What would you do? A guide to being a savvy consumer: gym memberships

February 22, 2016, 11:54 am

≫ Next: Charlotte’s story: yoga studio inflexible when it comes to refund

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Written by Consumer Protection BC’s enforcement department Scenario: You have decided that it’s time to get fit! You sign up at the local gym for a one year membership. The 12 month gym membership includes weight training, cardio machines, as well as unlimited yoga and spin classes. You sign a contract and pay the entire 12 month membership fee of $600. You’re eager to get into shape so you go to yoga and spin classes at least 5 times a week. After a few months, the owner of the gym tells you they will no longer offer those classes but they will still provide weight training and cardio equipment. What would you do? (a) Wish they still offered yoga and spin classes but you do nothing, thinking that you still have 9 months left on your contract, and you’ve already paid so there isn’t much you can do. (b) Ask…

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Charlotte’s story: yoga studio inflexible when it comes to refund

June 13, 2016, 10:42 am

≫ Next: Jack and Lisa’s story: Paving the way to a consumer refund

≪ Previous: What would you do? A guide to being a savvy consumer: gym memberships

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Charlotte* loves exercising and was excited to enroll in a specialized yoga practice at a local studio. She eventually agreed to purchase a $1000 year-long membership upfront and received a credit card receipt after the transaction but no contract. 

Jack and Lisa’s story: Paving the way to a consumer refund

July 11, 2016, 10:16 am

≫ Next: Video: Rebecca’s hot tub contract story

≪ Previous: Charlotte’s story: yoga studio inflexible when it comes to refund

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Jack and Lisa* had just returned from a Home & Garden Show and were greatly impressed with a paving product showcased by a local provider. Not wasting any time, they called the company into their home to provide an estimate and, after taking some measurements and drawing up a contract, the company requested a $650 deposit for the paving product. Jack and Lisa wrote the cheque and were looking forward to the next step in the process – installation. That step never came.

Video: Rebecca’s hot tub contract story

July 25, 2016, 1:22 pm

≫ Next: How John and Mary navigated a misleading contract

≪ Previous: Jack and Lisa’s story: Paving the way to a consumer refund

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Have you ever come across a situation where you signed something and immediately after realized that it was a mistake? It’s often our “gut feeling” that tells us to take a different action. In this video, we share the story of Rebecca*. When she found herself in "hot water" with her hot tub contract, she called Consumer Protection BC for help.

How John and Mary navigated a misleading contract

June 6, 2017, 9:38 am

≫ Next: Back to the mat: A peaceful resolution for Chelsea and her yoga practice

≪ Previous: Video: Rebecca’s hot tub contract story

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Mary lives in Kelowna with her son’s in-home caregiver, John*. John was approached by a door-to-door salesperson who was selling a new furnace with a 20-year lease. John was not properly informed about the lease agreement and therefore did not fully understand his long-term payment plan, which was very expensive. This was when Mary stepped in to try to help John find a way out of the contract. “I was rattling around, trying to find a solution and I contacted Consumer Protection BC,” says Mary.

Back to the mat: A peaceful resolution for Chelsea and her yoga practice

June 13, 2017, 8:43 am

≫ Next: Deceived: Jake’s moving nightmare

≪ Previous: How John and Mary navigated a misleading contract

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Chelsea had paid for a lifetime membership with a yoga studio, unaware at the time that lifetime memberships aren’t allowed in BC. In less than a year, the yoga studio sold to a new owner who had no provisions in place for honouring the existing lifetime memberships. “No one was taking responsibility,” says Chelsea, “I thought I was out of luck.” She had paid for a service that no one was willing to provide and was disappointed that her method of relaxation had turned into such a headache. “It was very frustrating and no one was acting very yoga-ish about it,” says Chelsea, “I felt very taken advantage of.”

Deceived: Jake’s moving nightmare

June 20, 2017, 8:49 am

≫ Next: Contract requirements: How Eddy was able to exercise his cancellation rights

≪ Previous: Back to the mat: A peaceful resolution for Chelsea and her yoga practice

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Jake landed a new job in Calgary and had three weeks to pack up his life in Winnipeg. He started looking for a moving company, “being a millennial, the first place I looked was online,” says Jake. He hired the company and arranged for his belongings to be delivered to Calgary. The delivery date arrived and his belongings were nowhere to be seen. Something didn’t feel right.

Contract requirements: How Eddy was able to exercise his cancellation rights

June 27, 2017, 8:50 am

≫ Next: Vacuum sales: what you need to know

≪ Previous: Deceived: Jake’s moving nightmare

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It was time to get his chimney fixed so Eddy hired a masonry company to do the repairs. After quite a delay in getting any work done, the masonry company tried to convince Eddy he had a mould problem in his house and they could help. Eddy had a background in the trades and knew there was no mould problem. This was a red flag for him so he decided to cancel the contract and get his deposit back. Something just didn’t feel right. When the business owner stated all deposits were non-refundable, Eddy got nervous.

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Vacuum sales: what you need to know

July 4, 2017, 10:45 am

≫ Next: Online shopping: tips to receive your refund when your package never arrives

≪ Previous: Contract requirements: How Eddy was able to exercise his cancellation rights

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As soon as summer hits, Consumer Protection BC tends to receive an increased number of calls from consumers who have been approached about buying a vacuum cleaner. These types of sales usually occur either on the phone or through a door-to-door salesperson. There are many legitimate companies who make a living this way, but there are a few things to consider if you are approached by someone selling a vacuum.

Online shopping: tips to receive your refund when your package never arrives

August 1, 2017, 12:13 pm

≪ Previous: Vacuum sales: what you need to know

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A lot of people see the benefits of online shopping. It’s quick, easy, and you don’t even need to leave your home to do it. However, the ease of shopping at home can come with its own set of problems. Have you ever ordered something online and as the delivery date approaches you find yourself constantly checking the front door, impatiently awaiting your package? Soon a couple weeks pass and the panic starts to set in. You start to wonder if there’s been a mistake. You’ve already paid for it, so what do you do now?