HARRISBURG, PA -- The Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office announced that refund checks totaling $273,278 are being delivered to more than 1,200 consumers who were unable to use their health club memberships after two central Pennsylvania clubs suddenly closed or changed ownership.
Attorney General Tom Corbett says the consumer restitution was a major part of consumer protection settlements reached in late June with Leader Health and Fitness of York, PA, and Planet Fitness-Lancaster, formerly known as Lancaster County Racquetball & Health Club.
Corbett says 1,131 former members of Leader Health and Fitness will be receiving a total of $238,717 to reimburse them for health club memberships and pool memberships, along with fees for summer camps, tanning, personal training sessions and martial arts classes that were unused or cancelled when the club suddenly closed on June 9. Also, 96 former members of Planet Fitness-Lancaster will be receiving a total of $34,561 to compensate them for facilities that were closed and programs that were cancelled after the club changed ownership.
All consumers covered by these settlements will be receiving notification letters and checks from the Attorney General’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, and they should receive their refund payments within the next two weeks, Corbett says.
Corbett explained that consumers do not need to take any additional action in order to receive their restitution payment.
“Pennsylvania’s Health Club Act and Consumer Protection Laws were created to protect consumers in these situations, and the Attorney General’s office is dedicated to vigorously defending consumer rights,” Corbett says in a statement. “We appreciate the patience and cooperation of all the people who contacted our office and filed complaints about these health clubs, and we are happy to be able to return this money to consumers and bring these cases to a close.”