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Brooklyn, NY - Hikind Launches Kosher Gym Consumer Helpline |
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Jul 31, 2008 at 03:18 PM
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“I have therefore set up a Kosher Gym Consumer Helpline to explore and address client complaints. We are urging those who have encountered difficulties with Kosher Gym practices to contact our office via email at: hikindd@assembly.state.ny.us or to call my office 718-853-9616. We intend to evaluate complaints, and thoroughly survey the issues involved to protect the consumer.
VIN News refrained in the last 4 weeks from covering this story due to a lack of accurate information.
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Read Comments (24) — Post Yours »
1
Jul 31, 2008 at 03:28 PM Anonymous Says:
i signed up with the gym today...
they ar runnig a special to workout from 9am - 8pm
and had me sign papers that its ok that it will be open on Shabbos and YomTov cause there selling it to none jews...
this is a fact.....
2
Jul 31, 2008 at 03:30 PM Anonymous Says:
B"H the community can count on Dov once gain. Hashem should reward you for all what you do for Klall Yisroel.
3
Jul 31, 2008 at 03:34 PM jakester Says:
dov you do it again always looking out for us thanx
4
Jul 31, 2008 at 03:59 PM nebuch Says:
What is the big deal? they were losing money would you rather them close down and then noone can work out? At least now you can still work out.
5
Jul 31, 2008 at 04:25 PM Anonymous Says:
I've been a member of the Kosher Gym for 3 years and they clearly didn't do a good job communicating to their members and should be held accountable.
That said, imagine for a moment not having a Men's only gym...I've been to other gym's in the neighborhood. The hours at the Kosher gym are better and where else are we gonna go...I looked at the ****** gym. $65 dollars a month...and co-ed...
6
Jul 31, 2008 at 04:39 PM anonymous Says:
I worked in a Shomer Shabbos Hotel On Miami Beach Florida for many years and I can sympathize with the owners of Kosher Gym.
If it was cold outside or raining it was managment's fault. If a guest booked a standard room they got to the hotel they screamed and carried on that they wanted oceanfront for the same price or wanted to talk to the owner cause his mother is a mechuten with his father's aidems brother in-law's sister. The best was when a guest checked out motzie Shabbos and refused to pay for Saturday because they were leaving and we could sell thier room for the night. The "handling" at checkout over the bill wanting a discount because...... I can go on.
When the hotel changed from Shomer Shabbos-Kosher to a national chain, sad to say ...It Was A Releif!
7
Jul 31, 2008 at 04:48 PM Anonymous Says:
Anon 3:28,
Your not so bright, considering their alleged bad bus practices. Why would you subject yourself to their terrible customer service? One or two cases of alleged nasty behavior I would say that its not their fault, but there is a pattern. Hangups, strong arm letters, contract renewals without authorizations, need I go on??????
My only consolation, that your not an idiot, is that perhaps with the new management these abuses will not continue.
8
Jul 31, 2008 at 05:22 PM another victim Says:
To Poster #1 - the fact that they are changing to non-Jewish ownership is not the biggest of your problems. Have you looked at clause #12 of your contract that penalizes you $150 for disputing a charge with a credit card company (not a legal clause but that does not seem to stop them)? So when KG fraudulently adds charges to your credit card for all sorts of false suspicions that you took a class, entered a room, exited the wrong door etc. and don't return your calls to resolve the "mistake", you are completely at their mercy if they should choose or not choose to remove the charge. If not, it's just too bad on you because clause #17 of your contract disallows you any recourse but to go to a specific Bais Din for $350 for first hour, $250 for second hour for each side of the case etc. with the loser being forced to pay for all legal fees of the other side and they make sure to bring an expert Toen for another $250 an hour which you probably wouldn't think of shelling out so you'll probably/possibly lose anyway (and will then have to pay their Bais Din plus their expert Toen fees). BTW, in case you do win, Bais Din admitted that they have no way of collecting the KG side of the fees to give to you, but I'm sure they can give you a heter to hire a lawyer and collect it from KG (who goes under up to 6 different incorporation names and who has consistently refused to say who the boss is, name, whom to contact, etc.)While you have a name, address and assets for them to ruin (the threat is in writing in an email I possess) they are "anonymous" workers with an entity taking you to Bais Din that probably shows no assets etc. Will you really shell out minimally $600 in Bais Din to fight the additional $200 stolen from your credit card that month (with a risk of paying for their side as well)? I've been a victim and although they finally admitted that classes had never been taken and will refund those false charges, they penalized me $150 for disputing the charges - something everyone should be allowed to do. (And, I have all the documentation to prove it.)
