Something happened to my parents last week and I wanted to get some advice on what action we can take.
My mother has owned a Japanese restaurant for 15 years. The manager and owner of World Gym (it's a national chain) used to be regular customers years ago. It's practically across the street from each other. So they wanted to trade gift certficates. She gave them $650 in value and they gave her the same amount. That amount they gave covered a year membership for 2 people.
That was almost 4 years ago. On the gift certificate to the gym it says when it is valid and then says "expires: never" and signed.
Since there was no expiration, my mom and step-father kept putting off joining the gym. You know people put off exercising for a long time. Finally today they went over there to join.
They were met by a new owner and told the person who signed off on the gift certificate is no longer employed there. Nor is the owner at the time the gift certificate was issued. However we believe it's owned by a family and that it was owned by a different person in the family. OR the guy is just lying about it being a new owner. So he claims the certficate was not valid.
My mom didn't know it changed owners. Just noticed the old owner and manager never came in to eat anymore. They did use up the $650 given to them since they came in often to eat.
The new owner was only willing to give them a 2 month membership. The $650 should have covered year membership for two people.
Of course my mom and step father refused because they felt it was not right. The name on the gift certificate and store both say World's Gym. Same exact location. So even though it is he claims it's under new ownership, the name is still the same.
The owner offered to give the 2 months and then trade gift certificates again for the rest of the months. She obviously refused.
After being shocked by the treatment they were getting, they were just going to leave for now.
They asked for the certificate back. That's when the owner ripped it up, threw it in the trash and said it was his. He gave a look like "tough luck". That got my stepdad fuming. He couldn't believe it. My step father called the police. The owner went to calll the police as well. The police that first arrived seemed to be friends with the owner cause they acted like buddies.
When the owner was talking to my parents, he was an ass. But when the police came it was "yes sir" this and "yes sir" that.
After talking, the police said the best the owner could do was to give three months free. Clearly by now they wouldn't even want to workout there for one day. They said no and just wanted the gift certificate back.
It was retrieved from the trash and given back.
So what can they do?
They are upset of course. They are more upset about how the owner handled it. They feel it is not right. However they feel the gym should not just be able to walk away.
The certificate says not reedemable for cash so I don't think they can get $650 back, which would be the best. They will not exercise there even if they were given free membership for a year. They would just let a friend or employee use it.
They just felt this is not a fair way to do business. Shouldn't the certificate still be redeemable? Same company. Same name. Same location.
What can they do? Should they talk to a lawyer? Can they do anything?
The gym should not be able to get away with this.
Thanks for taking the time to read this and any advice!
My mother has owned a Japanese restaurant for 15 years. The manager and owner of World Gym (it's a national chain) used to be regular customers years ago. It's practically across the street from each other. So they wanted to trade gift certficates. She gave them $650 in value and they gave her the same amount. That amount they gave covered a year membership for 2 people.
That was almost 4 years ago. On the gift certificate to the gym it says when it is valid and then says "expires: never" and signed.
Since there was no expiration, my mom and step-father kept putting off joining the gym. You know people put off exercising for a long time. Finally today they went over there to join.
They were met by a new owner and told the person who signed off on the gift certificate is no longer employed there. Nor is the owner at the time the gift certificate was issued. However we believe it's owned by a family and that it was owned by a different person in the family. OR the guy is just lying about it being a new owner. So he claims the certficate was not valid.
My mom didn't know it changed owners. Just noticed the old owner and manager never came in to eat anymore. They did use up the $650 given to them since they came in often to eat.
The new owner was only willing to give them a 2 month membership. The $650 should have covered year membership for two people.
Of course my mom and step father refused because they felt it was not right. The name on the gift certificate and store both say World's Gym. Same exact location. So even though it is he claims it's under new ownership, the name is still the same.
The owner offered to give the 2 months and then trade gift certificates again for the rest of the months. She obviously refused.
After being shocked by the treatment they were getting, they were just going to leave for now.
They asked for the certificate back. That's when the owner ripped it up, threw it in the trash and said it was his. He gave a look like "tough luck". That got my stepdad fuming. He couldn't believe it. My step father called the police. The owner went to calll the police as well. The police that first arrived seemed to be friends with the owner cause they acted like buddies.
When the owner was talking to my parents, he was an ass. But when the police came it was "yes sir" this and "yes sir" that.
After talking, the police said the best the owner could do was to give three months free. Clearly by now they wouldn't even want to workout there for one day. They said no and just wanted the gift certificate back.
It was retrieved from the trash and given back.
So what can they do?
They are upset of course. They are more upset about how the owner handled it. They feel it is not right. However they feel the gym should not just be able to walk away.
The certificate says not reedemable for cash so I don't think they can get $650 back, which would be the best. They will not exercise there even if they were given free membership for a year. They would just let a friend or employee use it.
They just felt this is not a fair way to do business. Shouldn't the certificate still be redeemable? Same company. Same name. Same location.
What can they do? Should they talk to a lawyer? Can they do anything?
The gym should not be able to get away with this.
Thanks for taking the time to read this and any advice!
