'I Feel Very Vindicated': I-Team's Call For Action Helps Man Cancel Billerica Gym Membership

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BILLERICA (CBS) - Ryan Johnson of Waltham got more than he bargained for at a Billerica gym.

The 30-year-old says he joined "Pro Fitness Plus" in September of 2019 and when the pandemic hit, he contacted the workout spot to cancel his membership.

Ryan says at that time the gym told him it would cost him to cancel. "They said if you become a member of this gym within a year, your account has a surcharge for cancelling within in that year," he said. "So, come back in September, it will save you money. So, I said alright, that's reasonable."

Ryan waited until September of 2020, but then he says the gym still would not let him cancel.

"They said due to COVID-19 we are not accepting cancellations. We will not allow you to cancel. Which is ridiculous!" he said.

Ryan says there was no reason not to let him cancel at that point, "There's nothing in the contract that says in events of emergency, acts of God, state action, it changes. They can't do that!"

Months later, when Ryan moved from Billerica to Waltham in April 2021, he once again tried to cancel his membership.

Ryan says employees gave him the run around. "They said there's no manager here. We can't show you your contract."

Frustrated, Ryan told his bank to stop payments to "Pro Fitness Plus." But, a few months later, he got a collections request.

"I got an email," Ryan told WBZ-TV. "And it said, this is the manager you owe us $286 for non-payment."

That's when Ryan turned to the I-Team's Call For Action.

The I-Team contacted "Pro Fitness Plus," and the gym's management would not comment on Ryan's case or show us the contract. However, shortly after we reached out, the gym removed Ryan's remaining balance and canceled his membership.

Ryan says he's glad he made the call to the I-Team, "It's nice to not have to worry about this anymore. I feel very vindicated."

"Call CBS. Call 'Call For Action.' They were looking out for me!"

The state's Attorney General's office has received nearly a dozen complaints about "Pro Fitness Plus." The majority of them are related to cancellation policy and billing following cancellation. The Attorney General's office says it is working to resolve all of them.