So, don't be too thrilled that you just signed away your legal rights that were created to protect you, even if they are currently up front about switching owners.
Incidentally, I wish to protest against people who are saying that the Machon L'Horaa Bais Din is in collusion with Kosher Gym. I have spoken to them personally and believe them that they did not authorize use of their name in the contract, and they allow anyone receiving a hazmana from their Bais Din to respond by taking the party to a different (cheaper or free) Bais Din. It is KG who is using their hazmana forms with the fees to intimidate members to back off and to force members to come to this (relatively expensive?)Bais Din. Please don't shame a Bais Din without proof that they know Kosher Gym is scamming some of their members.
9
Jul 31, 2008 at 06:41 PM Anonymous Says:
I joined the gym. It was the biggest mistake. I the past I joined other gyms never had a problem with customer service. Every month they remove the payments from my account I went two times in total I have another 6mths that they may remove payment from my account I wish I would be able to cancel my membership. Yes, Having a Kosher Gym is a great idea. But I am really sorry I wasted the money with them. If anybody has a way to cancel the rest of the year so I wont have to throw out the money please post it.
10
Jul 31, 2008 at 06:45 PM Joe Says:
You can NOT run a business or anything, for that matter, based solely on Middas Hadin. Someone who does that is a Navol Bershus Hatorah! Now if someone is purposely misleading people and tries to cover it up, it is all the more reprehensible! Shame on you!!!
11
Jul 31, 2008 at 07:29 PM sad Says:
I'm having the same issues with the gym
12
Jul 31, 2008 at 08:16 PM Anonymous Says:
Why do all you shmendriks bother wasting your time and money on working out. Big deal, you will all die healthy
13
Jul 31, 2008 at 09:03 PM Anonymous Says:
Has anyone considered talking to the owner, maybe asking for some sort of explanation?
I wonder what he has to say...
He obviously does not like refunding any money!
14
Jul 31, 2008 at 10:01 PM Anonymous Says:
you can dispute any charges. if they penalize you or fight you, complain to visa or mastercard directly. in fact i think they will lose thier ability to charge cards based on this clause alone.
15
Jul 31, 2008 at 11:11 PM Miriam Says:
I have been a member of the Kosher Gym aka KG Fitness since August 2004. Every year when I went to renew my contract I made sure that classes were included in my contract (after all that was my reason for signing up-great instructors that gave great classes). Well lo and behold-the gym is now accusing me ( and charging me or back charging me 343.00) they claim I havent paid for classes since Sept 2006 (they wake up now in June 2008 to tell me that). Lucky thing I found my contract (which they would have charged me 15 to dig out of their archives). Yes I disputed my charges and yes they charged my credit card an additional 15 a month (on top of my 26.00 a month dues) totaling 41.00 a month!! For what? A gym that constantly cancels classes? A gym that provides no customer service? These unfair and unscrupulous business tactics have caused my nothing but extreme irritation-my nerves are shot-looking out every day-am I the next person to receive a Hazmanah for disputed charges that shouldnt have been put there to begin with.
16
Jul 31, 2008 at 11:36 PM Anonymous Says:
Miriam, join the club!
17
Aug 01, 2008 at 04:36 AM Anonymous Says:
for $41 a month join a normal gym
18
Aug 01, 2008 at 09:25 AM Anonymous Says:
What a shame that Erev Rosh Chodesh Menachem Av we need to publicly destroy our fellow brother. According to halacha we can not believe all of the above, but we can certainly apply "buyer be ware."
