So you‘ve decided it‘s time to cancel your LA Fitness membership. Maybe you‘re moving or have found a gym that‘s a better fit. Whatever the reason, canceling can feel intimidating.
This comprehensive guide will walk you through the entire LA Fitness cancellation process. You‘ll learn the key rules to follow, how to submit the cancellation form online or by mail, alternatives to outright cancellation, and what happens if you stop paying.
Let‘s dig in so you can cancel your membership smoothly and avoid any hassles.
When to Submit Your LA Fitness Cancellation Request
To avoid being charged for another month, LA Fitness must receive your cancellation notice at least 5 business days before your next billing date. So if you want to stop getting charged after March, submit your cancellation by February 24th (if billing is on the 1st of each month).
[Image showing calendar cancellation date example]If you submit later than the 5 business day cutoff, you’ll likely be charged again and get another month of membership. Mark your deadline on the calendar so your request arrives on time!
You‘re Committed During Initial Membership Term
One key condition to note – if you just signed up and agreed to a 1 year contract or other initial term, LA Fitness will not allow you to cancel until that initial period ends. So if you joined in January 2022 on a year-long term, cancellation wouldn’t take effect until January 2023 at the earliest. Just something to be aware of.
Access Continues During Already Paid Period
The good new is that if you do cancel with proper notice, you can continue using your LA Fitness location without limitation until the next billing cycle comes around. So if you prepaid for March already and then cancel in the allotted window before April, you’d still have full gym access for the remainder of March.
This means you can cancel but still get your money‘s worth from the membership. Keep those endorphins flowing!
[Image showing person working out at gym with caption – Use it before you lose it!]Now let‘s get into the step-by-step process for actually submitting your LA Fitness cancellation form online.
How to Cancel Your LA Fitness Membership Online
Canceling online through the LA Fitness website is the quickest way to terminate your membership (assuming you meet the conditions around timing and contract status).
Here are the 6 key steps:
Step 1: Log In to Your "My LA Fitness" Online Account
You need an online account to submit the cancellation form. If you don‘t have one yet, register at lafitness.com. Once your account is setup, login to the site.
[Image showing My LA Fitness login page]Step 2: Click "My LA Fitness" Icon in Top Right
This will take you to your account management portal page. Look for a little icon in the top right corner that probably looks like a muscled stick figure.
[Image highlighting My LA Fitness icon]Step 3: Select “Account Information”
This page has all your membership details, payment information, usage history etc. Look for and click on the “Account Information” link.
[Image showing Account Information link]Step 4: Click “Cancellation Form” on the Right Side
You should now see a section on the right labeled “Cancellation Form”. Go ahead and click this to access the form.
[Image showing cancellation form link]Step 5: Download and Print Out the PDF Form
The form will open either in your browser or a PDF viewer app. It will be pre-populated with your membership information. Print out the form using your computer’s print menu.
[Image showing printed cancellation form example]Note that the bottom third has envelope flaps and the LA Fitness mailing address printed. So once you fill out the form, you‘ll fold this section into a nifty self-mailer.
Step 6: Mail the Completed Form to LA Fitness
Dig out a pen. Fill in the cancellation date of when you want membership to end and add your signature. Then fold up the bottom third envelope-style and tape it shut.
Finally, drop the envelope in a mailbox to send it on the way to LA Fitness HQ! Use certified mail if you want tracking to confirm its arrival.
And that‘s it – you‘ve now successfully cancelled your LA Fitness membership online! Just be sure you mail that form with enough lead time based on the rules we discussed.
[Image showing a mailbox with form ready to mail]How to Cancel LA Fitness In Person
If going the online route doesn‘t work for you for whatever reason, you can also cancel your LA Fitness membership in person at your gym location.
Here‘s how that process works:
-
Draft a written notice – Write out a statement saying you wish to cancel membership effective on X date and sign and date this notice.
-
Hand deliver to operations manager – Visit your gym with the notice in hand and ask for the operations manager. Hand this person your cancellation document and request confirmation/receipt. You can do this any weekday 9am – 5pm typically.
And you‘re done! In-person cancellation at the gym front desk is perfectly valid as long as you have that signed, dated termination letter.
Alternative to Full Cancellation – Freeze Your Membership
Instead of outright cancelling your LA Fitness membership, you have the flexible option to freeze (or suspend) the account instead at a lower holding cost.
Here‘s a quick primer on how the freeze options work:
- Freeze club memberships for $10/month (vs $30+ normal dues)
- Freeze paid-in-full memberships up to 6 months for a flat freeze period
- Biweekly members can freeze for $5 per two week billing cycle
- Kids club freezes have no holding fees
You won‘t forfeit reward points either since technically you‘d still be a member in frozen status. And you can thaw the freeze and reactive full membership anytime by paying prorated dues for the partial month.
