A Singapore gym is finally making good on refunds after members muscled up the courage to expose them online.
At least 40 members at F45 Training at outlets in Yio Chu Kang and Geylang Bahru have been seeking refunds for hundreds of dollars in unauthorized charges for months of programs. The studio, which specializes in circuit training, addressed complaints today, saying it would offer refunds and blames the pandemic.
“We sincerely apologise for the lack of communication and updates related to our planned opening. Managing the impact COVID has had on our operations has not been easy, but our intention was never to leave you without answers,” the gym wrote.
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Since last month, an Instagram account has been actively publicizing members’ refund requests, saying some were unable to suspend membership, and the owner had been ignoring calls.
Jin, the account’s creator, told reporters that she paid more than S$800 (US$594) for 12 weeks of classes late last year at the Yio Chu Kang branch but only managed to train for four weeks’ after gyms were closed. She was only refunded last month and got her membership canceled.
“The owner has been ignoring our calls and we are helpless. Hundreds of dollars have been deducted from our account and we are unable to contact them to reverse it,” she wrote.
While some managed to obtain refunds after threatening to bring the issue online, others were kept in the dark.
Members say they have filed a police report as well as at least two complaints with the advocacy group Consumers Association of Singapore.
F45 Training added that it has since changed its operations and is working to confirm an opening date for a Geylang outlet originally scheduled for this past March. The latest COVID-19 restrictions on gyms allow mask-off group activities for up to five fully vaccinated individuals.
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