DOJ to Settle Rent-Fixing Lawsuit Against Cushman & Wakefield-Owned Landlord

Dow Jones
Sep 05
 

The Justice Department will settle a lawsuit that accused a Cushman & Wakefield-owned property management company of participating in a scheme to fix rents with other landlords using an algorithm by apartment-pricing company RealPage.

The settlement would bar the company, Pinnacle Property Management Services, from sharing sensitive information with competitors, using price recommendation algorithms that incorporate competitors' sensitive data, or attending meetings with competitors hosted by RealPage, the DOJ said Friday.

It would also have Pinnacle cooperate with prosecutors' claims against other landlords and accept a court-appointed monitor if it uses a pricing algorithm found not to be pursuant to the terms of the settlement.

The settlement is pending court approval. Cushman & Wakefield didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

"This administration will not tolerate illegal actions by corporate landlords that inflate housing prices for Americans," Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward said. "The Department of Justice will fight for every American who is being taken advantage of by corporate greed."

The original lawsuit named RealPage as a defendant along with Pinnacle, Cushman & Wakefield, and four other large landlords, Greystar Real Estate Partners, Blackstone-owned LivCor, Willow Bridge Property and Camden Property Trust.

RealPage reached a settlement with the DOJ in November. Greystar, LivCor, and Willow Bridge have also settled with the DOJ.

 
 

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