2014 Tennessee Code
Title 47 - Commercial Instruments And Transactions
Chapter 18 - Consumer Protection
Part 3 - Health Clubs
§ 47-18-305 - Requirements for valid agreements.

(a) All health club agreements shall:

(1) Be in writing;

(2) Be signed by the buyer;

(3) Designate the date on which the buyer actually signed the agreement; and

(4) Contain in boldface type of at least ten (10) points, in immediate proximity to the space reserved for the signature of the buyer, the following statement:

BUYER'S RIGHT TO CANCEL

YOU (THE BUYER) MAY CANCEL THIS AGREEMENT BY SENDING NOTICE OF YOUR WISH TO CANCEL TO THE HEALTH CLUB BEFORE MIDNIGHT OF THE THIRD DAY (EXCLUDING SATURDAYS, SUNDAYS, AND LEGAL HOLIDAYS) OR, IF THE AGREEMENT IS SUBJECT TO A FINANCE CHARGE, THE SEVENTH DAY AFTER THE DAY YOU SIGNED THE AGREEMENT. THIS NOTICE MUST BE SENT BY REGISTERED MAIL TO THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS:

___________________

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WITHIN THIRTY (30) DAYS AFTER RECEIPT OF THE NOTICE OF CANCELLATION, THE HEALTH CLUB WILL RETURN ANY PAYMENTS MADE AND ANY NOTE EXECUTED BY YOU IN CONNECTION WITH THE AGREEMENT.

(5) (A) Contain in boldface type of at least ten (10) points, the following statement:

SHOULD YOU (THE BUYER) CHOOSE TO PAY THIS AGREEMENT IN FULL, BE AWARE THAT YOU ARE PAYING FOR FUTURE SERVICES AND MAY BE RISKING LOSS OF YOUR MONEY IN THE EVENT THIS HEALTH CLUB CEASES TO CONDUCT BUSINESS.

(B) Contain in boldface type, the following statements in separated paragraphs:

(i) IN ADDITION TO ANY OTHER REMEDIES PROVIDED BY LAW, IN THE EVENT THIS HEALTH CLUB CEASES OPERATION AND FAILS TO OFFER YOU (THE BUYER) AN ALTERNATE LOCATION WITHIN FIFTEEN (15) MILES, WITH NO ADDITIONAL COST TO YOU, THEN NO FURTHER PAYMENTS SHALL BE DUE TO ANYONE, INCLUDING ANY PURCHASER OF ANY NOTE ASSOCIATED WITH OR CONTAINED IN THIS CONTRACT.

(ii) STATE LAW REQUIRES THAT HEALTH CLUB AGREEMENTS BE PAYABLE ONLY IN THE FOLLOWING MANNER, AND ANY HEALTH CLUB WHICH ENTERS INTO HEALTH CLUB AGREEMENTS SHALL OFFER BOTH PAYMENT OPTIONS AT THE SAME PRICE, EXCLUDING INTEREST OR FINANCE CHARGES OR OTHER EQUIVALENT CHARGES WHICH SHALL NOT EXCEED EIGHTEEN PERCENT (18%) OF THE TOTAL CONTRACT PRICE:

(a) Full payment within ninety (90) days after entering into the health club agreement; or

(b) Equal monthly installments with any down payment (unless exempt as provided by law) limited to thirty percent (30%) of the total cost of the agreement. Prepayment is allowed at any time with full refund of unearned finance charges.

(iii) THIS CONTRACT DOES NOT CONTAIN ANY PAYMENTS OF ANY KIND, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ENROLLMENT FEES, MEMBERSHIP FEES, OR ANY OTHER DIRECT PAYMENTS TO THE HEALTH CLUB, OTHER THAN FULL PAYMENT FOR THE HEALTH CLUB AGREEMENT OR MONTHLY INSTALLMENT PAYMENTS WITH ANY DOWN PAYMENT (UNLESS EXEMPT AS PROVIDED BY LAW) LIMITED TO THIRTY PERCENT (30%) OF THE TOTAL COST OF THE AGREEMENT, AND, IN THE CASE OF INSTALLMENT PAYMENTS WHICH ARE NOT MADE BY ELECTRONIC FUND TRANSFER OR CASH, AN ADMINISTRATIVE CHARGE, NOT TO EXCEED FIVE DOLLARS ($5.00) FOR EACH BILLING PERIOD.

(iv) THERE ARE NO AUTOMATIC OR LIFETIME RENEWALS OF THE TERM INCIDENT TO THE TERM OF THIS CONTRACT. IF THE HEALTH CLUB PROVIDES FOR A RENEWAL OPTION, SUCH OPTION MUST BE AFFIRMATIVELY AGREED TO IN WRITING BY THE BUYER AT THE BEGINNING OF THE RENEWAL PERIOD. IF THE HEALTH CLUB FACILITY IS LESS THAN OR EQUAL TO TEN THOUSAND (10,000) SQUARE FEET (GROSS) OF BUILDING SPACE, THEN THE ANNUAL COST OF SUCH RENEWAL SHALL NOT BE LESS THAN THIRTY PERCENT (30%) OF THE ANNUALIZED COST OF THE BASE MEMBERSHIP CONTRACT OR SEVENTY-FIVE DOLLARS ($75), WHICHEVER IS GREATER. HOWEVER, IF THE HEALTH CLUB FACILITY IS GREATER THAN TEN THOUSAND (10,000) SQUARE FEET (GROSS) OF BUILDING SPACE, THEN THE ANNUAL COST OF SUCH RENEWAL SHALL NOT BE LESS THAN THIRTY PERCENT (30%) OF THE ANNUALIZED COST OF THE BASE MEMBERSHIP CONTRACT OR ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-FIVE DOLLARS ($125), WHICHEVER IS GREATER. PAYMENT OF ANY RENEWAL SHALL BE MADE AS REQUIRED BY TENNESSEE CODE ANNOTATED, SECTION 47-18-305(a)(5)(B)(ii).

