HR6124-119

What This Bill Does

The End Rent Fixing Act of 2025 targets algorithmic rent-setting coordination in residential rental markets. It defines a coordinating function as collecting price, supply, lease termination, or renewal-date information from two or more rental property owners; analyzing or processing it with a system, software, or formula, including training an algorithm to predict rental prices, lease renewal terms, or occupancy levels; and recommending prices, renewal terms, or occupancy levels to two or more owners. Section 3 makes it unlawful for rental property owners, agents, or subcontractors to subscribe to, contract with, or exchange value for coordinator services, and makes it unlawful for any person to perform a coordinating function. Violations are deemed unfair methods of competition under the FTC Act and per se Sherman Act violations. The FTC may bring civil penalty actions and enforce against nonprofit organizations; DOJ and State attorneys general receive Sherman Act, Clayton Act, and civil investigative powers; and aggrieved private plaintiffs may sue for treble damages, litigation costs, attorney fees, and interest. The bill also invalidates predispute arbitration agreements or joint-action waivers at the plaintiff's election, lowers pleading barriers in certain antitrust cases, and preserves stronger State tenant and antitrust protections.

Who Benefits and How

Renters and tenants benefit if algorithmic rent coordination is deterred and private plaintiffs can recover treble damages. Aggrieved renters benefit from access to federal court, attorney fees, litigation costs, interest, and the ability to avoid predispute arbitration or joint-action waivers. FTC antitrust enforcers benefit from explicit authority to treat violations as unfair methods of competition and seek civil penalties. DOJ antitrust lawyers and State attorneys general benefit from incorporated Sherman Act, Clayton Act, and investigative powers. States with stronger tenant or antitrust protections benefit because the bill preserves greater State-law protections.

Who Bears the Burden and How

Rental property owners must stop subscribing to, contracting with, or paying for prohibited rent-pricing coordinator services. Rent-pricing software companies and coordinators must stop collecting multi-owner rental data and recommending rents, renewals, or occupancy levels. Large property management companies and REITs face civil penalties, treble damages, discovery, and pleading rules that make antitrust claims harder to dismiss. Courts must handle private enforcement actions and apply the bill's arbitration, joint-action waiver, and pleading rules. FTC, DOJ, and State attorney general offices must investigate and enforce the new rent coordination prohibitions.

Key Provisions

• Defines prohibited rent-pricing coordination functions involving multi-owner rental data and algorithmic recommendations.
• Prohibits rental property owners from paying for or subscribing to coordinator services.
• Prohibits coordinators from performing rent-pricing, renewal-term, or occupancy-level coordination.
• Authorizes FTC, DOJ, State attorney general, and private enforcement.
• Provides treble damages, attorney fees, litigation costs, interest, and arbitration-waiver protections for private plaintiffs.
• Preserves stronger State tenant and antitrust protections.