A few months ago I joined the Anytime Fitness location in League City-Kemah.

They were offering a 90 day "trial" membership. I was very reluctant to get involved with another fitness center as the year before I had endured the same rip-off issue that many people experience with the likes of LA Fitness (located on League City Parkway (State Rt. 96) in League City); you try to close your membership and have to endure several months of automatic billing before they finally stop charging your credit card.

So when I approached the League City-Kemah Anytime Fitness I was in no mood for the typical sales bullshit. I signed up for the 90 day trial with Anytime Fitness sales counselor by the name of "Blair". I made it very clear to Blair that "I have no interest in a long term relationship" and was going to try them for the 90 days and then detrmine if I would renew my membership if I felt that I was getting my money's worth. Blair assured me that at the conclusion of my 90 day trial membership, I would be under no further obligation. While the place was just OK it was not something I was going to invest any more time or funds with to pursue a renewed membership and simply stopped going back. After a few weeks, I get a billing notice from their financial group-ABC Financial-with a pile of coupons for the next 12 months.

I called ABC and told them I had a "trial" membership and I was no longer interested in their facility. At this point I find out that...IN SPITE OF MY INSTRUCTIONS TO BLAIR... I have an "automatic renewal" clause in my contract and I would have to cancel my membership with the League City-Kemah facility. I then called them and spoke with Stacy Dunn who confirmed that my membership would be cancelled. The following month I get a dunning letter from ABC Financial for $48 in late dues. I called to inquire this and wa told that my membership was "pending cancellation" I stilled owed another months dues.

I filed with them a dispute letter and got a phone call from their slimeball owner in New Orleans named "George" who simply claimed that, since I had a "contract", I owed him the $48 in final months dues.

In all candor, it was worth the $48 bucks to get rid of these a**holes. The YMCA is not quite as close but I'm confident that they're a lot less of a pain in the a**!