AG Ferguson files rent price fixing lawsuit against RealPage

SEATTLE - Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson now joins eight other attorneys general around the country accusing RealPage and landlords of unlawfully fixing prices in the home rental market.

The national movement has origins in Seattle, starting with a class action lawsuit on behalf of Seattle renters. Seattle rents have been on the rise.

Since 2017, it is believed 800,000 leases were signed using this software. Ferguson's office explains the company is facilitating sharing competitively sensitive, nonpublic data through its software with competing landlords to help them raise rents to maximize profits.

"RealPage colluded to fix prices and keep rents rising in order to boost profits," Ferguson said. "The cost of housing is putting a strain on too many working families. My legal team and I will stand up to this collusion and fight for affordable rents for Washingtonians."

In addition to the use of software, the lawsuit lays out how those involved in this practice also created "user group" meetings between competing landlords, where competitive information is shared and discussions on pricing are encouraged--even involving recommendations to increase prices despite the number of empty units.

Ferguson's office says he opened his investigation in January of 2023 after a story by ProPublica detailed how RealPage’s algorithm could contribute to rising rents across the country by using sensitive data from both residents and landlords to often raise rent prices.

Now, they say what they are seeking with signing on to this lawsuit:

"Ferguson’s lawsuit seeks to stop RealPage’s illegal practices and force RealPage and landlords to stop exchanging sensitive nonpublic competitive information and colluding to align their pricing."