Menu
For Business Write a review File a complaint
Mademoiselle Fitness

Mademoiselle Fitness review: Horrible Facility; Rip-off! 12

D
Author of the review
10:21 am EDT
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
Featured review
This review was chosen algorithmically as the most valued customer feedback.

When I was pregnant with my second child, I joined Mademoiselle Fitness stating that I would start three months later. My first day at this facility, they did a "fitness assessment" on me which was fine, but they charged me an additional $50 for this without telling me about it. Then, after that, they sent me into another room with someone else who was supposed to be talking to me about "nutrition". Well - this ended up being a sales pitch for their protein shakes. I learned nothing at all about proper nutrition!
When I came back to work out, machines needed to be unplugged due to water leaking in from the showers. When I went to have a shower, the water was COLD! To top it all off, this woman only facility had a MALE trainer!
When I spoke to the manager due to me being completely dissatisfied, she wouldn't let me end my contract, because I signed the contract three months ago...even though I had only come once.
I then cancelled payment and three years later I ended up getting a phone call telling me that if I don't pay for not only the the one full year, but up until the current date, I'm going to be reported to the credit agency. I ended up negotiating to pay for only the one year and still get to use that full year or give it away. Once I paid, I told the lady I would call her back and tell her when I wanted to start my year. When I tried to reach her, I had no response.
All I can say, is sign up with the YMCA...don't chance this rediculous place. Too many horror stories!

Resolved

The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

12 comments
Add a comment
L
L
London, ON resident
CA
Sep 18, 2009 6:59 pm EDT

I had the same issues with Mademoiselle taking money from my account that was not theirs to take. The first incident happened when the girl at the front desk told me I was paying too much for my membership. She explained that I could take advantage of the 1-year deal that would be available the following month. She explained how she could set everything up in their computer for me. When she was finished entering all the information into the computer she told me my current membership would be cancelled in one month the my new (cheaper) membership would become active. Mademoiselle took money out for the new membership but they did NOT stop taking money out for my supposedly closed account. When I discovered they were double charging me I approached the manager and she explained that I had to fill out a cancellation form to cancel the first membership. I never did get the money back that was taken from my account but I did get an additional 3-months added to my membership which is useless if you plan on keeping up your membership. I did not keep my membership. Much of the time, showers, sauna and whirlpool where out of order.

The second time Mademoiselle took money from my account was when my daughter who was over 18-years-old and did not reside at my home owed them money for private fitness trainer sessions. I guess they figured since they weren't get the money from her they would empty my account. When I found out they took money from my account, I chose to pay my daughter's debt to them and cancelled both our memberships. I also closed down my bank account.

It could have been a real get-a-way for me but I will never step foot in Mademoiselle again.

London, ON resident

R
R
Ripped off by Mademoselle fitness/ Spa
Burlington, CA
Nov 19, 2009 3:43 pm EST

I was severly ripped off as well. I wouldn't reccomend my worst enemy to join this club, nor their Spa treatments. It's a money grab, and completely unprofessional. It's obvious that their number one priority is money, and not their clients welfare. If you came here to consider their services, I would strongly reccomend against it. Take it or leave it, but be warned!

M
M
000money
St. Catherines, CA
Mar 08, 2010 7:03 pm EST

I'm Surprised there hasn't been a protest yet to shut this corrupt unprofessional facilty down! As a previous employer at the St. Catharines Mademoiselle. I would advise people to listen to those rumors, which there are a ton of, and reconsider joining. Not only do members get screwed over for money, but so do employees! There are constant complaints about billing issues, and money being taken out of accounts, after monthly payments have been made, and what can I say. MORE MONEY being taken out! They may state that they have the best rates in the city, but trust me, you'd be better off paying that extra money and going to a more reptuable gym. Because if you go there, chances are you won't have any MOLA by the time Madeimoiselles is through with you! So take this advice from a former employee and save your ### and your MONEY! because it doesn't get any worse than this!

D
D
Delta123
St. Catharines, CA
Apr 01, 2010 5:02 pm EDT

My daughter has worked for this company for 3 yrs, she has been paid late, made to work till 11 and back in at 5:30, she has never taken a sick day. She has been called names by her managers, has been treated like dirt. Her T4 didn't arrive till the end of March. She is loyal to the company and is made to do some very disturbing things. We have tried to get her to quit, but she likes the quests and I think is afraid to find another job.
This company has been reported to the labour board many times and nothing seems to get done. Maybe, all former employee's should rally together and make the labour board take action. They abuse their staff and the members and continue to get away with it.

