Richardson, Texas, November 25, 2025
RealPage Inc. has settled with the U.S. Department of Justice over allegations that its software facilitated rent price fixing among landlords. The settlement demands significant changes to its operational practices, including stopping the use of competitors’ nonpublic information and redesigning certain software features. This settlement aims to promote fair competition and transparency in the rental market to benefit consumers.
RealPage Settles with DOJ Over Rent-Fixing Allegations
Richardson, Texas – RealPage Inc., a developer of revenue management software for the multifamily rental housing sector, has reached a settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) regarding allegations that its software facilitated rent price fixing among landlords. The settlement, revealed on November 24, 2025, mandates RealPage to enact substantial changes to its data collection and operational practices.
Settlement Details
As part of the settlement, RealPage is required to:
- Cease using competitors’ nonpublic, competitively sensitive information to establish rental prices in actual operations.
- Limit model training to historical data at least 12 months old, excluding current lease data.
- Restrict geographic pricing analyses to state-level evaluations, avoiding more localized assessments.
- Remove or redesign features in its software that restricted rent price decreases or synchronized pricing among competitors.
- Discontinue conducting market surveys to gather competitively sensitive information from landlords.
- Avoid discussions surrounding market analysis or trends derived from nonpublic data in related meetings about its revenue management software.
- Cooperate with the DOJ’s continuing lawsuit against property management companies implicated in supposed price-fixing activities using its software.
- Accept a court-appointed monitor to guarantee adherence to the settlement terms.
This settlement aims to restore competitive free market dynamics in rental markets for millions of American renters by halting the exchange of sensitive competitive information and mitigating the alignment of pricing among landlords. The significance of independent pricing decisions among competing businesses was underscored by Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater, highlighting the DOJ’s commitment to robust antitrust enforcement, particularly in the domain of algorithmic and artificial intelligence applications.
Background
The DOJ’s investigation started in August 2024 when a civil antitrust lawsuit was filed against RealPage by the department, alongside a coalition of state attorneys general. The lawsuit alleged that RealPage’s software allowed landlords to exchange nonpublic, competitive information, culminating in coordinated rental pricing and diminished competition. The software’s algorithmic pricing capabilities were purportedly linked to increasing rents for consumers by facilitating price alignments among landlords.
RealPage has consistently refuted these allegations, asserting that its software is intended to assist landlords in establishing competitive rental prices, with landlords retaining the discretion to accept or decline the software’s recommendations. The value of compliance and innovation within the housing sector has also been affirmed by the company.
In providing clarity and stability for RealPage’s clientele and the broader multifamily market, the settlement helps avoid a protracted and costly court battle. Moreover, it reinforces the DOJ’s ongoing endeavors to combat anticompetitive conduct in the rental housing industry, ensuring that consumers reap the benefits of fair competition and transparent pricing.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the settlement between RealPage and the DOJ about?
The settlement addresses allegations that RealPage’s software facilitated rent price fixing among landlords by enabling the sharing of nonpublic, competitively sensitive information, leading to coordinated rental pricing and reduced competition.
What changes has RealPage agreed to implement?
RealPage has agreed to cease using competitors’ nonpublic, competitively sensitive information for determining rental prices, limit model training to historical data at least 12 months old, restrict geographic pricing models to state-level analyses, remove or redesign features that limited rent price decreases or aligned pricing among competitors, discontinue conducting market surveys to collect competitively sensitive information, avoid discussions about market analysis or trends based on nonpublic data in meetings related to its revenue management software, cooperate with the DOJ’s ongoing lawsuit against property management companies that have used its software in alleged price-fixing schemes, and accept a court-appointed monitor to ensure compliance with the settlement terms.
What was the DOJ’s investigation into RealPage about?
The DOJ’s investigation focused on allegations that RealPage’s software enabled landlords to share nonpublic, competitively sensitive information, leading to coordinated rental pricing and reduced competition. The software’s algorithmic pricing was accused of facilitating price alignment among landlords, resulting in higher rents for consumers.
How has RealPage responded to the allegations?
RealPage has consistently denied the allegations, stating that its software is designed to assist landlords in setting competitive rental prices and that landlords retain the autonomy to accept or reject the software’s recommendations. The company has also emphasized its commitment to compliance and innovation within the housing industry.
What does this settlement mean for consumers?
The settlement aims to restore free market competition in rental markets for millions of American renters by ending the sharing of competitively sensitive information and the alignment of pricing among competitors. This is expected to lead to fairer competition and more transparent pricing in the rental housing market.
Key Features of the Settlement
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Cease Use of Competitively Sensitive Information | RealPage will stop using competitors’ nonpublic, competitively sensitive information to determine rental prices in real-time operations. |
| Limit Model Training Data | Model training will be limited to historical data that is at least 12 months old, excluding active lease data. |
| Restrict Geographic Pricing Models | Geographic pricing models will be restricted to state-level analyses, avoiding narrower market assessments. |
| Remove or Redesign Certain Software Features | Features that limited rent price decreases or aligned pricing among competitors will be removed or redesigned. |
| Discontinue Market Surveys | RealPage will stop conducting market surveys to collect competitively sensitive information from landlords. |
| Avoid Discussions Based on Nonpublic Data | Discussions about market analysis or trends based on nonpublic data in meetings related to its revenue management software will be avoided. |
| Cooperate with DOJ’s Ongoing Lawsuit | RealPage will cooperate with the DOJ’s ongoing lawsuit against property management companies that have used its software in alleged price-fixing schemes. |
| Accept Court-Appointed Monitor | A court-appointed monitor will be accepted to ensure compliance with the settlement terms. |
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