Rhode Island General Laws 5-50-4. Contract contents – Notice to buyer of right to cancel contract – Right of contract cancellation – Refund
(a) A copy of every health club contract shall be delivered to the buyer at the time the contract is signed.
Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 5-50-4
- Business day: means any day except Sunday or a legal holiday. See Rhode Island General Laws 5-50-1
- Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
- Disability: means a condition that will exist for more than forty-five (45) days and prevents a buyer from utilizing the health club to the same extent the buyer did before the commencement of the condition. See Rhode Island General Laws 5-50-1
- Health club: means any corporation, partnership, unincorporated association, or other business enterprise offering facilities for the preservation, maintenance, encouragement, or development of physical fitness or well-being in return for the payment of a fee entitling the payer to the use of the facilities. See Rhode Island General Laws 5-50-1
- Health club contract: means a written statement where a buyer is entitled to membership in a health club or use of the facilities of a health club for a period longer than seven (7) days. See Rhode Island General Laws 5-50-1
- in writing: include printing, engraving, lithographing, and photo-lithographing, and all other representations of words in letters of the usual form. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-16
- Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
- person: may be construed to extend to and include co-partnerships and bodies corporate and politic. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-6
- purchaser: means a natural person who enters into a health club contract. See Rhode Island General Laws 5-50-1
- Seller: means any person, firm, corporation, partnership, unincorporated association, franchise, franchisor, or other business enterprise that operates a health club or offers or enters into contracts for health club services. See Rhode Island General Laws 5-50-1
(b)(1) All health club contracts must be in writing signed by the buyer; must designate the date on which the buyer actually signs the contract; and must contain a statement of the buyer’s rights that substantially complies with this section.
(2) The statement must appear in the contract under the conspicuous caption “BUYER’S RIGHT TO CANCEL,” and read as follows:
(2) “If you wish to cancel this contract, you may cancel in person or by mail to the seller. You must give notice, in writing, that you do not wish to be bound by the contract. This notice must be delivered or mailed before midnight of the tenth (10th) business day after the date of the contract so entered into. All cancellations must be delivered or mailed to: (Insert name and mailing address of health club).”
(3) Proof of in-person cancellation shall be effectuated by writing “cancellation” and the date of cancellation across the contract.
(4) The buyer shall receive a copy of the contract.
(5) The signature of the person employed by the health club who registers the cancellation must also appear on the contract.
(c) Every contract for health club services shall provide that the contract may be cancelled before midnight of the tenth (10th) day after the date of the contract so entered into. The notice of the buyer’s cancellation of his or her contract shall be in writing and shall be made in person or by mail to the seller at the address specified in the contract.
(d) Every contract for health club services shall provide clearly and conspicuously, in writing, that after the expiration of the ten-day (10) period for cancellation as provided in subsection (b)(2):
(1) The buyer shall be relieved from any and all obligations under the contract, and shall be entitled to a refund of any prepaid membership under the contract if:
(i) A buyer relocates further than fifteen (15) miles from a comparable health club facility operated by the seller;
(ii) If a health club facility relocates further than fifteen (15) miles from its current location, or the seller does not maintain a health club service within a fifteen (15) mile radius from its current location; or
(iii) If the health club services or facilities are not available to the buyer because the seller fails to open a planned health club or location, permanently discontinues operation of the health club or location, or substantially changes the operation;
(2) If a buyer becomes significantly physically or medically disabled for a period in excess of three (3) months during the membership term, he or she has the option:
(i) To be relieved of liability for payment on that portion of the contract term for which the purchaser is disabled and receive a full refund of any prepaid membership on the contract; or
(ii) To extend the duration of the contract at no additional cost for a period equal to the duration of the disability. The health club may require that a doctor’s certificate be submitted as verification of the disability;
(3) In the event of the buyer’s death, his or her estate shall be relieved of any further obligation for payment under the contract and shall be entitled to a refund for any prepaid membership for the unused portion of the contract. The health club may require verification of death;
(4) In the event of a sale of health club ownership, the contract is voidable at the option of the buyer.
(e) A health club contract that does not comply with the provisions of this chapter is voidable at the option of the buyer.
(f) Upon cancellation pursuant to this section, the buyer shall be free of any and all obligations under the contract, and any prepaid monies pursuant to this contract shall be refunded within fifteen (15) business days of receipt of the notice of cancellation. The right of cancellation shall not be affected by the terms of the contract and may not be waived or surrendered.
(g) Notice of the buyer’s right to cancel and the method of cancellation under this section shall also be posted clearly and conspicuously on the premises of the health club.
History of Section.
P.L. 1996, ch. 154, § 1; P.L. 1999, ch. 354, § 15.