End Rent Fixing Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Representative Balint, Becca [D-VT-At Large]
Introduced
Summary
Bans coordinated rent‑setting and the use of coordinating services that help landlords set or predict rents across multiple properties. The bill would make it illegal for rental property owners or vendors to subscribe to or perform those coordinating functions and treats those actions as antitrust violations.
Show full summary
- Renters and households: The bill would forbid collecting or sharing historical or current rent prices, supply levels, or lease dates for the purpose of coordinating rental prices or renewal terms.
- Rental property owners and vendors: It would make it unlawful for an owner, agent, or subcontractor to pay for or provide a coordinating service and classifies those acts as violations under the Federal Trade Commission Act and the Sherman Act.
- Enforcement and legal remedies: The Federal Trade Commission, the Attorney General, and State attorneys general could pursue civil penalties and relief. Private plaintiffs could recover treble damages (three times actual damages), costs, reasonable attorney fees, and may void pre‑dispute arbitration or joint action waivers at their option.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Easier renter lawsuits with triple damages
If enacted, anyone harmed could sue in federal court with no minimum dollar amount. If you win, you would get three times your actual damages plus costs and reasonable attorney fees. The court could also add simple interest from when you serve your case until judgment. You could choose to void any pre-dispute arbitration or joint-action waivers tied to this claim. The bill would also lower pleading hurdles so cases are less likely to be thrown out early.
Ban on landlords coordinating rents
If enacted, landlords and contractors would be barred from coordinating rent prices or lease terms. Owners could not pay or hire services that recommend rents across multiple owners. A coordinating function would mean collecting rent, supply, or lease timing data from two or more owners, analyzing it with the same method or algorithm, and recommending rents or terms to at least two owners. The rule would cover most homes used as residences, like houses, apartments, and manufactured homes, but not inpatient medical, licensed long-term care, or prisons. These acts would be illegal under federal antitrust law.
Stronger antitrust enforcement on rent-fixing
If enacted, the FTC would be able to sue and seek civil penalties and other relief. The Justice Department would enforce using its existing antitrust tools. State attorneys general could also bring similar cases. The bill would add to, not replace, current antitrust laws, and stronger state protections would still apply. If a court struck one part, the rest would remain in effect.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Balint, Becca [D-VT-At Large]
VT • D
Cosponsors
Rep. García, Jesús G. "Chuy" [D-IL-4]
IL • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Bonamici
OR • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Casar, Greg [D-TX-35]
TX • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Craig
MN • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Deluzio, Christopher R. [D-PA-17]
PA • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Gomez
CA • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Goodlander, Maggie [D-NH-2]
NH • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Johnson (GA)
GA • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7]
WA • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
DC • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Omar, Ilhan [D-MN-5]
MN • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Ramirez, Delia C. [D-IL-3]
IL • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Salinas, Andrea [D-OR-6]
OR • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12]
MI • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Takano, Mark [D-CA-39]
CA • D
Sponsored 12/4/2025
Rep. Lee, Summer L. [D-PA-12]
PA • D
Sponsored 12/9/2025
Rep. Frost, Maxwell [D-FL-10]
FL • D
Sponsored 12/11/2025
Rep. Larson, John B. [D-CT-1]
CT • D
Sponsored 12/11/2025
Rep. Dexter, Maxine [D-OR-3]
OR • D
Sponsored 12/11/2025
Rep. Castor, Kathy [D-FL-14]
FL • D
Sponsored 12/18/2025
Rep. Evans, Dwight [D-PA-3]
PA • D
Sponsored 1/7/2026
Simon
CA • D
Sponsored 1/7/2026
Friedman
CA • D
Sponsored 1/7/2026
Rep. Dean, Madeleine [D-PA-4]
PA • D
Sponsored 1/12/2026
Rep. Watson Coleman, Bonnie [D-NJ-12]
NJ • D
Sponsored 1/23/2026
Rep. Hoyle, Val T. [D-OR-4]
OR • D
Sponsored 1/30/2026
Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6]
MA • D
Sponsored 2/17/2026
Jackson (IL)
IL • D
Sponsored 3/2/2026
Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13]
MI • D
Sponsored 3/2/2026
Rep. Williams, Nikema [D-GA-5]
GA • D
Sponsored 3/30/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov