Woman was pestered into paying HK$4.3m to join Hong Kong gym

A 36-year-old woman paid HK$4.3 million for a gym chain membership and 3,381 hours of personal training after being constantly pestered by sales staff.

The Consumer Council, which revealed on Wednesday that complaints about health clubs shot up 189 per cent last year, said the amount involved was the highest it had ever recorded in such a case.

Chairman Professor Wong Yuk-shan said the woman agreed to the deal in 2013 and signed 54 contracts after several staff members took turns to work on her using various sales methods, such as the offer of discounts.

But she managed to complete only 500 hours by June 2015 and worked out that if she spent three hours a week at the gym it would take her 19 years to finish the sessions.

The woman then demanded the chain return about HK$3.8 million for the remaining time, Wong said.

According to the council, which declined to name the fitness centre, the woman had been pursuing her case via legal means.

“The problems with consumption with pre-payment cannot be left unsolved,” Wong said. “We encourage the government to pay attention to this issue.”