- Using competitors’ competitively sensitive data to train or run any pricing model.
- Using third-party software or algorithms to price apartments without the supervision of a court-appointed monitor.
- Soliciting, disclosing or using any competitively sensitive information with any other property manager as part of setting rental prices or generating rental pricing recommendations.
Real-World Impact on Renters
From my experience in covering legal and insurance matters, such a far-reaching antitrust suit suggests major implications for renters nationwide. If proven true, the allegations indicate that apartment dwellers may have overpaid for years, caught in a market shaped less by natural supply-and-demand and more by a carefully orchestrated pricing strategy.
While it’s uncertain how soon any potential relief might reach tenants, the mere act of challenging these alleged rent-fixing practices signals a turning point for housing rights. It’s not every day you see the DOJ take such a direct shot at algorithms used behind the scenes.