Need help with Golds Gym (Richmond)

[bballguy]

Originally Posted by ts14

well i avoided my credit being destroyed, the last thing i want is my credit taking a hit like that so i decided to pay it off and dispute for my losses in court.

Are you the OP's friend?? The guy who "owed" $1200??

[fsy82]

Originally Posted by PJ

This.

A collection agency doesn't have any more power than the Gym does. They just have a fancy name. Don't be intimidated.

This is pretty much how it works.

Gym: "Hi Collection Agency, this guy owes us money. I tried calling but he ignored me."
Collection Agency: "Ok, let me try calling. Maybe he'll change his mind."
THATS IT.

Ignore them all. Anything legal will involve a lawyer on their end. With a relatively small amount like $1200, I doubt they're going to go through the hassle of getting a lawyer involved.

Like people said, it's probably just a desperate salesperson..

Your info about collection agency's is really wrong. They can write a report on your credit profile for any amount over $50. I know this because my client owns a collection agency.

[mmmk]

dude, u just got ripped off $1200.

[hal0g0dv2]

wow you paid wtf

[bballguy]

We don't even know if ts14 is who OP is talking about...I would assume it isn't as he would've just made this thread himself...

[ts14]

I'm not who op was talking about wtf, my bill was around 500 and I know I got ripped but at least my credit diddnt look like it got mauled by a dog.

[bballguy]

Originally Posted by ts14

I'm not who op was talking about wtf, my bill was around 500 and I know I got ripped but at least my credit diddnt look like it got mauled by a dog.

So what's your story?

[AAnthony]

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[ts14]

Originally Posted by bballguy

So what's your story?

I previously had a contract with golds but when kwantlen came out with a student deal I decided to cancel my contract to get the new one. I told them to CANCEL the old contract cuz u can't have 2 contracts at the same time but after a week I got notice that I had a balance due from the old contract while I was paying for the new one WTF. The GM for golds threatened me asking again for banking info while telling me that it was illegal to have 2 contracts. Obviously I said no cuz the other one was supposed to be CANCELLED and that I'm not going to pay for another contract when it's illegal. The GM then asked me to leave or pay so I just left.

One year later I get collections on my ass

[bballguy]

Originally Posted by ts14

I previously had a contract with golds but when kwantlen came out with a student deal I decided to cancel my contract to get the new one. I told them to CANCEL the old contract cuz u can't have 2 contracts at the same time but after a week I got notice that I had a balance due from the old contract while I was paying for the new one WTF. The GM for golds threatened me asking again for banking info while telling me that it was illegal to have 2 contracts. Obviously I said no cuz the other one was supposed to be CANCELLED and that I'm not going to pay for another contract when it's illegal. The GM then asked me to leave or pay so I just left.

One year later I get collections on my ass

Oh yeah, I heard about that issue that Kwantlen students were having with Gold's. Kwantlen basically said 'fuck you' to Gold's, and decided not to renew their contract with them. Now they made a contract with Steve Nash, from what I've heard.

[ts14]

Originally Posted by bballguy

Oh yeah, I heard about that issue that Kwantlen students were having with Gold's. Kwantlen basically said 'fuck you' to Gold's, and decided not to renew their contract with them. Now they made a contract with Steve Nash, from what I've heard.

I'm never taking a contract again! It's gonna be community centers from now on

[AAnthony]

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[MeowMeow]

The black guy?
My friend made a scene at golds once with him haha

[bballguy]

Originally Posted by AAnthony

Oh what !!! That was an awesome deal too, it was like $15 per month. Meanwhile all my friends with contracts were paying anywhere from $35-$45. I"ll admit that Golds is way better gym than Steve Nash, but if I were to sign up for Golds I would pay cash. They seem way too sketchy for me to give my credit card info to. They've got an F rating with the Better Business Bureau, and there's tons of stories online of them pulling shit like this.

Still really disappointed that the Kwantlen deal isn't happening anymore I was basically paying $40 a month for Golds and Steve Nash Fitness World

I think it's going to be $10/month for Steve Nash...

[ts14]

Originally Posted by MeowMeow

The black guy?
My friend made a scene at golds once with him haha

He acted like a douche bag

[MindBomber]

Originally Posted by bballguy

I think it's going to be $10/month for Steve Nash...

Do you have a link to information about this?

It would be very unusual for Kwantlen to go ahead with such a deal, given that it's designed to benefit Langley, Cloverdale, Surrey and Richmond students.

Originally Posted by fsy82

Your info about collection agency's is really wrong. They can write a report on your credit profile for any amount over $50. I know this because my client owns a collection agency.

