For some people, the New Year means a promise to stay fit by hitting the gym to lose those post-holiday pounds.
But for others, signing up for memberships and fitness classes you’re unsure of can be a tricky endeavour, especially if the atmosphere and difficulty level isn’t to your liking.
The good news is that Ontario consumers have certain rights when it comes to joining gyms.
In addition to checking on the facilities and making sure the trainers and instructors are fully qualified, potential new gym rats also have a 10-day cooling off period if you sign a contract.
The good thing is that under Ontario’s Consumer Protection Act, you don’t need a reason to cancel and only a notice in writing is needed.
You can also have the option to pay monthly membership fees but you may be charged 25 per cent more than the total cost of the annual fee.
All signed contract also must end after one year with a renewal notice given between 30 to 90 days before your contract expires.
The Ministry of Government and Consumer Services recorded over 710 gym and fitness club related complaints and inquiries in 2015.
Most of them dealt with common contract cancellations, billing disputes and the 10-day cooling-off period.
LET US KNOW: Have you run into any problems regarding gym membership? If so, let us know in our comment section below and you can be featured in a future story.
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