L
L
lorrielal
London, CA
Jun 01, 2010 10:14 am EDT

I decided to join Premiere/Mademoiselle in February 2009. I was feeling pretty bad about myself with very little self-esteem. After talking to my husband about it I decided that it was worth the investment to take off the extra weight I had put on. My first day with was an ok experience. They had set an appointment up for me to have the assessment for an extra $50. The young man was very friendly that performed the first half. I was taken into an small office where he and another guy showed me the different payment plans for a trainer. I told them that we were saving for a house and the membership was all I could afford for now. They proceeded to badger me about caring for my health etc. When they saw they couldn't get blood from a stone the one guy swung his chair away from me and the other one left me sitting there, no one spoke to me. I got up and found the other one at the counter and asked if anyone would be showing me how to work the machines he kept looking down and said no, you're on your own. I felt horrible, I felt embarrassed and shunned, I went out to my car and balled. I have NEVER experienced anything like this in my life. I waited til we moved and continued at Mademoiselle's other location. I spoke to the lady in charge, who was wonderful to me, she became my trainer for only 3 sessions, then she was let go. I was told to give them a couple of weeks to settle down with the change of staff, then was set up with another gal who quit before I could even meet her. I did complain about the rude treatment and was told I would get a free month (never did)! I injured my ankle and never did get my money's worth, and paid $600 for 3 training sessions missing out on my other 9. So I paid almost 40 bucks a month for a year and 600 for a trainer. Now after my contract was up, they kept taking money out of my account after my year and will NOT return a lousy $45.00 that is rightfully MINE. They are RUDE CROOKS. I will recommend my friends, family, even my enemies to anyplace else before I would ever give those crooks any business.
London Ontario

N
N
NotHappyinOakville
Oakville, CA
Feb 04, 2011 5:00 pm EST

Mademoiselle Fitness is a scam. They are fraudsters. DO NOT give them pre-authorized debit privileges on any of your bank products (credit card, bank accounts) they will NEVER stop debiting the account. I have had my membership for 2 years, and have been trying to cancel it for 6 months. Signed the form, sent emails and faxes. NOTHING. They continue to debit my credit card twice a month.

I've had it. Do we not have any recourse here in Canada for companies like this? How do they manage to continue to do business?

T
T
Thanks!!!!!!
CA
Apr 25, 2011 5:13 pm EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Wow...thanks for the advise. I was looking into joining and the complaints was one of the first things to come up when I typed in the company name. I will not be joining based on all of your comments. Thank you for saving me from going through what you did.

A
A
anti mademoiselle fitness
CA
May 05, 2011 5:52 pm EDT

My friend signed me up for a free referral and mademoiselle ended up putting me in the credit bureau for $900 saying that i signed a one year contract which i absolutely did not! thanks mademoiselle fitness you guys truly are the most crocked gym in north america...

R
R
rizgo
st catharines, CA
Jun 17, 2011 12:11 am EDT

my wife took membership and canceled after a year and even after cancellation they still charge us for 2 months more and we got calls from collections agency for 59$ ridiculous and no cooperation there. even before collection calls we both went to the manager showed they charged us after cancellation she said she will fix it but then after a week started getting collection calls and we called the manager to ask why we are getting collection calls and she would not come to phone and made excuses for 3 weeks. it is a full rip off. now i am talking to head office and they don't even have the record of us paying 100 assessment fee. YMCA is a lot better please dont take membership. i believe all the people who are complaining are all right.

D
D
Disgusted79
Brampton, CA
May 05, 2012 1:11 am EDT

This place is ridiculous! I've been a member of Goodlife and the YMCA and never had an issue. In 2007 I went to Madamoiselle. The trainer I paid for talked about her boyfriend constantly which I let go. Now, 2012 I receive a FINAL NOTICE email from a creditor saying I have 2 days to pay nearly $1500. No one called me before this. They say after my year contract I didn't cancel. Strange, they didn't mention this to me when I went back to consider joining again a year later... When I still would have been late for the payments and they had to see this. Definitely corrupt. Don't join. The YMCA in Niagara is a better gym anyway with more available and better hours. I'm not sure what to do about it. The credit company told me it is just as well pay by the time I get a lawyer. Sounds like a place who either can't pay their bills or some scam to me. Please don't join Madamoiselle Fitness! I've been reading up on this and it is happening in Canada and the States. Some similar stories some different. Just anyway they can make money off past members. They are awful people.

C
C
cemre
CA
Feb 27, 2013 1:00 pm EST

this workout place was a total scam, they ripped me off soo bad and wasted all my money on their membership which i didnt use afterall. first i got a student membershiip which was only for 4 months and just like everyone else, i was taking to a room for nutrition test and some cardio sh**. the guy that was doing my nutrition test told me if i dont loose weight i could get a heart attack anytime which i find funny cuz he was soo fat himself . Then they had me sign a form for a personal trainer which i only went to 2 sessions and cancelled because was too much money so they told me i cant cancel it and have to pay for it .I ignored it for a while but then i had calls after calls from their collecting agent and was told that i have to pay it or am gonna have a bad credit reputation, and somehow i managed to talk to the owner and told him that am not paying it and told him that they rip people off and have bad name and so he laughed at it and said i dont wanna listen to that and told me to get out lol and later on i talked to a girl and said instead of paying for the training sessions i would get a membership for a 1 year. this all worked it and i never got to use it because the gym got shut down and all my money gone to waste. i would'nt recommend this gym to anyone. never sign any paper without them explaining it and reading it yourself.

M
M
Mrs. Nick
St. Catharines, CA
Mar 12, 2013 11:58 am EDT

Thank you so much for this information. I was considering Mademoiselle because it is within walking distance to my house but now I will not be joining. In my research I found a site with the Ontario Gov. on your rights and this may be helpful to you.
http://www.sse.gov.on.ca/mcs/en/Pages/Fitness_Clubs.aspx

More Mademoiselle Fitness reviews & complaints

Mademoiselle Fitness - taking money from my bank account
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.