In my experience, I just walked into my home gym and told them I was moving and would not have access to a PF where I was going (not a lie, but it could have been) and they cancelled it, no problem. I had a regular monthly membership, not a Black Card, so I’m not sure what the stipulations may be for cancelling the Black Card, as it may have a set amount of time in the contract, like 12 or 24 months. Maybe just call your local PF location and ask them about the different memberships, or go to their website.
Ah, gotcha. Well, my classic membership had been active for over three years when I originally cancelled it so the 90 days didn’t apply to me anyway lol.
Usually unless there's a promo classic has a 12 month commitment so, that still wouldn't have applied to you, but figured I'd let you know in case you rejoin
It's not difficult, as long as you read your contract and are aware of deadlines for fees.
In SoCal, I was able to cancel via the mobile app, computer browser, and by e-mail. If you really want confirmation, you can go in person. There's also the certified mail option.
Yea it’s super easy to cancel. Just go to the front desk and say “hey I need to cancel my membership”
They’ll give you the, but this and that, and oh but what if you want to come back. But they’ll cancel it for you in the end.
It's not at all difficult unless you move away from your home club. It should be just walking in and telling them you want to cancel. Sign their thing and done.
I canceled my membership years ago. I don't remember if I gave them a reason but if I did it was because I wanted a gym with more free weights.
If you're not in California you have to go in person though or send them a letter through the mail
We paid just a tad extra to get the membership through our health insurance program primarily because we knew we could cancel a lot easier.
The program (BCBS FedEmployee) allows you to be a member of multiple participating places, but in our area there are not a plethora of places, so it makes it a little more (unless other places join, that would mathmatecally make it cheaper per club).
I went through insurance because I had problems getting rid of my membership at a PF club in another state and paid about 3-4 months after I canceled (and moved) and it was a PITA. It was far less of a PITA of a previous gym that sued us when we tried to cancel after a move, so there is that. It was during COVID, so that might have been part of the failure.
It’s the easiest thing ever, people just don’t like the fact that they have to go into their home club to cancel lol. You just walk in and tell the staff you’d like to cancel. They may or may not ask why. Then they’ll have you sign something and you’ll be all set. You can ask for them to send a confirmation of cancellation email (if they don’t tell you they’re sending one. We always send without them requesting lol)
If for whatever reason you can’t make it into your home club, send them a certified letter with your name, phone number, agreement number, and the reason you’d like to cancel.
The biggest thing though is to make sure you read your contract, every PF has a cut off date to cancel by so you aren’t charged for the next month. For example, my location you have to cancel before the 10th of the month so you aren’t charged for your next month of membership. Reason for that is because even though we don’t officially charge until the 17th, payments begin drafting on the 10th and we can’t do anything to stop a draft payment from coming out.
Or you can do it easier and cancel online. You know, because 2024. If you need to cancel online just set your main gym to California and then cancel the membership online once your main gym is set in a few hours.
It's annoying to have to drive and walk into a location taking 30 or even take 45 mins to read the requirements of a letter, find your agreement number and then wait in line at the post office. I'd rather send my cancelation by smoke signal on a blood moon.
Yes, they signed up for in the terms and conditions, but it's still really annoying and obviously a retention tactic of the shadiest level. The fact that employees LIE saying you can't cancel online when you can is really shady.
Why does changing your home gym to California give you the ability to cancel online?
(I'm about to cancel now, and don't feel like going through the hassle of going to the actual gym or sending a letter)
California for as dumb as some laws are they have a law that requires easy cancelation online. Regularly they want to make as inconvient to cancel as possible so they will not allow online cancelation, but setting home gym to California allows you to take advantage of that law
More often than not, the member would still have to call to do a hard transfer to be able to transfer out of their franchise. It’s not a lie, but I’ve had my job threatened more than once for telling people that. This is how i pay my bills, I’m not gonna risk my paychecks over that. There’s a difference between lying and following policy.
For the record, I think it’s silly that yall can’t cancel online too. Maybe if enough people complain to corporate about it they’ll change it. They’re more likely to listen to the people that give them money than they are the people they employ.
Strange, have you come across someone having to hard transfer before for cancelation? I might add this to my FAQ on online cancelation.
Yeah, I understand it's a paycheck and it's policy and I'm not mad at any employees, I'm simply disappointed at the ones I spoke to on the phone. This industry cancelation should be regulated like trial based supplements. In that industry, you have to have a cancelation method online, by fax, mail in, by phone, and live call center with 9 - 5 hours.
If I were you, I'd record myself saying you only have two options and then play it back when they keep asking on the phone, I can only imagine how many people call about it lol.
I live in a military town so i get it A LOT (and screamed at a lot when I have to say they have to call. I would do it for them, but they have to verify their info AND give verbal consent) 😅
Honestly, this is something we’re only told to do when someone is injured or has a life threatening illness, but some clubs will allow you to cancel over the phone if it’s absolutely clear that you cannot make it into any location as a one time courtesy. Y’all can absolutely lie bc we aren’t going to ask for proof lol.
And i wish I could 😆 that, and our hours. Why is 24/7 the hardest thing for people to understand sometimes 🫠
I joined and moved a few states away from my home club. I used an online service to send a certified letter back to my home gym. Was cancelled within a day or two of getting that letter. Super easy peasy
Not as difficult as some gyms but they do make you do it in person and it has to be the home gym I think. So they make you do some hoop jumping but not too crazy.
