Gymrefunds as complaints mount

The former director of troubled gym Configure Express has promised that refunds would be paid this week.

Greg Peters wanted to reassure members that any refunds ‘‘we actually had ourselves’’ had been loaded up and would ‘‘go out at the end of the week [yesterday]’’.

‘‘The other ones, I’m still looking into – some of them were news to us,’’ Peters said.

Peters’ comments come after members vented their frustration online, claiming they have been left in limbo, have not received refunds, and have been unable to contact staff at head office.

A Commerce Commission spokesman said it had received 10 complaints since June 2016, but was not ‘‘currently’’ investigating.

Peters resigned as director in October. His partner, Wendy Mackay, has since taken over.

After Peters resigned, the company started legal action against some gym owners, saying they had breached franchise agreements.

To date, five gyms – Papakura, Papatoetoe and Manukau in Auckland, Hamilton, and Kilbirnie in Wellington – have closed, and four gyms in the Wellington region – Willis St, Lambton Quay, Lower Hutt and Upper Hutt – have split and rebranded as Revive Fitness.

On Thursday, Lisa Gulde was sentenced in the Hamilton District Court for pocketing more than $12,000 in membership fees paid to a Configure Express gym.

Gulde’s theft was revealed when a customer asked for a receipt and this document was unable to be found.

The gym, in Hamilton’s Centre Place mall, closed abruptly in June last year and is in liquidation.

However, it is not the only gym causing headaches for members.

One, who asked not to be named, said she had tried unsuccessfully to contact the company about an Auckland gym.

She said she transferred from the Queen St gym in Auckland, to the Papatoetoe gym, after the former closed ‘‘with no notice, no emails and no communication‘‘.

However, soon after, the Papatoetoe gym also closed. She claimed to be owed more than $350.

‘‘I couldn’t believe it. This experience has been so disappointing and has put me off joining a gym. I know they claim to be getting ahold of members, but this is untrue as no-one has contacted me and other gym-goers I know.’’

Another said she had been waiting three months for a refund.

‘‘I’ve tried emailing them numerous times and have gotten no response. I tried calling their head office number, which I found online but the number is disconnected. It’s so frustrating. I’m owed approximately $200.’’

The Commerce Commission spokesman said it had spoken to Configure Express as part of its unfair contract term review of the gym industry.

He would not elaborate further but the review was due to be published in March.