Misled at Sign-Up, Ignored by Consultant & Refund Unfairly Withheld – Planet Fitness Brackenfell

I am writing this complaint with extreme frustration and anger regarding my experience at Planet Fitness Brackenfell. My recent experience has been nothing short of appalling, and I am extremely dissatisfied with how this entire situation has been handled.

I signed up for a Buddy Tag membership on 4 April 2025 at the Brackenfell branch. During the sign-up process, I clearly explained to the consultant, Chad, that my partner and I have conflicting schedules and would not be able to arrive at the gym at the same time. I specifically asked if we could purchase an extra tag, but was told that wasn’t possible. Chad assured me, however, that this would not be a problem. He explained that whichever one of us arrived first could simply leave the tag at reception for the other to pick up later.

This was the only reason we proceeded with the membership.

However, when my partner went to the gym alone, she was refused entry and told that the main member must be present. She asked for Chad but was met by another staff member who didn’t introduce himself and showed no interest in resolving the issue. Instead, he dismissed her by telling her to contact head office (which was closed at the time). Her time was wasted, and she was treated unprofessionally.

When I called to cancel the membership and request a refund, I was informed that there is a R8,000 outstanding balance on a previous account from 2012, which I was never made aware of before. I have received no communication over the past 12 years about this alleged debt—no calls, no emails, nothing. The first time I hear about it is after requesting a cancellation and refund. This is absolutely unacceptable and feels like a deliberate attempt to avoid issuing a refund.

What has made this situation even worse is that I was told to contact Chad directly regarding my cancellation. I followed these instructions and attempted to contact him multiple times via call and WhatsApp, but he has completely ignored all my attempts to reach him. No response, no follow-up, no acknowledgment of my complaint—just silence.

To make matters worse, I still have not received any official response or communication regarding this issue, despite the fact that I followed all the instructions provided by Planet Fitness.

To summarize: • I was misled during the sign-up process. • My partner was treated with disrespect and unprofessionalism at the gym. • An alleged 12-year-old debt that was never disclosed is being used to block my refund. • I have WhatsApp messages from Chad confirming the explanation he gave me, yet he is now ignoring all my attempts to contact him. • I have received no official response or follow-up regarding my request for a refund or cancellation.

I demand the following: 1. Immediate cancellation of my membership. 2. A full refund of the amount paid. 3. A clear written explanation of the alleged 2012 account and why it was never disclosed or pursued before now. 4. An explanation of why I was referred to a consultant who does not handle cancellations and has ignored all communication.

I am extremely angry and frustrated with the lack of transparency, the poor customer service, and the complete disregard for my time and concerns. I trusted Planet Fitness to provide a professional service, but this entire experience has been nothing short of a disaster. If this issue is not resolved immediately and fairly, I will escalate the matter further.