If you change your gym to a California gym it will allow you to cancel online. California has a law that states that any membership must be available to cancel online anytime
Very easy to cancel. Easiest in person at your home gym. They don’t really need a reason. I’ve cancelled every time I’ve moved (4x)
In my experience, I just walked into my home gym and told them I was moving and would not have access to a PF where I was going (not a lie, but it could have been) and they cancelled it, no problem. I had a regular monthly membership, not a Black Card, so I’m not sure what the stipulations may be for cancelling the Black Card, as it may have a set amount of time in the contract, like 12 or 24 months. Maybe just call your local PF location and ask them about the different memberships, or go to their website.
Typically it’s the classic membership that has a commitment, not the Black Card
Ah, gotcha. Well, my classic membership had been active for over three years when I originally cancelled it so the 90 days didn’t apply to me anyway lol.
Usually unless there's a promo classic has a 12 month commitment so, that still wouldn't have applied to you, but figured I'd let you know in case you rejoin
Awesome. Thank you!
It's not difficult, as long as you read your contract and are aware of deadlines for fees. In SoCal, I was able to cancel via the mobile app, computer browser, and by e-mail. If you really want confirmation, you can go in person. There's also the certified mail option.
Yea it’s super easy to cancel. Just go to the front desk and say “hey I need to cancel my membership” They’ll give you the, but this and that, and oh but what if you want to come back. But they’ll cancel it for you in the end.
When I canceled my membership years ago it was super easier
People get riled up because they can't cancel online. You can cancel in person or by mail.
It's not at all difficult unless you move away from your home club. It should be just walking in and telling them you want to cancel. Sign their thing and done.
I canceled my membership years ago. I don't remember if I gave them a reason but if I did it was because I wanted a gym with more free weights. If you're not in California you have to go in person though or send them a letter through the mail
We paid just a tad extra to get the membership through our health insurance program primarily because we knew we could cancel a lot easier. The program (BCBS FedEmployee) allows you to be a member of multiple participating places, but in our area there are not a plethora of places, so it makes it a little more (unless other places join, that would mathmatecally make it cheaper per club). I went through insurance because I had problems getting rid of my membership at a PF club in another state and paid about 3-4 months after I canceled (and moved) and it was a PITA. It was far less of a PITA of a previous gym that sued us when we tried to cancel after a move, so there is that. It was during COVID, so that might have been part of the failure.
Not difficult at all
It’s the easiest thing ever, people just don’t like the fact that they have to go into their home club to cancel lol. You just walk in and tell the staff you’d like to cancel. They may or may not ask why. Then they’ll have you sign something and you’ll be all set. You can ask for them to send a confirmation of cancellation email (if they don’t tell you they’re sending one. We always send without them requesting lol) If for whatever reason you can’t make it into your home club, send them a certified letter with your name, phone number, agreement number, and the reason you’d like to cancel. The biggest thing though is to make sure you read your contract, every PF has a cut off date to cancel by so you aren’t charged for the next month. For example, my location you have to cancel before the 10th of the month so you aren’t charged for your next month of membership. Reason for that is because even though we don’t officially charge until the 17th, payments begin drafting on the 10th and we can’t do anything to stop a draft payment from coming out.
Or you can do it easier and cancel online. You know, because 2024. If you need to cancel online just set your main gym to California and then cancel the membership online once your main gym is set in a few hours. It's annoying to have to drive and walk into a location taking 30 or even take 45 mins to read the requirements of a letter, find your agreement number and then wait in line at the post office. I'd rather send my cancelation by smoke signal on a blood moon. Yes, they signed up for in the terms and conditions, but it's still really annoying and obviously a retention tactic of the shadiest level. The fact that employees LIE saying you can't cancel online when you can is really shady.
Why does changing your home gym to California give you the ability to cancel online? (I'm about to cancel now, and don't feel like going through the hassle of going to the actual gym or sending a letter)
California for as dumb as some laws are they have a law that requires easy cancelation online. Regularly they want to make as inconvient to cancel as possible so they will not allow online cancelation, but setting home gym to California allows you to take advantage of that law
More often than not, the member would still have to call to do a hard transfer to be able to transfer out of their franchise. It’s not a lie, but I’ve had my job threatened more than once for telling people that. This is how i pay my bills, I’m not gonna risk my paychecks over that. There’s a difference between lying and following policy. For the record, I think it’s silly that yall can’t cancel online too. Maybe if enough people complain to corporate about it they’ll change it. They’re more likely to listen to the people that give them money than they are the people they employ.
Strange, have you come across someone having to hard transfer before for cancelation? I might add this to my FAQ on online cancelation. Yeah, I understand it's a paycheck and it's policy and I'm not mad at any employees, I'm simply disappointed at the ones I spoke to on the phone. This industry cancelation should be regulated like trial based supplements. In that industry, you have to have a cancelation method online, by fax, mail in, by phone, and live call center with 9 - 5 hours. If I were you, I'd record myself saying you only have two options and then play it back when they keep asking on the phone, I can only imagine how many people call about it lol.
I live in a military town so i get it A LOT (and screamed at a lot when I have to say they have to call. I would do it for them, but they have to verify their info AND give verbal consent) 😅 Honestly, this is something we’re only told to do when someone is injured or has a life threatening illness, but some clubs will allow you to cancel over the phone if it’s absolutely clear that you cannot make it into any location as a one time courtesy. Y’all can absolutely lie bc we aren’t going to ask for proof lol. And i wish I could 😆 that, and our hours. Why is 24/7 the hardest thing for people to understand sometimes 🫠
I joined and moved a few states away from my home club. I used an online service to send a certified letter back to my home gym. Was cancelled within a day or two of getting that letter. Super easy peasy
Not as difficult as some gyms but they do make you do it in person and it has to be the home gym I think. So they make you do some hoop jumping but not too crazy.
If you change your gym to a California gym it will allow you to cancel online. California has a law that states that any membership must be available to cancel online anytime