Not all collection agencies and not all debt is equal, I would never pay, just like I'll never pay Impark.

[DcmN]

My friends also had another question. The bill requires them to pay within 10 days of when the bill was created, but they only received it 2 days ago. 10 days would be up after today. Can the agency ask for the payment that soon? And can the collection agency consider this as "delinquent" and start decreasing their credit rating. As i said before they've already tried to speak with the agency and they said they need more time because they need to wait and see their contract at golds. But the person handling their debt is very inconsiderate with the situation.

[vafanculo]

Inconsiderate is a tactic. They want to rush you into the payment. But if I recall, a debt in collections doesn't get penalized with interest (I could be wrong). After 30 days they can post it on your credit, but that's it. They can't force you to pay, unless its a larger amount for court.

[Doubledown1]

Well i guess good luck w/ it. Living and learning is the way of life.

[CRS]

Originally Posted by vafanculo

Inconsiderate is a tactic. They want to rush you into the payment. But if I recall, a debt in collections doesn't get penalized with interest (I could be wrong). After 30 days they can post it on your credit, but that's it. They can't force you to pay, unless its a larger amount for court.

My understanding of the law is that they can't hit your credit rating when you are disputing the charges.

This is different than say, you bought a car but now are not paying for it or if you borrowed money from the bank and stop paying back.

When a charge like this (like a parking ticket) is in dispute, no action on your credit can be taken.

Regardless, like OP said, his friends were minors at the time and are subject to the Infant Act.

When infants' contract enforceable
19 (1) Subject to this Part, a contract made by a person who was an infant at the time the contract was made is unenforceable against him or her unless it is

(a) a contract specified under another enactment to be enforceable against an infant,
(b) affirmed by the infant on his or her reaching the age of majority,
(c) performed or partially performed by the infant within one year after his or her attaining the age of majority, or
(d) not repudiated by the infant within one year after his or her reaching the age of majority.
(2) A contract that is unenforceable against an infant under subsection (1) is enforceable by an infant against an adult party to the contract to the same extent as if the infant were an adult at the time the contract was made.

Infants Act

So unless the contact has one of those clauses, it should be highly suspect.

[Noizz]

Why is this still a discussion? Your friends might as well cave in and pay them if they are still questioning the situation. That or their story is not 100% true and you're missing some facts. If your friends are telling the truth, tell them to give their balls a tug and man up.

They are not liable and it will not affect their credit rating. It was Gold's mistake to draft and enter them into the contract. They sold the account to the collection agency and it's a matter between them now as Golds basically sold an noncollectable account to the collection agency.

Also, courts favour the party who did not draft up the contract, but their case wouldn't ever set floor in a courtroom if they would listen.

[Mr.HappySilp]

Originally Posted by DcmN

Two of my friends signed up for a two-year contract at Gold's Gym when they were both 17. They did not get their parents to sign it. They canceled over the phone a few months after in 2010 (Stupid for doing it over the phone, I know). Two years later, they both got letters from the collection agency for about $1,200.
They want to see their contracts at Gold's Gym (Richmond), but they are getting a copy from head office, and will take 7 days (until next friday) to get it. On the letter from the collections agency, they said they have only 10 days (2 days from now) to pay it, but Gold's gym said if you explain it to them, there should be no problem in getting them to extend that.
When they called the collections agency, they kept on being bounced around from person to person, and got varying reports from 7-30 days.
Does anyone have any prior experience or no what to do in this situation?

Thanks for the advice everyone!

TL;DR

-Friends signed up for Golds 2 years ago for 2 year contracts
-Was 17 when signed contract (not sure if this is legal age to sign a contract but they allowed it without guardian signature).
-Collections agency say have 10 days (2 days from now) to pay $1,200
-Want to see contract, but have to wait a week
-Collections agency have various responses (7-30 days of extension) to pay it off.

Will this affect their credit rating immediately or are they legally binded to a contract even though they were 17?

Now I would just tell your friends to tell the collections agency show him prof he owns the money in writing (as in the contract). 90% of the time they can't prove it. You can also request that they stop calling by sending them a letter(make sure it is register so you have prof they receive it). If they contiune to call you after that you can file a hrassement report.

Honestly I wouldn't pay them a dime. I think I own paypal over $1200(sold my WoW account over paypal, I got the money transfer it back to my bank and cancel that bank acct). Next time the buyer file a charge back. Paypal was on my ass lol and sent me to collections. I basically told them to fuck off if they can't prove I owe the money or the product was not delivery. Still nothing on my credit report about it.