19
Aug 01, 2008 at 10:47 AM Asher Says:
The gym has been sending Hazmona's to quite a few members who put a stop payment on their credit cards being charged by the gym. There are many reasons why members put stop payments. One reason is that members did not want to move to a gym in that particular bad location. Another reason is that there is noone who wants to talk to you about crediting your account for a few monthes when you are sick or not able to go to the gym or that a woman is pregnant and wants to freeze her account during her pregnancy for a few months. One particular person was at the end of his contract and was told his contract was canceled but still gets charges on his credit card after canceling, because they claim they were waiting for a certified letter. There are people who have been paying monthly for the pool which has and never will become a reality.The Kosher Gym just wants to get you in a sign a contract and then you are totally messed up because they will get their money from your cvredit card every month and when you stop them from getting their money they send you a hazmona from Bais Din for thousands of dollars (1600.00 - 2500.00) claiming there were legal fees and rabbinical fees and administrative fees ,etc etc and they say you ruined their credit rating and their credit card company charges them more money now that they have your bank stopping them from taking their monthly fee, so you see one thing out of this gym ---
IT IS NOT SO KOSHER AFTER ALL..........
I hope we can stop them before many other people get hurt.
Thank you for listening and Have a great Shabbos Rosh Chodesh Menachem Av.
20
Aug 01, 2008 at 11:07 AM boy at risk Says:
I went to this gym once I signed up and never went again I cancelled my credit card a week later and they keep sending me bills in the mail for $2000 cause I never closed my account and in order to dig up my contract they want me to pay them money I know one of the partners and he is a very slimey person
21
Aug 01, 2008 at 12:04 PM Choizik Says:
Anyone who pay's money in order to work out, is an IDIOT!
22
Aug 02, 2008 at 10:25 PM Anonymous Says:
I used to go to KG 2 years ago. They trest their customers like crap. No respect at all.
They closed the gym whenever they felt like it (they put us across the street on Coney Island Ave, the TV's were taped, and we had to watch the same news for months at time (for those that wanted to be entertained while on the treadmill). They treated everyone like chaya's, and the trainers offered me drugs on more than one occasion.
Thank G-D I didn't re-new the membership, and now I get annoying telemarketing calls from Avi at KG. I've called the gym a few times to please stop calling me with telemarketing calls on my cell phone, they don't care. I've complained with the BBB, and the "Do Not Call" website, that maintains the Do Not Call List.
23
Aug 03, 2008 at 07:53 PM Anonymous Says:
I'm sorry to hear about all your troubles but I find much solace in reading these comments for I too am in the process of being harrassed by the kosher gym. To the person worried that on erev rosh chodesh menachem av we are maligning a fellow jew this is an issue of saving the money of another Jew and preventing him from being robbed and cheated. The owners and employees of this institution should be embarrassed for the way they treat THEIR fellow Jews! I've been accussed of charges that are impossible for me to have accrrued but they have gone ahead with a collection company (which, BTW, i think is their own creation made just to scare people into paying the made-up charges. Imagine, THS is how they treat a fellow Jew?) Worst is, they present themselves like they are so "kosher". In the email about selling the gym they write about how important it is to act with the new owners and how important it is to create a Kiddush hashem. Are they kidding?! Who do they think they're fooling?! Well, HKB"H sees all and repays all that they are due. To the owners of the kosher gym and the employees who carry out these despicable acts: Beware! You cannot hide from HKB"H. While you cannot undue the pain you've caused your fellow Yidden, there is still time to correct the monetary mistakes you've made. One of the first questions you'll be asked in front of the Bais Din Shel Maala is about your honesty in business. You think a hazmana from your Bais Din down here is serious? Watch out! Fix this while you still have the time!
24
Aug 10, 2008 at 10:17 PM Anonymous Says:
I heard there are people taking the Kosher Gym to court and suing them as a group.
Does anyone know how I can get in contact with someone that can help me join in on the suit.