Call Kurtis Investigates: Gym Overcharging Customers Has Health Violations

NORTH HIGHLANDS (CBS13) --  Call Kurtis investigates a local gym that won't stop charging a grandma.

Months after cancelling, she's still getting billed.  

Call Kurtis started investigating and uncovered serious health concerns at this gym.

We didn't know about these violations until we showed up unannounced and a worker started talking.

"How's it going?" I asked the worker at the front desk.

"That's not on, is it?" asked the worker named Fernando.

I told him, "It is on."

NorCal Fitness and Aerobics in North Highlands... not happy to see us.

"I don't want to be on camera, could you please turn that off?" asked Fernando.

We wanted to know why the gym keeps taking money out of Donna Cantrell's bank account, even though she cancelled her month to month membership in December.

"I just want my $90 dollars back that they owe me right now and do not want them to take anymore money out," says Donna.

The gym's owner, Donavan Ursua, didn't respond to her.  And he hasn't responded to our eight calls and two emails.  So here we are.

"You guys keep billing this lady here and she's cancelled.  We want to figure out how to the billing to stop and how to get her money back," I told Fernando.

Fernando says he's only been on the job two weeks.  He says the owner isn't here and he can't get him or the manager on the phone.

"How many people have come in with this problem?" I asked.

"About 5 or 10 plus since I've been working here," says Fernando.

And listen closely.   Fernando admits, it's not the only complaint he's hearing.

"It's getting dirty, the jacuzzi's cold, the sauna's got mildew all over it. It smells bad, it's bad for you, it could kill you," says Fernando.

That's concerning.

We checked with the County's Environmental Health Department, which sent out an inspector Monday, finding...

The pool and spa shouldn't even be open.  The gym has no current health permit.

And the inspector found major violations which could make people sick.

Violations like not enough bacteria-killing chlorine in the pool.

The inspector says the hot tub was only 66-degrees.

These photos she took show no soap or toilet paper in the bathrooms, hanging insulation from the ceiling and unapproved suction outlets.

The county shut down the pool and spa, which may keep members from getting sick, but it doesn't help Donna with her refund.

"I apologize for anything you're going through," says Fernando.

"Which is pretty much what I leave with every time I come here," says Donna.

Our producer stopped by the owner's Elk Grove home.  

A neighbor said he moved out the day before.

We had one more way to get Donna's money back... have her challenge the charge with her bank, claiming fraud... a step Donna never wanted to get to. 

"Just beyond irritated," says Donna.

The bank is now investigating.

Could the gyms days be numbered?

Possibly.   Fernando thinks the gym's having financial problems.

"I love this place. I don't want to see it go down, but it looks like it," says Fernando.

The gym must fix every violation and pay for a re-inspection before the pool and spa can re-open.

Donna's bank has agreed to block any future charges from this gym.

Yet again... another mess when you do automatic withdrawals from your bank account.