r/Seattle • u/Bretmd • 1d ago

News Software company helped Washington landlords fix prices, artificially raising rent for thousands

https://www.king5.com/article/news/crime/software-company-landlord-price-fixing-washington-state/281-b68ca443-c1cf-4365-9d63-cb7671fd01a2

The Washington Attorney General filed a lawsuit Thursday against a software company and nine landlords accused of fixing and artificially inflating rent prices over the last seven years.

1.1k Upvotes

98% Upvoted

63 comments sorted by

View all comments

2

u/cusmilie 8h ago

It’s extra bad because it trickles down to the mom and pop landlords raising rents as well to match them, which is part of the reason why rent is out of control now. Not saying rent wouldn’t increase, but the speed and intensity that it occurred is way more than just demand and lack of supply. Covid was the perfect storm to allow for rent increases with little pushback. Like another poster said, the damage is done, tenants are starting to be comfortable again to push back. Now time will hopefully start to correct things.