Residents allege fitness studio’s music is like pow torture

Two Manhattan women have filed a lawsuit against the Australian fitness chain f45, accusing the company of subjecting them to “absurdly loud” music that disrupts their daily lives and sleep. The plaintiffs, Susannah Perlman and Francoise Timoll claim the noise from an f45 gym below their Union Square apartments has made life unbearable for over a year.

The complaint compares the gym’s relentless bass-heavy soundtrack, which begins as early as 6 a.m., to methods used by military forces to torture prisoners.

“It’s not insignificant that extremely loud music has been used by various military forces to torture prisoners,” the lawsuit states. The plaintiffs argue that the continuous noise has caused severe anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbances.

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Noise levels exceeding legal limits

New York City’s residential noise limit is 45 decibels (dB), equivalent to average room noise. However, measurements taken in Perlman’s apartment reportedly reached as high as 78 dB—comparable to the noise level aboard a moving airplane and five times the permissible limit on the logarithmic decibel scale.

The NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has previously ticketed the gym for violating noise ordinances.

Impact on mental health and daily life

The plaintiffs, who both live and work in their second-floor apartments, describe the impact of the noise as devastating:

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• Susannah Perlman, an event planner and stand-up comedian, says the noise has caused severe anxiety, disrupted her sleep, and left her dreading returning home.
• Francoise Timoll, a real estate appraiser, claims the noise agitates her dog, making work calls impossible.

Both women have reportedly lost roommates due to the incessant noise, reducing their income and pushing them behind on rent.

Global complaints against f45

The issues faced by the Manhattan residents are not isolated. f45, a global fitness franchise with over 3,300 locations, has been accused of similar disturbances in other cities:

• In Queensland, Australia, elderly residents complained of sleepless nights due to “bone-shaking” bass.
• A New Zealand man faced arrest after confronting gym owners over early-morning noise.
• In British Columbia, a neighbor lodged nearly 200 complaints, describing clattering dishes and vibrating walls.

Legal demands and next steps

The lawsuit demands punitive damages, at least $240,000 for lost rent and income, and reimbursement for noise measurement expenses and attorneys’ fees.

The plaintiffs claim that f45 and its franchise owner, Club Sports Group (CSG), have shown a “wanton disregard” for their well-being by failing to address the problem.

f45 and CSG have three weeks to respond to the allegations. Representatives for both parties have not commented, and the plaintiffs’ attorney, Serge Ambroise, declined to provide further details without client approval.