Test-Achats on Friday urged the Minister in charge of Consumer Affairs to take action to end abuses and infractions committed by gyms in their subscription offers, noting that it received close to 300 complaints in this regard between early 2018 and October 2019.
The consumer protection body analysed dozens of fitness club contracts and the results were anything but positive.
There were many great promises, but “the information given to consumers is unclear and many clauses are really problematic,” the organization said. “The problems encountered range from transparency on prices to the possibility of ending a subscription in the event of illness.”
The 300 complaints received in under two years had to do with issues such as contract termination, abusive tacit extensions, and abrupt changing of conditions during the lifetime of a contract.
This occurred despite a code of conduct had been drawn up in 2016 for fitness clubs, but few clubs comply, says Test-Achats.
Moreover, few people know of the code’s existence and there is little way of monitoring or any sanctions, according to the organization, which called on the minister responsible for consumer affairs, Nathalie Muylle, to take action to remedy a situation that is “far from rosy.”
The Brussels Times
