Justice Department Sues RealPage for Price Gouging Allegations

Allegations of Collusion

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed an antitrust lawsuit against RealPage, a company that provides software to landlords. The lawsuit alleges that RealPage helped landlords collude to keep rents high. The suit, filed in federal court in Washington, D.C., alleges that RealPage's software allowed landlords to share information about their pricing, which resulted in artificially inflated rents.

Market Dominance

RealPage is the leading provider of property management software in the United States, with a market share of over 80%. The company's software is used by landlords to manage their properties, including setting rent prices. The DOJ alleges that RealPage's market dominance gave it the power to facilitate collusion among landlords.

Evidence of Collusion

The DOJ's lawsuit cites several examples of landlords using RealPage's software to collude on pricing. For example, the lawsuit alleges that landlords used RealPage's software to share information about their rent rates and to coordinate their rent increases.

Impact on Renters

The DOJ's lawsuit alleges that RealPage's conduct has harmed renters by causing them to pay higher rents. The lawsuit seeks to block RealPage from continuing its alleged anticompetitive conduct and to recover damages for renters who have been harmed.

RealPage's Response

RealPage has denied the DOJ's allegations. The company said in a statement that it "is confident that we have not violated any antitrust laws and that we will vigorously defend ourselves against these allegations."