Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  12/18/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I am a member of the boat club. I damaged a propellor. The dockmaster said the cost would be between ****** and ******. That is the cost of the cheap props they buy. They also buy in bulk. I got a call from their *** confirming they are going to charge me for the damage. I told the *** ok but I am cancelling my membership. That was the end of the conversation. I checked my bank account and they charged ****** to my debit card. The *** got mad that I told him I was going to cancel the membership and decided to rob me by charging a gouging amount of money. I want a ****** refund to bring the charge in line with what a cheap prop costs/

• Initial Complaint

  04/03/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  ********* has unfairly terminated my membership. After a day on the boat, I left the ******* I later found out that one person who was on the boat with me was being rowdy in the parking lot and someone called the police. This incident had nothing to do with me, I wasnt even there when this happened and the boat had been safely returned. I am requesting they refund my membership fees since I joined as I had nothing to do with the incident and it happened after I left.

• Initial Complaint

  10/27/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I joined the Freedom ********* last August 2022. I joined at the same time as my friend. When we joined we asked, "What if we have to change the co-captain"? (you know divorce and separation happen). The Freedom Boat employee told us that as long as we were the main captain, we could just call and make the change, as easy as that. So, I did and I am the main captain.This situation just happened to me and I called to change the co-captain and now it is an all different story. Freedom Boat is asking for $500, proof of address, and a new contract.Nothing of that is stipulated in the contract I signed, no proof of living together was asked (the actual co-captain and I never lived together); 13. STATUS: All members must be over the age of 21 and have their own membership (except for spouses and significant others).I first called my "dock", and someone told me that it could be done but with the Tampa office. So I called the Tampa office and I was directed to a lady called *******. She told me that in some situations, the fees are waived but she had to see with *****. First ***** emailed that it was only the fees and the proof that we lived together (well not all couples live together). When I started to ask questions and where is this stipulated in my contract, I got the answer that it was not in the contract but was their rules (company policies). But if I had written proof from my salesperson, they would honor it. So I contacted the representative that I signed with and he texted back that he remembered saying that all I have to be is the main captain (no mention of any fees). I emailed the information to Freedom Boat and at that point they not only asked for the fees and the proof of living together but they now added that a new contract had to be signed...at the new monthly rate. Again, I can't find anything in the contract on how to change a co-captain. We initially paid $3900 and $212 monthly raised to $245 monthly.

• Initial Complaint

  08/07/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I have been attempting to contact Freedom ********* at the email address and phone number specified on their member website regarding problems with monthly fees. The first issue was they never used my bank account to charge fees when they were supposed to. Second, they simply stopped charging my credit card in June and sent no notification of none payment or late payment etc. I have sent several emails and none were replied to. I have also called and spoken with member services who took my bank info again but did not charge me. They said someone would call me back, twice, and no one did. There is no method of adding a payment yourself online for monthly dues and I have sent them an email screenshooting that problem. Essentially, they have suspended my account for TWO years for none payment that THEY failed to take. They have had my credit card and bank account on file since I became a member and stopped charging me. I have made many attempts to track them down and get them to process payments and they are not. The account needs to be restored immediately and they need to process my payments!