Freezing could be the right middle ground if you expect to use LA Fitness again down the road or don‘t want the headache of formally cancelling now. Simply toggle the freeze status when logged in to your online account.
What Happens If I Just Stop Paying My Gym Membership Fees?
It can be tempting to bypass the cancellation rigamarole entirely and just halt payments from your linked checking account or credit card. What‘s the worst that could happen, right?
Well unfortunately LA Fitness may continue charging your normal $30+ monthly membership fee even if you don‘t visit the gym or notify them. This could trigger:
- Outstanding balances sent to collections agencies
- Significant damage to your credit score
- Being barred from any future LA Fitness (or sister company brand) membership
Not the end of the world perhaps but certainly headaches you’d want to avoid. It’s always best to formally cancel your contract using the steps outlined in this article. Both for proper consumer etiquette and protecting your financial reputation long term.
And remember – unless you just signed up initially, you shouldn‘t owe any further money beyond the current billing cycle when you cancel correctly.
[Image showing person shrugging with captions "Just stop paying?" ….Don‘t!!]Top Alternative Gyms If Leaving LA Fitness
Maybe LA Fitness turned out to not be your speed for one reason or another. No sweat! Let‘s look at some excellent alternate gyms you might think about joining instead if your quest for physical fitness continues elsewhere.
[Image preview of alternative gym logos]
24 Hour Fitness
Best for: People with jam-packed schedules who need maximum late night/early morning flexibility. Open literally 24 hours!
Locations: Over 300 across U.S.
Price: $30 – $50 monthly
Around-the-clock access is the claim to fame of this massive gym chain. If restrictive operating hours have been an obstacle for your workouts, problem solved!
Gold‘s Gym
Best for: Serious bodybuilders and strength trainers. No shortage of weights and muscle-sculpting equipment.
Locations: 700+ globally
Price: Starts at $10 biweekly ($20/month)
A mecca for serious fitness buffs, Gold‘s has a gritty, no-judgment muscle-building environment. Expect pure dedication and lots of protein shakes!
Equinox
Best for: Deep pockets who want a truly luxury wellness experience with premium everything.
Locations: 100+ across major U.S. cities
Price: $200+ monthly
Country clubs wish they could offer what Equinox does – exclusive classes, celebrity trainers, ultra modern equipment, even juice bars and eucalyptus towels. The Ritz Carlton of gyms!
Still have some lingering questions about the cancellation process or what comes next? Check out these common FAQs:
Can I suspend my LA Fitness membership instead of cancelling?
Yes! Instead of fully canceling, you have the option to freeze (or suspend) your membership for an indefinite period for a greatly reduced fee. Club memberships can freeze for just $10/month, while paid-in-full members freeze for up to 6 months. Biweekly members pay $5 per two week billing cycle frozen. Freezes are available anytime through your online account portal. You can lift the freeze and reactive membership whenever you choose.
If I cancel correctly, will I owe additional fees?
You should NOT incur any additional charges beyond the current billing cycle you pre-paid (typically monthly), assuming you adhere to the > 5 day advance cancellation notice period AND submitted your initial contract term. As long as those conditions were met, LA Fitness cannot continue charging you once they have processed your termination request. Just be sure you follow all cancellation steps fully.
Can I transfer my membership to a different LA Fitness location?
Absolutely! If the reason you‘re leaving is because you moved to a new area, you can seamlessly transfer membership to another franchise location near your new home or office. No new signup or fees needed. LA Fitness has gyms in most major metro regions nationwide, so odds are there‘s one conveniently close. Just search the gym finder map on their website and call to arrange transfer paperwork.
If I regret cancelling, can I rejoin LA Fitness?
No problem – you can signup again for LA Fitness membership in the future after cancellation. You‘ll pay standard rates and likely need to commit to another 1 year agreement. But you generally won‘t be outright banned or face extra charges down the road simply for having left previously on good terms (like paying all balances owed). Unless you do something more serious like repeatedly harass staff or steal gear!
And there you have it – everything you could possibly need to know about cancelling your LA Fitness gym membership.
The key takeaways:
- Submit form/notice at least 5 biz days pre-billing
- Allow initial contract term to expire if new member
- Continue using gym perks until next bill cycle
- Consider "freezing" instead of full cancellation
- Beats damaging credit by stopping payment sans cancel!
Follow the steps in this guide, stick to the fine print conditions around timing and contracts, and cancelling should be smooth sailing. Here‘s to maintaining your newly liberated fitness journey, whether at another gym or out running trails!
Did this guide give you the confidence to finally cancel LA Fitness once and for all? Have any other questions I didn‘t cover? Let me know in the comments!
