this post was submitted on 01 Apr 2024
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And coal plants provide power and heat to millions of people, that doesn't make it right. The ends do not justify the means.
I'm renting to people who rent as a convenience, not because they can't afford to buy a flat. I offered them decreased rent during COVID and they declined.
No no no you don't understand you are just stealing from them even if they don't want to buy. Everyone must have a house, there should be no landlords nor renters. /s
You are forming your opinion on a statistical anomaly worth of experiences. The reality is rent is priced fixed by very few algorithms - all of which by their nature drive the prices higher every year.
You are renting to people who choose to rent, the vast majority don't get to choose. And even if they choose to rent, that's because owning is too expensive in their eyes (money or time or paperwork or otherwise) - it does not mean they wouldn't want to own if the cost was lower.
I can't imagine anyone declining reduced costs unless phrased poorly or out of guilt.
I think the situation is different in different countries.
The assumption in your last last paragraph is very likely incorrect, I asked them outright if they wanted one and they said no, they're software developers and warming pretty well in their cushy home office, thank you very much.
I think the scenario I described applies to most Western countries.
Congrats on having rich renters then. If they're wealthy enough to not take reduced rent then they are likely not your countries average renter.
They're probably not. They might be pretty average for the region though.
The electronic device you used for typing all that crap? Probably slave labour. That's before looking at the power you wasted to do so, and it's origin. Virtue signalling much?
Haha I would really like the thought process of the person who downvoted you. Maybe βsince I'm forced to live in an immoral system, I can't live a perfectly moral life and having a phone is OK. But going one iota beyond what I do is immoralβ
IDK. I wouldn't have posted if I wouldn't have wanted to read people disagreeing with my assessment of the morality of what I do. But I was probably wrong to hope for a more nuanced criticism that actually tries to engage with my arguments instead of just knee-jerk downvoting.
There are a few hot topics on lemmy and this is one of them. I think you did a good thing, I found that interesting and that's what I came to this thread for.
I dislike speculation on housing but appreciate there are many reasons why someone becomes a land lord, and I have been the person renting from someone like you when I could afford to buy. I just knew I wasn't going to stay in that city, I was getting a good service and am happy for what I paid for. And for how carefree that period of my life was.
Tankies are not known for appreciating nuances tho.
I think it's hard to morally judge if it's good or not. I don't know who would have bought it if not for me: some faceless rent extraction company who keep increasing rent at the maximum legal rate? Or (unlikely in that spot, but possible) a couple who would live there?
As it is now, there's a couple living there. Software engineers who already said they'll move on soonish because they think Berlin is cooler. They pay below average rent and the one time something broke, I simply sent a repair person ASAP. Not really people I feel I'm taking advantage of.
I think there can be some middle ground. Obviously speculation is pushing up both rent prices and the cost/availability of houses to buy. There are some interesting options, I like the idea to only allow residential property to be bought by physical persons - regardless of whether that's for living in it or as an investment it would put a damper on prices sky-rocketing.
Corporations trust funds and so on can still go mad on commercial property. Offices, malls and warehouse are not a necessity and let the market decide, I think that could be a win win. Feasibility of this in various countries would obviously vary but I'm sure something can be done.
I've also seen suggestions aroud limiting the number of properties one can buy/own. Interesting but more complicated to enforce and IMO not needed.