Hey RHudson! I am also a client of the Barrie centre and was shocked when I arrived to weigh in this a.m. Do you know when they closed their doors. I am like you and just joined in September for one year. I would like to know what our options are as far as refunds go. I will let you know if I hear anything.
I asked the counsellor at the center tonight about Canadian centers closing. She said they have been getting lots of queries, and most people are finding it out on the internet. It sounded like they had been given the "correct" answer to tell clients. She said it is the Canadian centers that were owned by corporate headquarters are closing. Most of the corporate centers are in the TO area she said. The centers that are a franchise operation are not closing.
Terry
I use to manage a center in the Charlotte NC franchise that was franchise owned. When centers started closing around us our owner told us not to worry- we were franchise and had nothing to worry about. I worked there until December 10th 2008, sold programs, la lites, had an open house a few weeks prior etc. thinking that we had NOTHING to worry about. Loved my job and my clients. My owner called us on December 11th 2008 and fired us all over the phone, we were told not to go back to work there would be signs on the door and if we had left anything in the center it would be mailed to us. So, with that said, if you have a lot of money invested into one of these "franchise" centers I'd go ahead and get my product because most of my clients never got theirs or their refunds.
Thanks for the info Andrea Marie, and also the info on the other question I wrote on buying more weeks. Good advice.
I went tonight and got the 12 boxes of bars I had previously paid for. They were not pleased and wanted to know why I wanted so many. I just told the truth - WOW!!!! Not the right thing to say. I then had to talk to three different counsellors so that they could tell me that their franchise wasn't like that, not closing down, not affected, and that I should "trust them". Then asked me where I got the info I did, and then why I was looking for info like that??? They said that "if" their franchise was going to close down, then the owners of this franchise was going to buy the whole company. As if. And, that there are hundreds of LAWL centers still open - all across the US and Canada. I mentioned that they all closed down in Eastern Canada and Ontario, and a lot of the US, and then they said it wouldn't happen to them. So......I have my 12 boxes of bars.
I am sure I have a big red "x" in my file!!! Oh well.
Terry123, I think you completely did the right thing. I would have never thought my centre was going to close and was completely shocked when I went for my weigh in this a.m. The last time I was there, it seemed like everything was business as usual. I joined in September 2008 under a one year contract...... now they are owing me 8 months worth of service and 10 boxes of LA Lites. I am sure I won't see a dime, however, I have contacted Visa, and they will seek reimbursement on my behalf but not until LA Weight Loss files for bankruptcy or at the end of the year contract and go after them for services not rendered. It was very interesting when I called because they were extremely familiar with the whole situation...... obviously have received a large amount of the same phone calls.
If you notice that your centre begins to put their products on sale at 50% to 75% off, it won't be long before they close their doors. I guess that should have given me the heads up!
Not sure when they closed because I was away. Here is the info a friend sent me. I'll let you know if I hear anything else. Another friend who jst spent a fortune last week there has called the Barrie Advance as well. I think they are doing a story on it this week.
Here is the info I have for franchise owner
Michael Schneer
Office Phone: (905) 889-7864
Fax: (905) 889-8571
I sent an email to Mr. Shneer and received the standard letter below
Dear Client,
I would like to acknowledge receipt of your email. We have received a large number of client inquiries so we are trying to deal with them as quickly as possible. We are very sorry that our closing has caused you anger, concern and inconvenience.
All of the files are in the process of being shipped from the various centres to one secure facility. When all the files have been received and sorted, we will then be in a position to investigate what amount, if any, is owing to you and the other clients.
Alternatively, we have heard that Herbal Magic, one of our competitors, is willing to honour your service time with them at no additional charge. Apparently, all you have to do is bring them a copy of your service contract and they will honour it.
We appreciate your understanding and patience while we try and deal with this as expeditiously as possible.
Sincerely,
Michael Shneer
I am glad to hear your friend has contacted the Barrie Advance. I was thinking of doing the same.
I got a email back from LA Weight loss today after asking about the status of my refund and this is what they said..
We take this opportunity to inform you that LAWL Maritimes Inc., the company that operated the Centre you attended, has been put into receivership by the secured creditors of the Company. Unfortunately as a result of the receivership, the Company no longer has any capital and is unable to provide any refund. We are sorry but we are unable to process your request.
Customer Service
I orginally wrote to them at the end of November when I found out my maritime center was closnig Dec 5th, they sent me the email saying that they were in the process of getting the files and should have them by December 15th, so I then wrote them again the other day to see what the status was and that email is what came back.
Did anybody else from the maritime center recieve this email or did you guys get any kind of refund? Anything else i can try instead of email?
Last edited by HockeyChick21; 01-07-2009 at 11:18 AM.
HockeyChick21, how did you originally pay? If you paid by credit card, your credit holder may be able to assist in recovering your funds. No promises, but they will make an attempt on your behalf.
I'm in the US so it may be a little different in Canada but from what all my previous clients told me they have gotten zero refunds. If you put your program on Care Credit and your purchase was within the past 12 months they *may* refund part of your money. If you used your credit card then that is up to each creditor. If you paid cash/debit/check then I wouldn't count on it. What these owners have done is terrible and I would keep all your documents that you have because I'd almost guarantee that there will be some sort of class action lawsuit.
AndreaMarie, I have a quick question for you. I have a few boxes of LA Lites on hand, but when I run out of the bars, what do I incorporate to make up for those calories?
Hi again AndreaMarie..... I just saw you answered that question on another thread for someone else. Thanks for the helpful information. I am currently on plan 2...... I am hoping to continue on, but find it difficult when I am not facing someone else at Weigh In!
FYI - Just in case you are interested, I found an alternitiave to the LA lite bars once I ran out as well. Changing Sizes sells the Proti bars that are made by the same manafacture as the old LA products, before the made the changes about a year and a half ago to make control trim fit into their program - different flavors, but the same formulas that fit into the LA program. I've been ordering them for a while now, and in my mind they taste WAY better than the la bars ever did. You can find them at www.changingsizes.com/protine-bars.html They do ship to Canada as well - my mother gets them in Calgary - and from what I know there is no import duty on them as they are manafactured in Ontario (if I remember right), so a product of Canada to begin with.
Good Luck! Jenn, in AZ
Quote:
Originally Posted by RainyLakeGirl
AndreaMarie, I have a quick question for you. I have a few boxes of LA Lites on hand, but when I run out of the bars, what do I incorporate to make up for those calories?
Yeah so I go for a weigh in on the 24th of December and return on the 30th to find it closed, I just don't know who to be angry with but I can say I am very sad about it, I enjoyed going and I enjoyed the plan.
I am willing to do the LA ON THE GO if it is offered in Canada and IF I don't have to pay any more money. I signed up in late August so I still have 8 months left and 10 boxes of the bars.
I did notice everything on sale and I did ask what was going on or was the center going to close which they told me NO they are just trying to get rid of items that were coming up on the expiry date and in the new year they would have new stuff, MAN am I gullible or what!!
I am still on plan 2 so I don't know where to go from here what exactly is plan one and when you met your goal what happened then? I wish I could have gotten all the literature on it before they closed so I can go forward.
I don't plan on stopping I am still going to keep up on plan 2 and try and figure out my own way I guess.
Any advise or help from any of you would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks for the info. Jenniferk2008. I will certainly look into it!
Terry, I feel very much the same way you do. I guess the best we can do at this point is do our best to support one another and also just try to move forward. I do not want their closure to affect my weight loss and health!
Ottawa Richmond Road Closed :(
