Why a Mayor Sent Warnings to 187 Gyms

In 2023, Mayor Eric Adams' office in New York City sent formal warnings to 187 gyms over practices that trap members in unwanted subscriptions. The warnings targeted gyms that made cancellation deliberately difficult — requiring in-person visits, refusing phone or email cancellations, charging surprise fees, or continuing to bill after a member asked to stop. These are not isolated complaints. The city's Department of Consumer and Worker Protection received hundreds of reports from gym members who couldn't cancel without a fight.

The warnings matter because they signal what regulators consider illegal under New York's consumer protection laws. If you're in New York or another state with similar rules, understanding what those gyms were doing wrong helps you recognize the same tactics elsewhere — and know what you don't have to accept.

Key Takeaways

  • Gyms that require in-person cancellation, refuse email or phone requests, or hide cancellation terms in fine print are using practices that regulators have flagged as illegal in New York and other states.
  • You have the right to cancel by the same method you signed up — if you joined online, you can cancel online; if you called, you can cancel by phone.
  • Surprise fees, automatic renewals without clear consent, and continued billing after you've asked to stop are all violations that you can report to your state's consumer protection office.
  • Before you join a gym, photograph or save the cancellation terms in writing, because gyms sometimes change their policies after you've signed.

The Specific Practices That Triggered the Warnings

The 187 gyms were warned for four main tactics. The first was requiring in-person cancellation — telling members they had to show up at the gym to cancel, even if they'd signed up online or by phone. The second was refusing alternative cancellation methods: members would call or email asking to cancel, and the gym would ignore the request or say it wasn't valid. The third was hiding cancellation terms in small print or burying them so deep in a contract that members never saw them before signing. The fourth was continuing to charge after cancellation — billing members for months after they'd requested to stop.

New York's law requires that cancellation be as straightforward as signup. If you signed up online, you must be able to cancel online. If you signed up by phone, you must be able to cancel by phone. If you signed up in person, you can be required to cancel in person — but only if that's the only method you had to sign up in the first place. The law also requires that cancellation terms be clear and conspicuous, not buried in dense text.

What Your State's Law Likely Says

New York's rules are strict, but similar protections exist in many other states. California's Automatic Renewal Law requires that cancellation be as straightforward as signup and that you receive a clear reminder before you're charged. Illinois, New Jersey, and several others have passed comparable rules. Even states without specific gym laws often have general consumer protection statutes that prohibit unfair or deceptive practices — and making cancellation intentionally hard usually qualifies.

Federal law also plays a role. The Restore Online Shoppers Confidence Act (ROSCA) requires that negative option billing — automatic recurring charges — be clearly disclosed before you consent, and that cancellation be straightforward. ROSCA applies to any business that bills you repeatedly, including gyms.

The practical result: if a gym makes cancellation unreasonably hard, you likely have a legal argument against the charges, regardless of where you live. The question is whether your state's attorney general or consumer protection office will pursue it — and whether you want to pursue it yourself.

How to Protect Yourself Before You Sign

Read the cancellation terms before you join, not after. Most gyms bury this in their membership agreement or terms of service. Look for the section labeled "Cancellation," "Termination," or "How to Cancel." Write down or screenshot exactly what it says, including any fees, notice periods, or required methods. If the gym won't show you the cancellation terms before you sign, that's a red flag.

Ask the staff directly: "How do I cancel, and can I do it by phone or email?" If they hesitate, give a vague answer, or say you have to come in person, ask them to write that down and sign it. If they won't, consider joining elsewhere. A gym that's confident in its service doesn't make cancellation a maze.

Pay attention to the billing cycle and notice period. Some gyms require 30 days' notice before the next billing date. Others charge a cancellation fee. Some require you to be current on all payments before they'll process a cancellation. These terms are legal — but only if they're disclosed clearly before you sign.

What to Do If You Can't Cancel

If a gym refuses to cancel your membership or keeps billing you after you've asked to stop, document everything. Save emails, text messages, call logs, and the dates you visited in person. Take screenshots of the cancellation terms you were shown when you joined. Write down the names of staff members you spoke to and what they said.

Send a formal cancellation request in writing — email or certified mail — and keep a copy. State clearly: "I am requesting cancellation of my membership effective [date]. Please confirm receipt and provide written confirmation of cancellation." If the gym continues to bill you, contact your credit card company or bank and dispute the charges. Most will reverse them if you can show you requested cancellation.

Then report the gym to your state's attorney general or consumer protection office. In New York, that's the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection. In other states, search "[your state] attorney general consumer complaints" to find the right office. Include your documentation and explain what happened. These complaints are how regulators identify patterns — and they're how the next round of warnings gets sent.

The Difference Between Legal Terms and Traps

Not every gym contract term is a trap. A gym can legally require 30 days' notice, charge a cancellation fee if it's disclosed upfront, or require you to be current on payments. A gym can also legally require that you cancel during business hours or by a certain method — as long as that method is the same one you used to sign up.

The trap is when the gym makes these terms invisible, changes them after you've signed, or ignores your cancellation request altogether. The trap is when a gym says "you can only cancel in person" but you signed up online. The trap is when you call to cancel and the gym says "we don't take cancellations by phone" — and the contract doesn't say that anywhere.

The warnings to those 187 gyms were about traps, not about legitimate business terms. If your gym's cancellation policy is clear, disclosed before you sign, and applied the same way to everyone, it's probably legal — even if you don't like it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a gym charge me a cancellation fee?

Yes, if the fee is disclosed clearly before you sign. The fee must be reasonable and can't be hidden in fine print. If the contract says "cancellation fee: $50" and you saw that before joining, the gym can charge it. If the fee appears only after you ask to cancel, or wasn't in the contract you signed, you can dispute it.

What if the gym says I have to give 30 days' notice?

That's legal if it's disclosed upfront. The gym can require that you submit your cancellation request at least 30 days before your next billing date. What's illegal is if the gym doesn't tell you about this requirement before you sign, or if they explore it inconsistently to some members but not others.

Can I cancel by email if I signed up in person?

It depends on your state's law and the gym's contract. New York requires that you can cancel by the same method you signed up. If you signed up in person, the gym can require in-person cancellation — but only if that was your only option to sign up. If the gym also lets people sign up online or by phone, you should be able to cancel that way too.

What happens if I dispute the charges with my credit card company?

Your credit card company will typically reverse the charges while they investigate. The gym will be notified and can respond. If the gym can show a valid signed contract and that you didn't cancel properly, the charge may be reinstated. But if you can show you requested cancellation and the gym ignored it, the reversal usually sticks.

Should I join a gym that requires in-person cancellation?

Not if you can avoid it. A gym that makes cancellation hard is signaling that it's more interested in trapping you than serving you. Choose a gym that lets you cancel by phone, email, or online. If you do join one with an in-person requirement, get that term in writing before you sign, and photograph the cancellation policy.