Complaints against Hong Kong gym chain Physical jump 50% after arrest of 2 bosses

The number of complaints filed against Physical Health Centre has jumped 50 per cent in just a day, following the high-profile arrest of two directors of the recently closed gym chain.

As of 7am on Thursday, 1,357 people came forward to the Customs and Excise Department regarding the gym chain, up from about 900 a day earlier. The total amount involved nearly doubled in a day, surging from HK$39 million (US$5 million) to HK$71 million.

Among the cases was one that involved a payment of HK$1.86 million – the highest of all – for more than 1,900 prepaid private classes and a 10-year membership, raising many eyebrows.

“Sometimes the customers had bought more classes than they needed but did not use up before the expiry period, so trainers persuaded them to keep the unused ones valid only if they bought extra classes. That is how it got snowballed,” Consumer Council chief executive Gilly Wong Fung-han told a radio programme.

She said customers should have considered uncertainties possibly existing in signing contract after contract because it was not clear whether their health condition or service provider would change in the next 10 to 30 years while the agreements would still be in effect.