(v) A CONTRACT OR AGREEMENT MAY HAVE A CONTINUING PROVISION OR STIPULATION THAT PROVIDES FOR A MONTH TO MONTH CONTINUATION OF THE INITIAL TERM OF THE AGREEMENT PROVIDED THE BUYER HAS THE RIGHT TO CANCEL THE CONTINUING PORTION OF THE AGREEMENT AFTER FULFILLING THE ORIGINAL TERM OF THE AGREEMENT BY TENDERING THIRTY (30) DAYS WRITTEN NOTICE OF SUCH INTENT TO THE OPERATOR BY REGISTERED MAIL. IF SUCH CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATION HAS A CONTINUING PROVISION OR STIPULATION, NOTIFICATION MUST BE SENT BY THE HEALTH CLUB OPERATOR TO CONFIRM THAT THE ORIGINAL OBLIGATION WAS FULFILLED AND TO REAFFIRM THE MONTH TO MONTH OR CONTINUING PROVISION OR STIPULATION. SUCH NOTIFICATION SHALL ALSO INCLUDE NOTICE OF THE BUYER'S RIGHT TO CANCEL THE CONTINUING MONTH-TO-MONTH OBLIGATION UPON THIRTY (30) DAYS' WRITTEN NOTICE SENT BY THE BUYER TO THE OPERATOR BY REGISTERED MAIL.

(vi) ANY RENEWAL RIGHT GRANTED UNDER THIS CONTRACT SHALL EXPIRE ON THE FINAL DAY OF THE AGREEMENT. HOWEVER, THE BUYER SHALL HAVE A THIRTY (30) DAY GRACE PERIOD FROM THE DATE OF THE EXPIRATION OF THE RENEWAL RIGHT IN WHICH TO EXERCISE ANY RENEWAL RIGHT GRANTED TO THE BUYER UNDER THIS CONTRACT. THE OPERATOR SHALL HAVE THE RIGHT TO CHARGE A LATE PENALTY OF UP TO $25 IF THE RENEWAL RIGHTS ARE NOT EXERCISED ON OR BEFORE THE EXPIRATION DATE AS STIPULATED IN THE AGREEMENT OR ANY FUTURE RENEWAL PERIODS.

(b) A health club shall not enter into or offer to enter into a health club agreement unless the health club is fully operational and available to use by prospective buyers. The division shall, upon application by a health club operator, certify that a health club facility is fully operational if all of the promised equipment and services are available for use by prospective buyers. No payment or promise to pay by a prospective buyer may be accepted by any health club operator unless and until the health club facility has been certified by the division to be fully operational as described herein. This subsection (b) shall not apply to any health club that has maintained a satisfactory registration with the division for five (5) consecutive years; provided, that such health clubs notify the division by certified mail of their intent to enter into agreements for a location not fully operational as otherwise required by this subsection (b). In order to be eligible to use this exemption, an operator must use the same identification as described in any existing facility registration information as well as use the same federal and state tax accounts for payments of any related taxes due to this extension of operations.

(c) It is unlawful for a health club to offer any cash or discounted pre-payment option that exceeds a reduction of the cash value of the highest stated price for any similar period or service-type of agreement:

(1) By an excess of ten percent (10%) for any term less than two (2) years duration;

(2) By an excess of fourteen percent (14%) for any term of two (2) years duration, but less than three (3) years duration; or

(3) By an excess of eighteen percent (18%) for any term of three (3) years duration.

(d) It shall be unlawful for a health club to offer free or no cost periods of enrollment in addition to the initial paid term of the agreement in order to circumvent the discounting provision of subsection (c).

(e) (1) Notwithstanding this part or any rules promulgated pursuant to this part to the contrary, a health club may enter into or offer to enter into a health club agreement with, or accept payment or a promise of payment from, a prospective buyer prior to certification by the division of its facility as fully operational as set forth in subsection (b); provided, however, that the health club has:

(A) Acquired a property right or interest in this state with respect to the facility;

(B) Filed a registration application with the division as required by § 47-18-309; and

(C) Purchased from a surety company authorized to do business in this state a surety bond in favor of the division in the amount of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000).

(2) (A) If the division determines, based on the financial statement required by § 47-18-309(a)(3), that the financial condition of the health club is insufficient to protect prospective buyers, then the division may require that the health club post a surety bond in an amount greater than twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) but not to exceed two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000). The health club shall file a copy of the bond with the division.

(B) A buyer who suffers loss of payments made to a health club prior to certification due to the health club's failure to open the facility may recover the amount of the payments from the surety; provided, that the liability of the surety may not exceed the aggregate amount of the bond regardless of the number or amount of claims filed with the surety.

(C) Upon certification by the division that the health club is fully operational, the health club may cancel the surety bond upon thirty (30) days written notice of cancellation from the surety to the division.