My question involves collection proceedings in the State of: Washington
I got into a contract with a Gold's Gym for personal training for 6 months. My original play was to take it for 3 months, and pay the contract cancellation fee of $149.99 to end the contract. I did this because the rate per training session was far cheaper if I signed up for 6 months rather than 3 and it was cheaper to take 3 months and pay the fee to cancel the contract.
After a few months, my personal trainer at the gym left to pursue a different career, and I figured my contract was over because the trainer I was training with left. And they stopped billing me for a month(the 4th month). That's why I thought the contract was over. But they said the contract was with the gym so apparently it continued to charge me. So it charged my credit card for 1 more month before stopped the payments.
Then I went on vacation for 2 weeks and I was contacted by the Gym, and I told them I thought my contract was cancelled and they told me I would have to continue to pay the full 6 months. So I told them I would pay the cancellation fee to cancel it, but they said they cant do that because its 5 months in and they already tried to bill me for the last month. They said if I told them earlier they could have cancelled it, but its too late now.
I should have cancelled it immediately after 3 months and that was my fault. But now they are charging me for the last 2 months I have not payed yet, without giving me the option to pay the cancellation fee for the contract. The charge is about $610. I tried to talk them down and work with me to reduce it but they will not budge on the price. They offered a payment plan but that's it. And they have given me a week before they send it to collections.
What are my options? What can I do? Can they legally not allow me to pay the cancellation fee?
Thanks for any help, if you need more info just ask.

