I almost sued a gym over this once. I signed a 1-year contract with auto payments every month. Six months in, I changed to a different gym. I allowed the auto payments to continue for the remaining six months because I knew I had signed a contract and they were entitled to the money. After the 1-year period ended, I realized they were still taking money out of my bank account every month. I called the gym and confirmed that they contract was over. I asked them to stop taking payments. They refused. They said I had to give them X days notice even though the contract was up and I had to cancel in person or with a certified letter.
Stop right there. As a consumer, I believe I have an absolute right to revoke consent for anyone to take money out of my account at any time in any way. I told them I am not taking time off work to drive over there or spending money on a certified mailing to get them to stop taking my money. I asked why that requirement was in place, and they said that it was to confirm my identity. I reminded them that a few months prior, my debit card had expired, so I called them to update my account... On the phone. They weren't worried about my identity then. I asked if there was really a problem with people committing identity theft just to cancel gym memberships, and they assured me that this was a real problem. I asked how it would be easier to confirm my identity over a certified mailing than over the phone, and they didn't really have an answe for me. They told me the contract required me to cancel that way, at which point I reminded them that my contract was up and I don't have any contractual obligation to pay them anything. They were like oh yeah, I guess that's right. Well you still can't cancel over the phone.
I sent their HQ a super bitchy email informing them that I was revoking my consent to keep taking auto payments and that if they kept taking auto payments I would consider that theft and I didn't give a F about their policies.
I got a phone call the next day letting me know that my membership would be canceled.
Gyms are so shitty. It pisses me off so much when business models are strategically designed to rob their own customers blind.