for my membership, however they are making debit orders off of my bank account (last time I checked that is considered as *****). 2. I find it highly unacceptable that they have deducted additional fees from my bank account which they do not have a contract for and therefore are also not legally entitled to collect monies for. 3. I would like them to explain to me how they justified deducting money off of my bank account without a contract (where did they get my banking details and my authorization for a debit order)? 4. If they do not have a contract for my membership, besides all they other ******* things above in my opinion, how have they been giving my access to their gym and have my details on their system?? 5. Irrespective of the "deal" we received, we signed a binding contract and Planet Fitness has been acting in breach of this contract, not to mention the fact that they lured us under false pretenses as we would not have accepted the contract in the first place if this "deal" was not offered to us.

In my email to Planet Fitness on Monday i made it abundantly clear that I am beyond livid with the service and the incompetence pertaining to the above matter and I insisted on a response with rectification by Wednesday, 05 December 2018, before 17:00 otherwise I will be taking this to Hello Peter, the Consumer Goods And Services Ombud and the SAPS for a ***** and theft charge, and here we are!

It is now 20:50 on Wednesday, 05 December 2018, and I still have not heard anything from Planet Fitness! Pathetic service does not even begin to explain what I have experienced! If there was an option for a 0 or a - rating it would be more accurate.