Body And Soul, West Hollywood, CA - price increase for spinning class - favorite instructor leaving

# 23 for August 15, 2003

Complaints.com received the following business reply on March 11, 2004:

From: //

RE: business reply

I just was informed that my business was listed in your complaint section. The business is Body & Soul Workout in West Hollywood. I feel that it is unfair to not give us an opportunity to respond to a complaint that can hurt our business. This is the first hit that comes up on a google search. The person who filed the complaint on your site gave misleading information. We did raise our prices as most business do and have the right to do. We are pay per class studio and post at the front desk and on our schedule that there are no refunds and that our schedule is subject to change without notice. With this particular situation, the instructor who left gave us no notice that he was leaving to another studio. He came into to work and announced that it was his last class. We had no knowledge of prior to his last day of teaching. Mr. Rocha also failed to tell you that when this instructor first came to our studio from another place we allowed his clients as well as Mr. Rocha to spin for free until their series at the old studio were up. We did not take any money for them but offered to honor their series even though we were not the studio that received the money. As there are always to sides to every story I feel it is necessary to allow both parties to respond instead of giving someone the opportunity to hurt my business when all the facts were not stated. I would appreciate a response to this e-mail.

Thank you, Tevia Celli

Complaints.com received the following consumer message on August 14, 2003:

From: Richard Rocha [Email User]

RE: Body And Soul, West Hollywood, CA - price increase for spinning class - favorite instructor leaving I have been paying to take spinning classes at Body And Soul in West Hollywood by this trainer, Doug, for the past 8 months. I have bought 20-session packages in the amount of $250.00. Last Saturday(August 9), I purchased another set of twenty sessions, adding $20 due to a price increase.

No one told me about the increase and on top of that, the owner, Tevia, was standing at the counter as I signed my credit receipt.

I didn't check it because there was no information, verbal or written that prices were increasing. To add insult to injury, Tevia and the staff failed to mention that the instructor, Doug, who's classes I had taken exclusively, was leaving for another spinning facility. Wednesday, August 13 was his last day, as he announced during class.

I feel it should have been made quite clear to myself and all other clients, new and old, of the changes. There was a change in scheduling, which they did announce, but no mention of Doug leaving.

I am going to try to get a refund, but feel they did me a disservice by non-disclosure of the facts. I would not have continued with them knowing the only instructor I was truly comfortable with was leaving. I thank you in advance for your time.