PLANET FITNESS JUSTGYM CENTURION MALL ARE DE*****ING AND DECEIVED ME

On the 22/11/2022 Me and my colleague went to Planet Fitness JustGym in Centurion Mall to enquire about their packages subsequent to the flyer we saw. On arrival I was attended by one of their consultants, Manny, who explained different packages they offer and my colleague was attended to by another consultant named Masego. I made Manny aware that I had a Planet Fitness membership (Just Gym Centurion) that I cancelled after finding out that I have been unfairly charged (as explained below). Manny then handed me over to Masego to further explain to me how their packages works, I also pointed out to Manny and Masego that, I am on Discovery Medical Aid with Vitality – as he (Masego) was assisting me, he asked if I had a banking app (Capitec)? – I said no although I had the app as I did not understand why was asked about my banking details as I’m only enquiring. The next thing whilst still there I received a communiqué on my phone to approve Just Gym Planet Fitness to debit an amount of R499 of which I opted cancel and I asked Masego what was that about as I haven’t signed up for anything – he said it’s just a mandate I shouldn’t worry about it. I said to him BOLDLY so that “I hope they not going to debit my account without my consent since I had a bad previous experience with their branch”. When I left the gym I thanked Masego for his time and told him he will hear from me should I want to join their gym. Surprisingly the next day 23/11 I received an email “welcome to JustGym Centurion Mall by General Manager Tsholofelo Makopo”. I quickly phoned the contact number *** on the mail, for the General Manager, as I did not sign / join / agree to anything with JustGym. The General Manager said she knows nothing as the mail is auto generated. I told her (General Manager) I will be coming in after work to get clarity on what was going on. I went in again spoke to Tsholofelo and also related to her about what transpired on the contract I signed up in 2018 and cancelled in 2020. Tsholofelo called Manny to assist me. Manny apologized and told me about their Black Friday special (I think that was just to brush me off – the previous day when I was there, they said nothing about the Black Friday special on the packages they explained). Manny outlined the following on The Black Friday Special: No paying of the joining fee of R499. I will only pay the R50 to activate the tag and I can start using their facilities once my tag activates. My first debit order will be on the 25/12 and I will only be debited R129 which is the monthly premium amount. Should I want to cancel – I have to give 2 months’ notice prior and no penalties will be charged, however they will continue to debit the R129 on the two months serving notice. I told Manny I agree to the Black Friday special and I will come on the 25/11 to pay the R50 activation for the tag of which I went back on the 25/11 to pay. When Masego gave me documents to sign on the 25/11, I said it several times in the presence of the General Manager and Manny that I hoped I wouldn’t get any surprises on the amount to be debited on the 25/12 as I hope I will be debited the agreed amount of R129 monthly premium only. (NB: My colleague was also not made aware of the Black Friday Special. I am the one who told him about it.) On the 22/12 arriving at the Gym in the morning, The General Manager Tsholofelo was at the reception area – I told her I received an sms reminder of the debit, that I hope I won’t be disappointed I will be debited as per agreed amount. Tsholofelo said she will ask Manny to check the system if all its in order. After the workout coming out of the ladies change rooms Manny approached me and went to check on the system with me and he told me I will be debited R499 on the 24/12, Masego must have forgot to register me with my Vitality. He said I should have checked with him earlier the previous weeks as there is nothing he can do, the debit order request already went through and Planet Fitness does not do refunds. Manny said after I get debited I have to reverse the debit order amount and in the interim he will need my Vitality number to resolve the matter on his side and he will phone me the following Tuesday 27/12 to tell me the outcome. I did not have my Vitality number off hand I told him I will get it from Discovery. I phoned Manny the same day 22/12 during the day to give him my Vitality number and till to this day I haven’t heard from him. I have encountered Tsholofelo the General Manager several times and each time she asks if I’m sorted(i.e. whether my complaint was resolved), and I tell her No. Every time she responds that she will remind Manny to call me. To this day I haven’t heard from Manny.

I related this fiasco to my colleague and he told me that he was also debited the incorrect amount of R499 not the Black Friday Special amount he signed up for – he was told to reverse the amount by Planet Fitness consultant at the branch Centurion Mall. NOT TO MENTION THAT During wellness day at my workplace in 2018 – I was approached by a Planet Fitness consultant promoting their new gym at Centurion Mall. I explained to the consultant that me and my daughter are Virgin Active premier members on Discovery Medical Aid Vitality for some time and I am happy with Virgin Active, is just that the one in Centurion is not viable for me as I commute with a taxi. Then the Planet Fitness consultant made me a proposition that he will give me a best deal in Planet Fitness than the one of Virgin Active and he won’t charge me any joining fees should I give him a cancellation letter from Virgin Active. I cancelled with Virgin Active, paid about R3000 penalties for me and my daughter and gave the Planet Fitness consultant the cancellation letter as requested. I signed the R99 monthly premium contract deal and as per the Planet Fitness consultant my daughter I was going to get the same deal as mine. I made an appointment with him for my daughter to come sign her contract and my daughter signed.

But for some reasons the Planet Fitness consultant phoned that there is an amount of about R300 that I need to pay, I am not sure what is was for. As before I signed the contract - he said to me the only amount that I will pay is the debit order amount of 99 X2 on the debit date the 25th . I paid the amount he asked for and again after some time he said I have to pay another amount for tags of which I paid as well. In 2021 around March I noticed a debit order amount of about three hundred and something on my text messages. My bank told me its Planet Fitness – and it has been debiting that amount for some time. When I approached Planet Fitness I was told my contract is R99 per month and the three hundred and something is my daughter’s monthly charge whereas I had been promised she would only be charged R99 as well. The Planet Fitness consultant told me that the other consultant who signed me up was fired because he ****med so many people unfortunately they don’t do refunds. I was phoned by a Planet Fitness call center manager after I phoned in for cancellation and named this issue as the reasons for cancellation. He said I should check with Discovery if my daughter is also on Vitality, REALLY!!! I told him as per Discovery my daughter is on Vitality. I asked the manager what’s going to happen about the premiums that I have been paying for my daughter all these months. He said he was sorry about the whole thing but they don’t do refunds and he said he will give me a better deal for my daughter. I can’t remember what was the deal he was offering as it did not sound anything better as I was still going to be charged two hundred and something going forward on my daughters membership. However Planet Fitness kept on debiting the three hundred and something as I told the consultant here at the branch Centurion Mall that two hundred and something is no better deal considering the fact that the consultant who signed my daughter **** and I kept on reversing my daughters debit orders in 2021 from March. And the Planet Fitness Call Center kept on phoning my daughter for payments – not sure why they were not phoning me directly. I then requested a cancellation – the call center agent told me that I need to pay R1300 for my daughter’s cancellation. I asked if I can pay the penalties in terms as I won’t be able to pay the entire amount at go – she said no. After some time I was then phoned by the debt collectors appointed SAYA Recoveries and they collected R2700. I then approached Planet Fitness again last year 22/11/2022 as related above, giving them a new opportunity to do the right thing however, their ************ and ********* way of doing business has not changed.

And today 06/01/2023 around 10:40 I phoned Planet Fitness head office call centre *** for cancellation and I spoke to Zintle who advised me that on the two months’ notice period for cancellation I will be debited R499 for each month. WOW!! And guess what I after speaking to the head office – there miss call and WhatsApp from Masego. This stinks in all angles.