Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Chapter 100 - Marketing; trade practices.
100.177 - Fitness center and weight reduction center contracts.

100.177 Fitness center and weight reduction center contracts.
(1) In this section:
(ag) “Center" means a fitness center or a weight reduction center.
(am) “Conspicuous" has the meaning designated under s. 421.301 (8).
(b) “Contract for center services" or “contract" means any of the following:
1. A contract for membership in any center.
2. A contract for instruction, training, assistance or use of facilities primarily for physical exercise, in weight control, or in figure development.
3. A contract for instruction, supervision or counseling for diet or weight loss or maintenance.
(c) “Fitness center" means an establishment that, for profit, provides as its primary purpose services or facilities that are purported to assist patrons in physical exercise, in weight control, or in figure development, including but not limited to a fitness center, studio, salon or club. “Fitness center" does not include an organization solely offering training or facilities in an individual sport or a weight reduction center.
(d) “Operating day" means any calendar day on which the buyer may inspect and use the facilities and services of the center during a period of at least 8 hours.
(e) “Weight reduction center" means an establishment that provides as its primary purpose instruction, supervision or counseling for diet or weight loss or maintenance, if physical exercise services are not provided on the premises.
(2) The seller shall give the buyer a copy of the written contract at the time the buyer signs the contract.
(3) Every contract for center services shall clearly and conspicuously disclose the identity and location of the center facilities available to the buyer. The contract shall disclose the general nature of each major facility and service that will be available including any conditions or restrictions on their use. The disclosures under this subsection may be made on a separate sheet provided to the buyer at the time the buyer signs the contract. If a facility or service is replaced by an equal or superior facility or service, the center is deemed in compliance with this subsection.
(4) Every contract for fitness center services shall provide that performance of all of the agreed upon facilities and services will be available for the buyer's use on a specified date no later than 6 months after the date the contract is signed by the buyer.
(5) Every contract for fitness center services shall be for a specified length of time not exceeding 2 years and shall clearly disclose the full price of the buyer's contractual obligation including any interest or other charges.
(5m) Every contract for weight reduction center services shall be for a specified length of time not exceeding 2 years exclusive of any weight maintenance program. If the contract for weight reduction center services includes a weight maintenance program, the contract for weight reduction center services shall be for a specified length of time not exceeding 3 years. The contract for weight reduction center services shall clearly disclose the full price of the buyer's contractual obligation including any interest or other charges.
(6) Every contract for fitness center service shall contain:
(a) A caption printed in boldface uppercase type of not less than 10-point size entitled “CANCELLATION AND REFUNDS".
(b) A provision under the caption stating: “Right to Cancel. You are permitted to cancel this contract until midnight of the 3rd operating day after the date on which you signed the contract. If the facilities or services that are described in the contract are not available at the time you sign the contract, you have until midnight of the 3rd operating day after the day on which you received notice of their availability, to cancel the contract. If within this time period you decide you want to cancel this contract, you may do so by notifying .... (the seller) by any writing mailed or delivered to .... (the seller) at the address shown on the contract, within the previously described time period. If you do so cancel, any payments made by you, less a user fee of no more than $3 per day of actual use, will be refunded within 21 days after notice of cancellation is delivered, and any evidence of any indebtedness executed by you will be canceled by .... (the seller) and arrangements will be made to relieve you of any further obligation to pay the same."
(6m) Every contract for weight reduction center service shall contain:
(a) A caption printed in boldface uppercase type of not less than 10-point size entitled “CANCELLATION AND REFUNDS".
(b) A provision under the caption stating: “Right to Cancel. You are permitted to cancel this contract until midnight of the 3rd operating day after the date on which you signed the contract. If the facilities or services that are described in the contract are not available at the time you sign the contract, you have until midnight of the 3rd operating day after the day on which you received notice of their availability, to cancel the contract. If within this time period you decide you want to cancel this contract, you may do so by notifying.... (the seller) by any writing mailed or delivered to.... (the seller) at the address shown on the contract, within the previously described time period. If you do so cancel, any payments made by you, less the value of services already provided to you, will be refunded within 21 days after notice of cancellation is delivered, and any evidence of any indebtedness executed by you will be canceled by.... (the seller) and arrangements will be made to relieve you of any further obligation to pay the same."
(7) If, at the time of execution of the center services contract, the facilities and services described in the contract are available for the buyer's use, the contract may include the written notice that the facilities and services are available as required by subs. (6) and (6m).
(8) No contract may require the buyer to pay more than $25 or 10 percent of the total contract price, whichever is less, prior to the date on which the customer receives written notice that the facilities and services described in the contract are available for full use by the buyer.
