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It’s saddening to me that a local success story…an original Bakersfield business that often receives accolades and awards from the community…conducts business in the disgusting way that I have observed.  Even corporate giants like AT&T, Wal-Mart, and Microsoft has shown a tendency to compromise when it comes to bloodthirsty (read money-hungry) policies that send customers away with a bad taste in their mouth.

Your gyms and spas seem fantastic, to tell the truth.  It’s the portion of your company that makes policies on contracts, billing, and collections that I’m more concerned with.

Your company wants $2,000 from me.  This is to pay off the entire 3 year contract that my wife signed  to use your gym.  She used your gyms for 1 year and is now home raising our daughter.

The thing is…your staff sold her the contract by claiming that it wasn’t a big deal.  If she stopped commuting to Bakersfield or had a baby…it wouldn’t be a problem.

As I’ve attempted to hold your company to this commitment I have received quite a different message.  Essentially it’s been less like “no big deal” and more like “too bad, pay us a lot of money.”

I realize this letter will probably not accomplish anything, but seeing as I can’t afford to pay your astonishing bill it is the best I can do.  I am sending a similarly pointless letter to Bakersfield Credit Control Service, who you claim now “owns this account.”

I would say I’m going rant and rave to the media and dedicate my life to informing the public about your practices, but that just sounds a bit pathetic.  I don’t have that kind of time and frankly I don’t want to harm your company, even if I could.  I just want to be treated fairly…and I wish there were consequences when a local corporation behaves like this.  You can have a contract 3 miles long and strict policies and an aggressive collections policies…but it is still just plain wrong.

So I’m sharing this letter with you (and anyone else it happens to reach) in hopes that when something is wrong the forces of our collective ethical compass will somehow right it.  Kind of naïve, yes, but I’ve got an artistic soul.

Anyway, good job turning a happy customer into a hateful one, and have fun ruining our credit!  I imagine you might even try to sue us if you have the time and resources.  Now that’s exciting!  Lots of luck in 2008!

Sincerely,

        & nbsp;        Aaron Mauldin

(Attached is my letter to the credit company which may have more details on the account in question)

 ___________________________________________ ________________________

To:       Bakersfield Credit Control Service

Fax:      (661) 322-0853

Regarding:  Account Number  XXXXXXX

Collections for XXXXXX XXXXX’s Account with Body XChange Fitness Spa (26867)

To whom it may concern:

In 2007 my wife (name deleted) signed a 2 year contract with Body XChange to use their gyms in Bakersfield.  At the time we were living in Tehachapi and my wife was commuting to Bakersfield 5 days a week.

At the time of signing the contract she questioned the staff regarding concerns about using the gyms in the future.  It was made clear to her that if she was no longer able to commute or if we had a baby she could just let them know and the contract could be amended or cancelled.  According to policy, customers can cancel their contract if they move away (more than 30 miles away from Bakersfield).  The staff made it clear that since we already lived out of town this would not be a problem.

In the fall of 2007 we learned we had a baby on the way.  (name deleted) stopped by the gym to ask about changing the contract.  She was told she could bring in a doctor’s note and they could amend the contract.

From that point forward it was clear to us that we would not be going back to the gym, but our lives became very hectic and she never did follow up with Body XChange.  I was not aware that her account was still active until late March, after the baby was born and I started catching up on bills.  I contacted Body XChange and was told in order to cancel her account/contract I needed to pay the past balance due (around $400).  At the time we were flat broke and I was not able to do this immediately.

I received bills from Bakersfield Credit Control Service and attempted to make good on the debt.  I have since paid the full amount.

Now we are receiving a second bill for over $1,700 for the full amount of the contract.  Body XChange claims we missed our windows to settle the account per their terms and have to deal with your company now.  I have tried multiple times to settle this matter in a way that is acceptable to both my growing family and the “Gym For Every Lifestyle.”  They have failed to meet our expectations of being reasonable and fair when life no longer allowed us to use their services.

I find it unacceptable to pay over $2,000 for absolutely nothing to a company that seems more interested in squeezing every last drop out of a contract than treating customers well.  Further, I am disgusted that a local corporation that has received numerous awards and accolades conducts business in this matter.  For these reasons, I will not be making any further payments on this account.

Signed       & nbsp;       &n bsp;       &nb sp;       &nbs p;         ;             Aaron Mauldin  (661) 823-0198