Life Time — Local services in Plano

This is the hands down worst gym I’ve ever had the misfortune to join. The customer service is so horrible it’s laughable, and the shady billing practices are beyond even the smarmiest gym. Decent facilities though.

I joined LT at the end of June, and signed up personal training. About halfway through July, I told my trainer I was moving and needed to recoup some of those fees before signing back up. He said no problem. I have confirmation in writing this was done.

August 1st rolls around, and I'm charged $780. When I called, I was connected to account services after some wait and explained the situation. But would you believe it – there was no one there who could assist in getting my money back! All the managers were in a meeting! Every last one! I call back the next day and was told they’d refund my money (how gracious) but they wouldn’t be able to cover any overdraft fees I incurred from their error. Also, they wouldn’t be able to refund my money for some 3 business days. I called my bank and disputed the charge and got the refund the next day.

I didn’t cancel my membership then because although unhelpful (seemingly by no fault of their own) customer service was at least empathetic to my issue.

Cut to September 1st. Again – I have reiterated to LT to cancel my PT. I don’t want it. I can’t afford it at this point (because I’m recouping moving costs PLUS covering bills I had to punt because of the initial unauthorized charge) AND THEY CHARGE ME AGAIN! $780! I call, get told “we don’t show this charge” Well, my bank sure shows it. “we’ll put you through to PT; they’re the ones who control this and they’ll be better able to assist you.” All the head of PT told me was “we didn’t charge you. It’s not on your account. I know what your bank says, but it’s not from us. I suggest you call them.” So I call my bank, tell them it’s a fraudulent charge and THE BANK is more willing to help me than the gym. I call the PT head back to let her know to see what kind of resolution we can uncover, but I get passed around and passed around and passed around like a hot potato.

I hang up.

I call back to the gym to tell them to cancel my membership – I want nothing else to do with them. “You have to do that in person” So, I drive up to the gym, talk to customer service, say I want to cancel (because I know what happens if I tell them I want my money back; I’ve been down that road before) and they say “Well…it’s a 30 day notice, so you’ll have to pay this month” Pardon? You’ve now charged me approximately $1600 in two months in charges YOU ACKNOWLEDGE I didn’t want anymore, and you have the unmitigated gall to ask me to pay for 1 month? I basically tell them No. I’m not going to do that. “Well, we’ll have to speak to the GM and he’s in a meeting.” I tell them, that’s fine – I can wait. So I wait in their lobby for approximately 90 to 120 minutes waiting for the GM to get out of his meeting. Everyone now and then, a customer service lady would walk by and say “oh, let me check and see how his meeting is coming.” And then Mr Hay walks by, with a plate full of grilling utensils. His meeting was more a MEATing. About 15 minutes after he breezed by, the customer service lady comes up and says “he’s still in his meeting, but he’s authorized me to go ahead and waive the 30 day fee and cancel your membership immediately” I mention I saw him glide by with his grilling utensils and how happy I was he could find a minute to answer her questions/get the waiver and she launches in about how it’s a planned employee appreciation event and it’s monthly and blah. Just let me cancel my membership without your 30day fee.

FINALLY. After about half an afternoon spent in this gym, I had my membership canceled. I still don’t have my money back; my bank is working on recovering it. I’ve had to change my cards and put LT on stop payment because there’s obviously something not right about the way they bill/conduct business.

Stay away. If they think they can bill you for...

Story About How Lifetime (Plano) Supports a US Army Veteran with a Disabled Child

I am a US Army veteran, and my 5-year-old daughter, who has Down Syndrome, was recommended swimming by her pediatrician. Swimming is not only great for her health but also an important bonding time for us. We found a wonderful instructor, Sarah, at Lifetime, and it was perfect for us—especially since I needed to prepare for my PT test for my unit.

A few months ago, I returned to college and decided to put my club membership on hold. I notified Lifetime 30 days in advance, as required, and also informed the swim club about this. However, last month I noticed that I was charged again for swimming lessons. Confused, I went back to Lifetime to ask about the charges. From the very beginning, the receptionist spoke to me rudely. She said, “Don’t you know that the swim club is separate? We don’t handle their charges. If your account is on hold, you cannot enter the club anymore.” I calmly asked, “Okay, may I just speak to the manager? I already notified the swim club about this.” After being sent back and forth between staff for about an hour, they finally allowed me to use the remaining four lessons I had already paid for. I appreciated the resolution, even though it took a lot of effort on my part. We went to the lesson last Tuesday without any issues. However, today, something even more frustrating happened. My daughter and I arrived in our swimsuits, ready for class, but we were stopped at the reception desk again. They claimed there were no notes on my account and asked me to explain the entire situation again. I told them we had already been approved last week and asked why this was happening.

They called the manager, Corrie, who checked the system and said she couldn’t see any notes from last week. She began calling the swim club while I stood there with my daughter in my arms, feeling humiliated in front of all the people around us. It was incredibly embarrassing!

After 17 minutes of standing there, they finally let us through. When we got to the swim manager, she immediately found two notes in the system—one from last week and even one from earlier today! Despite this, we had already missed most of the lesson; there were only 12 minutes left by the time we were allowed to enter.

How is it possible that three staff members couldn’t see the notes right in front of them for 17 minutes? Why was I treated like I was doing something wrong? I’ve never felt so humiliated in my life. All I wanted was the service I paid for. It’s not my fault that Lifetime separates its swim club operations from the main gym, but I’m the one who suffered for it.

Thank you, Lifetime, for your “support.” Take the crown off your head—you are not the only fitness club in Plano.

Sincerely, A disappointed customer and US...

Just recently rejoined lifetime, and hating how the gym had changed so much for the worst.

Back in around 2008 when the gym was relatively new at least that’s what I was told at the location I went too they called me a founding member (probably of that location, I don’t know).

This is why the gym shined bright. The plans were all under 100 bucks a month. And the gym offered way way more than other gyms did. They kept it clean. Kept it nice. Made it worth its value if not more.

Today basic plans are out the window. Now the gym padded so many things to a plan that a membership that was under 100 dollars is now over 200 bucks.

If the quality rose even more with the price I wouldn’t have mind it but it didn’t.

This location the staff was professional and friendly. But the gym looked like an hold falling apart spooky old haunted house. At night it’s not really well lit and it just gives you a vibe that this gym has been there for more than 20 years.

The building inside isn’t any better. It’s the outdated old design building that LT had back in the day. Grout wearing away. Tiles falling out. Sprinkler pipes bulging out of the wall so much the tiles lifted around the sprinkler head. I saw water marks on the wall. Rusted metal everywhere. And the pool area wasn’t all that clean.

Plus it’s not a disability friendly pool area. All handles are loose and wobbly. And the handles to get out the pools are so small people with back problems like me can’t bend down that far to get in the pool.

If the gym wants to offer modern prices. Heck, at least bring the gym to the modern age because that old fossil of building really needs help.

And currently based on the upkeep of the old building severally showing its age and the experience it’s not a gym that should be charging nearly 200 a month. Because it doesn’t justify the charge. If they were in renovation again I wouldn’t have said anything.

But thing is nothing about that location justifies a price hike. I’m sure this location was a location that used to charge under 100 a month at one point.

Bring this gym out of the past and renovate it and make it worth the money you ask and I’ll be happy to change my rating. But as of right now price to experience isn’t justified and I cannot rate...