(9) No contract for fitness center services may require a buyer who exercises the contractual right to cancel to pay more than a $3 user fee per day of actual use of facilities and services by the buyer during the cancellation period. No contract for weight reduction center services may require a buyer who exercises the contractual right to cancel to pay more than the value of services provided before cancellation.
(10) Any right of action or defense arising out of a contract for center services that the buyer has against the seller is preserved against any assignee of or successor to the contract.
(11)
(a) Every contract for center services shall provide that if any of the facilities or services described in the contract become unavailable or are no longer fully operational, before full receipt of the services and use of facilities for which the buyer contracted, the buyer is liable for only that portion of the total consideration proportional to the elapsed time portion of the contract at the time of the unavailability. The buyer is entitled to a refund of any other funds already paid.
(b) A buyer has the option, in lieu of the proportional refund provided in par. (a), to choose to complete the unused portion of the contract including any renewal periods at the price disclosed in accordance with sub. (5) at another location which is owned, controlled, affiliated with or operated by the seller. Any such modification of the contract must be made in writing and may only modify the terms of the contract required under sub. (3) concerning the unavailable or no longer fully operational facilities or services.
(c) Nothing in this subsection shall restrict a center's ability to:
1. Perform regular maintenance or make prompt equipment repairs.
2. Make improvements to the facilities or services.
3. Replace a facility or service with a superior facility or service.
(12) Every contract for center services shall provide that if the buyer is unable to make use of or receive the center services contracted for because of death or disability, the buyer is liable for only that portion of the total consideration proportional to the elapsed time portion of the contract at the time of the death or disability.
(13)
(a) Subject to sub. (8), no center may collect or by contract require a buyer to pay more than $100 for center services before the buyer receives or has the opportunity to receive those services unless the center establishes, for each center location, proof of financial responsibility as described in par. (b).
(b)
1. Except as provided in subd. 3., a center may establish proof of financial responsibility required under par. (a) by maintaining an established escrow account approved by the department for all amounts received from buyers in advance of the receipt of services or by maintaining any of the following commitments approved by the department in an amount not less than $25,000, subject to subd. 2.:
a. A bond.
b. A certificate of deposit.
d. An irrevocable letter of credit.
2. The commitment described in subd. 1. shall be established in favor of or made payable to the state, for the benefit of any buyer who does not receive a refund under sub. (11) (a). The center shall file with the department any agreement, instrument or other document necessary to enforce the commitment against the center or any relevant 3rd party, or both.
3. For 6 or more weight reduction centers owned or operated under the same trade name, the amount of the financial commitment under pars. (a) and (b) for those weight reduction centers is not required to exceed a total of $150,000. For a weight reduction center that submits to the department evidence satisfactory to the department that the weight reduction center collected a total of $50,000 or more but less than $100,000 from buyers of its center services in the previous calendar year, the amount of the financial commitment under pars. (a) and (b) is not required to exceed $10,000. For a weight reduction center that submits to the department evidence satisfactory to the department that the weight reduction center collected less than a total of $50,000 from buyers of its center services in the previous calendar year, the amount of the financial commitment under pars. (a) and (b) is not required to exceed $5,000.
(14) Any contract for center services is unenforceable against the buyer and is a violation of this section if:
(a) The buyer entered into the contract in reliance upon any false, fraudulent, deceptive or misleading information, representation, notice or advertisement.
(b) The contract does not comply with the requirements of this section.
(c) The seller fails to perform in accordance with the contractual provisions under this section.
(d) The contract contains a provision in which the buyer agrees to waive the requirements of this section.
(15)
(a) The department shall investigate violations of this section or s. 100.178 (2) or (4). The department may on behalf of the state:
1. Bring an action for temporary or permanent injunctive or other relief in any court of competent jurisdiction for any violation of this section or s. 100.178 (2) or (4). The court may in its discretion, upon entry of final judgment, award restitution when appropriate to any person suffering loss because of violations of this section if proof of such loss is submitted to the satisfaction of the court.
2. Bring an action in any court of competent jurisdiction for the recovery of civil forfeitures against any person who violates this section or s. 100.178 (2) or (4) in an amount not less than $100 nor more than $10,000 for each violation.
(am) The department may bring an action in circuit court to recover on a financial commitment maintained under sub. (13) against a center or relevant 3rd party, or both, on behalf of any buyer who does not receive a refund due under sub. (11) (a).
(b) In addition to the remedies otherwise provided by law, any person injured by a violation of this section may bring a civil action for damages under s. 100.20 (5). Any person injured by a breach of a contract for center services may bring a civil action to recover damages together with costs and disbursements, including reasonable attorney fees, and such other equitable relief as may be determined by the court.
History: 1977 c. 276; 1987 a. 385; 1991 a. 247; 1993 a. 239; 1995 a. 27; 1997 a. 111 s. 26; Stats. 1997 s. 100.177.

Structure Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations