All-Star What Are You Responsible For When You Leave?

[imrichhowboutu]

So i'm interested to hear what most gyms require athletes to pay when they quit a program..

Do you pay any fees that have been due to date?
Do you pay only for fees that have been used to date (meaning in summer you wouldn't have to pay for comp fees even if they were do already)?
Do you have to pay for all fees for the entire season regardless if you leave in june only 1 month after tryouts?

Also, would you be refunded money that you may have paid in advance?

 

[Mamarazzi]

Our gym requires 30 days' notice, meaning you pay for whatever would be due in the next 30 days. If comp fees have been paid but the athlete won't be attending the comp, the fee is forfeited and they won't get that back. Our comp fees are split up over the first 6 months, rather than paid all at once. So, if the athlete quits in January, all fees would have already been paid and they forfeit about 6, maybe 7, comp fees.

 

[hopskipandjump]

So i'm interested to hear what most gyms require athletes to pay when they quit a program..

Do you pay any fees that have been due to date?
Do you pay only for fees that have been used to date (meaning in summer you wouldn't have to pay for comp fees even if they were do already)?
Do you have to pay for all fees for the entire season regardless if you leave in june only 1 month after tryouts?

Also, would you be refunded money that you may have paid in advance?

As a gym owner:
1. Do you pay any fees that have been due to date? Yes, its the right thing to do.
2. Do you pay only for fees that have been used to date (meaning in summer you wouldn't have to pay for comp fees even if they were do already)? Tricky; if my gym has already paid for your competition fees (and they may have to get a good deal), then you owe them. If not, I would absolutely not expect anyone to pay for them.
3. Do you have to pay for all fees for the entire season regardless if you leave in june only 1 month after tryouts? I would expect payment for anything our gym had to pay for the participant, i.e. clothing, shoes, competition fees. Otherwise, I would not expect it.
4. Also, would you be refunded money that you may have paid in advance? I would certainly refund any money our gym did not put out for the participant if they chose to leave.

 

[imrichhowboutu]

The reason I ask is I've recently seen a gym's contract which states that all fees for the entire season are owed if you leave at any point.

 

[spiritmama]

The reason I ask is I've recently seen a gym's contract which states that all fees for the entire season are owed if you leave at any point.

Whaaaaat?! As a gym owner, I know I would drive business AWAY if I stated that, or tried doing it. that is ridiculous.

Here are the answers for my own gym:

Do you pay any fees that have been due to date?
Back due fees must be paid if someone leaves my gym, though usually we end up calling a collections agency to try to get them. Once they bail, money coming in is rare to see.

Do you pay only for fees that have been used to date (meaning in summer you wouldn't have to pay for comp fees even if they were do already)?
Any competition fees paid out are non-refundable, as are registration fees etc. If they are thre for the due date, they pay 'em because they have already been paid out.

Do you have to pay for all fees for the entire season regardless if you leave in june only 1 month after tryouts?
No, No, No. No one would ever come to my tryouts if I pulled that.

Also, would you be refunded money that you may have paid in advance?
I DO refund monthly tuition if paid in advance, or anything else that has been paid to me but not yet due. registration and past monthly mapyemnts are non refundable.

 

[FierceinTeal]

I recently saw in a tryout packet that if you quit before the season is over you have to return all of the uniform/warnups/practice wear (that you paid for) to the gym...

Has anyone else ever heard on this?

 

[fullpass]

I know of a program that expects you to pay everything you committed to regardless of when you leave. They make you sign a contract and they have SUED people before. Talk about driving away business :eek:

 

[libertycoach]

If the parents have read the contract and fully understand the ramifications of signing the document then I guess they should be held liable for whatever consequence they may face if they left mid-season. Maybe it's put in there to make sure the athletes signing up are serious and in it for the long haul, not going to bail at the drop of a dime. Some have said it's bad for business and will scare people away, but the fact that the gyms are still in business, as I interpret the posts, I guess it's working for them.

 

[SheCheers]

So i'm interested to hear what most gyms require athletes to pay when they quit a program..

Do you pay any fees that have been due to date?
Do you pay only for fees that have been used to date (meaning in summer you wouldn't have to pay for comp fees even if they were do already)?
Do you have to pay for all fees for the entire season regardless if you leave in june only 1 month after tryouts?

Also, would you be refunded money that you may have paid in advance?

it's in our gym's contract that, after signing, you are still responsible for 100% of all fees. any booster club money raised, is forfeited, there are no refunds.

i would think, though, honestly that even though it says that, if you quit in june, they're not going to force you to pay. i think it's more for those folks that quit in October or later...just MHO.

 

[imrichhowboutu]

it's in our gym's contract that, after signing, you are still responsible for 100% of all fees. any booster club money raised, is forfeited, there are no refunds.

i would think, though, honestly that even though it says that, if you quit in june, they're not going to force you to pay. i think it's more for those folks that quit in October or later...just MHO.

BUt even if you leave in october... sure choreo and uniforms are already paid for, you wont get that back. But should you have to pay for monthly tuition for months you aren't there?

 

[jcheermom]

Once you leave a program, if you have paid for the uniform and warm ups, why would you have to return it to them? Wouldn't these items be considered your own property? I know of a gym that, even though you have paid for your uniform, according to their contract that they sign the uniform must be returned when you quit or leave the gym, but I don't get that. If you have paid $300 for a uniform and have received the uniform, it should be your own items, free and clear? Right?

 

[SheCheers]

BUt even if you leave in october... sure choreo and uniforms are already paid for, you wont get that back. But should you have to pay for monthly tuition for months you aren't there?

i guess, yes if that's what is in the contract you signed, otherwise no. but really, i have serious doubts they'd legally pursue it if you failed to pay, because it wouldn't be worth the fees.

 

[Underestimated]

I recently saw in a tryout packet that if you quit before the season is over you have to return all of the uniform/warnups/practice wear (that you paid for) to the gym...

Has anyone else ever heard on this?

LMAO! No, never heard of this.. i wonder who would do something like this!

 

[ufomom]

If you are writing up guidelines, I am comfortable with: if the service is rendered, I should pay for it and if we had to quit, a 30 day cancelation notice would be required. On competition fees, I am comfortable with there being a date where they are no longer refundable...for example October. In general, I am used to all comp fees being collected b Oct. or Nov. I would not sign a contract that required payment of tuition for the entire year, even if we had to quit. I would never join a gym intending to quit, but things like injuries, job losses or other unexpected events would make me wary of signing a commitment with no 30 day out.

 

[afterdark]

The reason I ask is I've recently seen a gym's contract which states that all fees for the entire season are owed if you leave at any point.

I have herad of it and it has alot to do with the problem of mass exits, you see one person leaving a gym not that bad, but if lets say 2 stunt groups come together and decide to leave for another program thats 8 athletes, gym owners have committed to renting property, paying salaries, competition registration, choreography deposits, music deposits, and more. Those contracts are to protect them from ending up in personal debt because "Suzies mom found a deal at a local gym for everybody to go join." The gym is obviously committed to the program if they are asking for those contracts", Cell phone companies do this all of the time!!!!