AG Ferguson files suit against RealPage for rent-fixing

SEATTLE – Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson now joins eight other attorneys general across the country accusing RealPage and landlords of illegally fixing prices in the residential rental market.

The national movement originated in Seattle and began with a class action lawsuit on behalf of Seattle renters. Rents in Seattle have been rising.

Since 2017, an estimated 800,000 leases have been signed using the software. Ferguson’s office explains that the company uses its software to facilitate the sharing of competitive, nonpublic data with rival landlords to help them increase rents and maximize their profits.

“RealPage has conspired to manipulate prices and keep rents rising to increase profits,” Ferguson said. “Housing costs are a burden on too many working families. My legal team and I will fight against these arrangements and fight for affordable rents for Washington residents.”

In addition to using software, the lawsuit details how those involved in the practice also organized “user group” meetings between competing landlords to share competitive information and encourage discussions about pricing, even recommending that prices be increased despite the number of vacant units.

Ferguson’s office said it launched its investigation in January 2023 after a ProPublica article detailed how RealPage’s algorithm could contribute to rising rents across the country by using sensitive data from both residents and landlords to frequently increase rental prices.

Now they say what they want to achieve by signing this lawsuit:

“Ferguson’s lawsuit seeks to put an end to RealPage’s illegal practices and to force RealPage and the landlords to stop sharing confidential, nonpublic competitive information and colluding to align their prices.”

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