• Initial Complaint

  02/10/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  The membership experience has been incredibly frustrating and nothing like I was led to believe it would be upon originally signing up. The ability to reserve any location in the Tampa Bay network for the desired craft / time allowed is incredibly limited and inconvenient. I have not been able to take advantage of the membership benefits for months now, and I am paying for something that Im completely unable to utilize. Ive been completely unable to use any of the reciprocal reservations regardless of how far in advance I attempt to book. ** told that Im not able to book a reservation due to the fact Tampa is a franchise and not a corporate club. I'm not provided the Dockmasters numbers or any information to any other club location when requested. I have been able to use this membership as it was intended. I have attempted to book reciprocal reservations numerous times in ***** and in the *************** months in advance for the days that I'm allowed. Every time I attempt to reserve an available craft, the system directs me to contact the Dockmaster. At which point I call the number provided and it routes me to the main helpline and the staff there wont give me any information to the club location I'm trying to book. The reason is because Tampa is not part of the corporate club and is on it's own separate franchise network. The club membership experience feels very much like a bait and switch as I have not been able to utilize the benefits that I'm paying for. I'm looking for a solution as to how Freedom can rectify the lack of availability within Tampa and also solve for the fact I'm not able to book reciprocal reservations. The terms have also recently changed regarding the reservation system and availability has become even more restricted than the original membership I signed up for. Overall, the product that I'm paying for on a monthly basis does not provide any value and is a complete departure from what I was sold when I signed up.

• Initial Complaint

  08/27/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  We are members of the Freedom Boat Club of Tampa Bay. The charge I would like to dispute is call Peace of Mind which is an insurance that cover when you are out in the water. It is optional but automatically charged to your account every year. They charge me $321 on May 1, 2022. They have policy to cancel the insurance so I call the office on May 16, 2022 to cancel. They said no problem and told me to fill out a form and everything will be taken care of. I received a email with the link provided and filled immediately. They did not provide conformation after filling the form. It has been 90 days and I haven't see any response nor payment back to my account.

• Initial Complaint

  06/08/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  Freedom Boat Club forces its members to enroll in autopay where they pull the payment out each month. June 6th 2022 I got a notice my account was suspended. My payment is usually $320 a month. When I called in to find out why I was suspended they informed me they have been unable to collect a payment since December 2021. They never notified me via email, phone, suspension, alerts, or any other means. Now I am being told I own around $2,000 in back dues and cannot use any boats. I have no problem paying the money I owe but I am very upset that they did not ever let me know. $2,000 is a large amount to pull out of thin air, I will need to use a credit card which will not cost me interest. I cannot do payment plan as I cannot afford the additional payment on top of the $320 monthly. This feels very predatorial, they don't inform members of missed payments then force large lump sumps or they suspend the account. I have $320 a month, not $2000 every 6 months. Talking to others this happens a lot, I believe this is a predatorial pattern they have established to force members out of the club while racking them over the coals. I cannot even walk away as they will send me to collections now.

• Initial Complaint

  03/30/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  On 08/31/2021 I emailed Freedom Boat Club to inquire about any required action, as my six-month seasonal membership beginning on 04/01/2021 was soon due to come to an end on 09/30/2021. I was sent their Rules and Regulations, saw there was no action needed, and confirmed via email. On 10/01/2021 I noticed a charge of $159.97, reached back out, and it was "clarified" that my seasonal membership was being charged on an annual basis. I requested documentation that specifies this annual payment plan for a seasonal membership but was ignored despite attempted follow ups. As a result I filed a dispute with Chase that after research, was awarded in my favor. Subsequent monthly membership charges of $159.97 were disputed in November and December of 2021, and again awarded in my favor. On 12/09/2021 I received an email from Brian B., Accounts Receivable Manager. I informed Mr. B. that my previous attempts to obtain documentation in support of the alleged payment plan went unanswered and proceeded to request the documentation from Mr. B. directly, who also ignored the request. On 12/17/2021 I received a phone call from Mr. B., who had the callousness to ask that I sign up for another seasonal membership for 2022. I followed up via email to summarize our call and again reiterated my documentation request. I was not issued charges in January, February, or March of 2022, and have yet to hear back after allowing ample time to pass. Due to misrepresentation of membership terms and refusal to respond to numerous attempted contacts I am requesting a refund of the $4,708.00 initial lifetime membership fee, as this company has proven itself to be incapable of exercising honest and transparent business practices and cannot be entrusted with a future relationship with myself as a consumer. I also request that my credit card details be removed from the Freedom Boat Club website as the site itself stores this data but does not permit users to remove it when appropriate.

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