Legal Question in Civil Litigation in Oregon

In short, you should stop making payments and should file against the spa in small claims court to get back your money.

Oregon has a special law about spas. You would claim under this clause:

(e) If the health spa materially changes the health spa services promised as a part of the initial contract.

You would state that failing to keep appointments equals a change in the promised services.

Here is the full statute:

646A.034 Contracts; contents. A contract for the sale of health spa services must be in writing and a copy must be given to the buyer at the time the buyer signs the contract. The contract must contain all of the following:

(1) Identification of the person providing the health spa services.

(2) A description of the health spa services to be provided, or acknowledgment in a conspicuous form that the buyer has received a written description of the health spa services to be provided. If any of the health spa services are to be delivered at a planned facility, at a facility under construction or through substantial improvement to an existing facility, the description must include a date for the completion of the facility, construction or improvement.

(3) A complete statement of the rules of the health spa or an acknowledgment in a conspicuous form that the buyer has received a copy of the rules.

(4) A statement of the duration of the obligation of the health spa to provide health spa services to the buyer. The duration shall not exceed three years from the date of the contract.

(5) A provision for cancellation of the contract:

(a) If the buyer dies or becomes physically unable to use a substantial portion of those health spa services used by the buyer from the date of the contract until the time of disability. The contract may require that disability be confirmed by an examination of a physician agreeable to the buyer and the health spa.

(b) If the health spa goes out of business.

(c) If the health spa moves its facility closest to the residence of the buyer on the date of the contract to a location more than five additional miles from that residence.

(d) If a facility, construction or improvement is not completed by the date represented in the contract.

(e) If the health spa materially changes the health spa services promised as a part of the initial contract.

(6) A provision for a refund upon cancellation in an amount computed by dividing the contract price by the number of weeks in the contract term and multiplying the result by the number of weeks remaining in the contract term.

(7) A provision under a conspicuous caption in capital letters and boldfaced type stating:

______________________________________________________________________________

BUYER�S RIGHT TO CANCEL

If you wish to cancel this contract, without penalty, you may cancel it by delivering or mailing a written notice to the health spa. The notice must say that you do not wish to be bound by the contract and must be delivered or mailed before midnight of the third business day after you sign this contract. The notice must be mailed to: _________ (insert name and mailing address of health spa). If you cancel within the three days, the health spa will return to you within 15 days all amounts you have paid.

______________________________________________________________________________

[Formerly 646.671]

646A.036 Contracts and rules; delivery to buyer. Upon request, a health spa must deliver to a prospective buyer copies of the contract required by ORS 646A.034, and the rules of the health spa if not stated in the contract, and must allow the prospective buyer to retain the copies so provided. [Formerly 646.676]

646A.038 Moneys paid prior to facility opening; disposition; priority of claim; refund. (1) All moneys paid to a health spa by a buyer prior to the opening of the facility shall promptly be deposited by the health spa in a trust account, maintained by the health spa for the purpose of holding such moneys for the buyer, in a bank, savings and loan association, mutual savings bank or licensed escrow agent located in Oregon.

(2) The health spa shall within seven days of the first deposit notify the office of the Attorney General, in writing, of the name, address and location of the depository and any subsequent change thereof.

(3) The health spa shall provide the buyer with a written receipt for the moneys and shall provide written notice of the name, address and location of the depository and any subsequent change thereof.

(4) If prior to the opening of the facility the status of the health spa is transferred to another, any sums in the trust account affected by such transfer shall simultaneously be transferred to an equivalent trust account of the successor, and the successor shall promptly notify the buyer and the office of the Attorney General of the transfer and of the name, address and location of the new depository.

(5) The buyer�s claim to any moneys under this section is prior to that of any creditor of the health spa, including a trustee in bankruptcy or receiver, even if such moneys are commingled.

(6) After the health spa receives a notice of cancellation of the agreement or if the health spa fails to open a facility at the stated date of completion the health spa shall within 10 days give a full refund to the buyer, including the buyer�s pro rata share of any interest earned thereon.

(7) All sums received by a health spa in excess of the health spa�s normal monthly dues shall be placed in escrow subject to the terms and provisions stated in this section in the event that the health spa is not fully operational or in the event that the health spa is promising future construction or improvements. [Formerly 646.681]

646A.040 Waiver of provisions of ORS 646A.030 to 646A.042. A health spa shall not request a buyer to waive any provision of ORS 646A.030 to 646A.042. Any waiver by a buyer of any provision of ORS 646A.030 to 646A.042 is contrary to public policy and is void and unenforceable. [Formerly 646.686]

646A.042 Remedies and obligations supplementary to existing remedies. The remedies and obligations provided in ORS 646A.030 to 646A.042 are in addition to any other remedies and obligations, civil or criminal, existing at common law or under the laws of this state. [Formerly 646.691]