File a Complaint About a Gym or Trainer in Indiana

To file a complaint about a gym or trainer in Indiana, use the Consumer Protection Division of the Indiana Attorney General’s office, which takes complaints through an online form and also by mail. The best results come from a short sequence: write to the business first, collect your paperwork, then file with copies attached. Before you commit to any provider, a free consultation is a chance to read their terms with no money on the table.

What the rule says

The Indiana Attorney General’s website states that its Consumer Protection Division mediates and investigates consumer complaints against businesses and takes legal action on behalf of the state against those that violate the Deceptive Consumer Sales Act. It asks you to include copies, not originals, of receipts, contracts and correspondence. For gym and training contracts, the Health Spa Services chapter (IC 24-5-7) adds specific rights, explained in our guide to the cancellation law. We checked the agency page and the statute in October 2026. This is general information, not legal advice, and rules change.

When a complaint makes sense

Not every disagreement needs the state. A complaint fits best when:

• A refund you were owed has not arrived after the stated deadline.
• You cancelled in writing and charges kept coming.
• The business refuses to honor a cancellation right written into your contract or the law.
• The terms you were sold differ from the terms billed.
• You were told one thing orally and charged another.

It fits less well when the issue is how a workout felt or a personality clash. Those are matters for the business owner, or for leaving a training contract and finding a better fit.

Step one: write to the business

Send a plain, dated letter or email before you file. Include your name, the date you signed, the amount paid, what went wrong, what you want (a refund, a stop to billing, a correction), and a reasonable date by which to respond. A week to ten days is typical. Keep it factual and short. The cancellation letter template shows the tone to use.

Step two: gather what the state will ask for

Put everything in one folder, labeled by date:

1. The signed contract and any waiver or addendum.
2. Receipts, card or bank statements showing each charge.
3. Your cancellation notice and proof it was delivered.
4. Messages, emails, texts and screenshots with the business.
5. A one-page timeline in your own words: date, what happened, what was said.
6. The business’s full name, address and website.

A complaint that arrives with a clean timeline is easier to act on than a long story with no dates.

Step three: file with the division

Use the Attorney General’s online complaint form. If you prefer paper, the office accepts a printable form by mail. Attach copies. Describe the problem in a few short paragraphs, say what resolution you want, and list your attachments. Expect the division to contact the business and ask for a response; outcomes vary, and filing does not promise a particular result.

What to do while you wait

Keep paying only what you owe under the contract and the law, and keep records of everything that arrives. If a charge is plainly wrong, your card issuer may have a dispute process with strict deadlines, so check it quickly. Do not delete messages. If the business replies, answer in writing and keep it civil.

When another path fits better

If the money is small, a calm letter may do the job faster than a complaint. If the amount is large, or you suspect the contract was unlawful, a lawyer can advise on options such as small claims court. Your case may also be about a closure or a move rather than a dispute; see our guides on prepaid sessions when a studio closes for that situation.

Next step

Today, make the folder and write the one-page timeline. That alone shows whether you have a clear case, and it makes the next letter easy to write.