If You’ve Resolved to Get Fit in the New Year, Do Your Homework

January 2, 2019

With the New Year comes many consumers’ resolutions to get fit by going to the gym or fitness center. To help avoid problems, be sure to follow these tips:
 

• Research the gym. Look for complaints on file with the Ohio Attorney General’s Office or Better Business Bureau, and check online reviews for feedback from current or past customers. 
• Read contracts carefully. Make sure verbal agreements are put in writing. Otherwise, they are not guaranteed. 
• Watch out for extra fees. Determine the total cost of your membership. Find out if there are any extra fees for services like fitness classes or personal training. Also find out if payments will be withdrawn automatically from your account. 
• Check the cancellation policy. Understand what you would need to do to cancel your contract and how far in advance cancellations must be made. Many contracts renew automatically, so be sure to check the total length of the contract. It should not exceed three years, according to Ohio law. 

Also, under Ohio’s “Prepaid Entertainment Contracts Act,” consumers generally have three business days to cancel a contract for gym memberships and other “health spa services,” martial arts training, dance studio lessons, or social referral services (such as a dating service).