New York Sports Clubs has agreed to refund membership fees during coronavirus closures, officials announced Friday.
The gym’s parent company, Town Sports International, has agreed to refund members for charges they incurred since NYSC and Lucille Roberts clubs were ordered by the state to close March 16 in an effort to fight the spread of COVID-19, New York Attorney General Letitia James said.
Members expressed outrage that the clubs continued charging dues and fees despite the closures. They were also outraged over difficulty contacting the clubs to cancel and place accounts on hold.
In fact, at least two lawsuits were filed against the club for mishandling member accounts during the pandemic closures.
But after negotiations between TSI and James’ office the sports club company has put automatic freezes on all member accounts effective April 8, the AG’s office said.
TSI has also agreed to refund members for all costs since the clubs have been closed and it has agreed to honor cancellation requests by the end of the month, James’ office said. The company will also resolve all disputes with customers who reached out to the AG’s office.
“This is putting money back in the pockets of New Yorkers who were being illegally charged for unusable gym memberships,” James said in a prepared statement. “The commitments we secured from New York Sports Clubs and Lucille Roberts will ensure that members will not be left paying the bill and lifting the weight for NYSC’s financial straits as long as the gyms remain closed.
“We will continue to monitor the company to ensure they comply with every commitment made,” James added.
When NYSC announced on its Facebook page that it was closing, comments piled up from members who were looking for answers and refunds.
TSI did not immediately return a request for comment.
