Lucille Roberts, Austin Street in Forest Hills

Lucille Roberts, Austin Street in Forest Hills

August 14, 2005

I am questioning Lucille Roberts practices of forcing people to give their personal information just to find out the price of their membership.

I went into the club on Austin Street in Forest Hills to find out the membership price and the girls in the front refused to give it to me unless I fill out a card with my personal information and wait for someone to review it and talk to me. They kept telling me again and again that I have to fill out the card. They told me this is their policy and that the manager will tell me the same thing.

This is not the first time I heard people complain. When you go in to the club for simple price information, they never give to you straight. There are no printed brochures, nothing. This is how they are confusing people. They don't give out prices on request, have nothing printed (if they do, we wouldn't know anything about it. They don't give it to us). They want to discuss prices only after they review our personal information. Why? Why do they need to know everything about us before talking to us?

That leads me to believe that their prices might vary based on some personal information such as (age, address, and other factors). They can give us any price. How will we know, they don't give us this information. Maybe the more membership money they get, there more commission they get and whatever the customer doesn't know, doesn't hurt?

My friend was telling me the same thing. After she filled out the card that they forced on her, she was taken to a cubicle, where a fast-talking salesgirl bombarded her with payment fees, plans, etc, for at least an hour. By the time she was through with her, she was so confused that she took any plan offered to her. Then a couple of weeks later she finds out from a friend she met at the club that her friend paid less for the same membership..

Questions:

Is it legal to force people to give out their personal information just to find out your membership prices and for you to have this information even though a person didn't decide yet if she wants to join your club?

They told me every sports club is doing it, yet I went to three different clubs immediately after I left L. Roberts (one just across the street) and they had no problem telling me the yearly membership price. They even gave me a brochure with prices based on yearly or monthly memberships.

My final question; If this is a franchise, shouldn't prices be regulated and given out to customers on request?

The analogy, I guess, would be to go to the store and before the salesperson gives you the price of the merchandise he/she will ask you for the credit card info. Would you think this is legal? Would they agree to that?

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Comment On This

I am also a member at the same clun you are in Forest Hills Lucille Roberts. I was just talked into reneving my membership.They told me that if I pay up front, they will give me free water bottle, a shirt, and a discount. I said sure why not! It turns out that when I paid up front I was signed automatically into a contract for two years that I can't back away from! to my mind I was paying up front because of the free stuff! I can't believe they lied to me! I called the number in manhattan 212 734 9717. the person was very rude, I asked for the manager, her name is Carolyn 1108. She refused to even listen to my story, talked on top of my voice and hung up on me after finising talking. I cant believe this is happening. This feels like scam! it looks like I will be "devoted" to them for the next 2 years without my will!They never mentioned any contract. The advertise come and join, without obligation. How will I go back to this gym knowing what they did to me. I am utterly shaken by this experience and am writting all orning posting comments and trying to warn potential victims. I am getting a migraine. I cant believe the nice person at the front desk I say hi to when I come to the gym was a liar! Why was I foolish enough to trust anyone and did not read EVERYTHING before signing! Please be aware of this plase, join semewhere more professional and up front!