So, a little over a month ago I wrote about Alliance BJJ and how they were basically bullies and trying to essentially scam us out of money.
The quick of it was that we signed a contract with them, then canceled it within the 7 day period that was acceptable. We did this because we ran into a financial strain (girlfriend was laid off all the sudden). We were told to bring them a letter of explaining why we were canceling, which we did on 10/20/2006. We signed up on 10/16/2006.
Well, when we asked for our first month's fee's back since we didn't train even once, they refused. They said it was "non refundable". However, it doesn't say this anywhere in their gym, not does it say it anywhere on the contract, no were we every told about this either. So, naturally we disputed the charges with our credit card.
After an investigation, the credit card company agreed that this was not a legitimate charge and so they notified Alliance that the charge has been disputed. Well, Alliance is back and boy are they mad!
I get a call on Friday about our "Account not being up-to-date" and that we owe for November and December. I knew something like this was going to happen so I kept our contract and letter of cancelation and all that. Then, I see a charge of $190 on my credit card from them. I called and talked to Stephen and he says the following:
"You were supposed to send a letter of cancelation by certified mail."
I said, No, Stephen... Don't start that. You told us that bringing the letter in person to the gym would be fine and when we asked you if we needed to follow up with a letter by certified mail, you said not to worry about it. Regardless, you got the letter. You've already acknowledged you got our cancelation many many times. You can't go back on that.
So, he says: "Well, you disputed the charges with your credit card company." In which I replied "You're damn right we did. You had no right to charge us. There is nowhere in your gym or on the contract that states those fee's were non refundable.". Stephen says "But it was a verbal agreement!" Which is absolutely asinine and I told him that. I said that we never were told that. We're honest people and we would have never agreed to that to begin with. We're always weary about writing contracts and make sure we aren't going to get stiffed if something bad happens. We read the contract fully before we signed it and I have it sitting right here and have read it 3 more times. It does NOT state that these fee's are non refundable. It simply says that we are allowed to cancel within 7 days. We canceled in 4. Besides, you can't say one thing and write a contract for another... It doesn't work that way.
At this point he starts calling me "My friend" a lot and raising his voice with me and getting very frustrated. He starts telling me to to contact ASF (their billing company) and handle it through them. However, I had just one question for Stephen about the billing process and he wouldn't let me get it in edge wise. All I wanted to ask was "Are you initiating the billing through ASF or do they handle everything?" but every time I started to ask this question, I was cut off with "Look, my friend! You must call ASF!!" in which I replied, "That's fine and I will. However, I need to know..." and then I was hung up on.
I did call ASF and they agreed... that this charge was not legitimate. Of course I have to again fax our letter of cancelation, the contract and such to ASF, but they said once they receive it, that we won't have to worry about being charged again. Which, I sincerely hope is the case.
I know tons of people say this all the time even though they don't actually have a lawyer, but my entire family actually does have a lawyer and it has been SO frustrating that I decided that if I receive any more frustration from them that it's just going to the lawyer from here on out...
Anyway, I just needed to vent but also let any Atlantians know about Alliance BJJ. They're just quite simply a bully. If they don't get their way, they will try their hardest to scam you and screw you. Sure, they're nice in person, but their business practices are VERY unethical and extremely disappointing. I'm personally so damn sick and tired of crappy customer service. Companies that think they can get away with anything because they are a company.
Just a word of advice, stay away from this place. In my last post about them I said that maybe others will have a different experience and maybe it was just us and such... but I just wouldn't even chance it. They're nuts, rude and unethical. All of this over $200... It's just nasty. I know there are quite a few people on this forum that train there and all I can say is I'm sorry... I hope you never experience what we have.
Alliance lost our business. We canceled because of a financial situation. Well, a month later that financial situation was fixed. However, since Alliance screwed us over from the point of cancelation, we went somewhere else. They lost 2 members because of their greedy unethical ways and $200. Way to go!
