Maryland’s antitrust lawsuit against RealPage and a group of large residential landlords grew again this June, when Attorney General Anthony Brown added four more property management companies as defendants. The case alleges that landlords used rent-setting software to coordinate prices across the state, including in Prince George’s County, home to College Park. For property owners, landlords, and tenants alike, it signals a more aggressive enforcement climate in Maryland real estate.
What the Expanded Lawsuit Alleges
The four newly named defendants are Camden Development Inc., Harbor Group Management Company LLC, Equity Residential Management LLC, and Trinity Property Consultants LLC. They join eight of the largest residential landlords in Maryland originally sued in January 2025.
According to the Maryland Attorney General, the defendants used RealPage’s revenue management software to fix rents at more than 30 apartment buildings across Baltimore City and six counties, including Prince George’s County. The state alleges the practice raised rents by as much as $130 a month for thousands of renters, in violation of the Maryland Antitrust Act.
The theory behind the case is worth understanding. The landlords are not accused of meeting in a room and agreeing on prices. Instead, the state contends they exchanged competitively sensitive information through a shared algorithm, and that the software effectively set coordinated rents on their behalf. The case is currently pending in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City, and the outcome could shape pricing practices statewide.
Why Property Owners in College Park, MD Should Pay Attention
This lawsuit reaches beyond the named defendants. It reflects how courts and regulators are treating software-driven pricing in real estate, and the questions it raises apply to a wide range of property disputes:
- Whether shared pricing tools create antitrust exposure for landlords who use them
- How lease terms hold up when the underlying rent was allegedly set unlawfully
- What obligations property managers owe to owners when enforcement actions arise
- How disputes between co-owners, managers, and tenants shift when the state gets involved
Real estate conflicts rarely stay simple. A rent dispute can become a contract dispute. A management disagreement can become a claim for breach of fiduciary duty. A College Park, MD real estate litigation lawyer can evaluate how developments like this one affect existing leases, management agreements, and pending disputes.
And the enforcement trend is not slowing down. The Attorney General’s office stated plainly that it intends to pursue complete relief and establish guardrails for pricing technology going forward.
Protecting Your Interests in a Changing Market
At Eric Siegel Law, we represent property owners, landlords, investors, and businesses in real estate disputes throughout Maryland and Washington, D.C. Attorney Eric Siegel works directly with each client and handles every case personally.
If you are facing a lease dispute, a conflict with a property manager, or uncertainty about how Maryland’s enforcement actions affect your holdings, a real estate litigation lawyer in College Park can help you assess your position before a dispute grows. Contact Eric Siegel Law to discuss your situation.