this post was submitted on 23 Apr 2024
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Get rid of landlords... (lemmy.world)
submitted 6 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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[–] [email protected] 14 points 6 months ago (13 children)

I have to agree with those others who suggest that banning landlords is not the way to go.

However, the power dynamics should be significantly shifted. And if those shifts mean some landlords decide to exit the market? So be it.

  1. Tenants should not be able to be evicted for any reason other than: damaging the property, being significantly (maybe 6 months?) behind on rent, the owner or an immediate family member wants to move in, significant renovations are needed (with strong enforcement to ensure these last two are actually done, and not used as a fake excuse). No ability to use evictions as a reprisal for complaining about the conditions.
  2. Tenants should be entitled to treat the place basically as their own. That means any minor reversible modification should be permitted, including painting and hanging up photos.
  3. No restrictions on pets other than those which would normally come with local ordinances and animal welfare laws.
  4. Rental inspections every 3 months is absurd. Maybe the first after 3 months, then 6 months, then annually after that at best.
  5. Strict rules about landlords being required to maintain the property to a comfortable condition. Harsh penalties if they fail to do so, as well as the ability for the tenant to get the work done themselves and make the landlord pay for it, if the landlord does not get it done in a reasonable time.

And tangentially, to prevent property owners just leaving their homes without a long-term tenant: significantly increased rates/taxes for homes that are unoccupied long-term, or which are used for short-term accommodation (e.g. Airbnb). Additionally, state-owned housing with highly affordable pricing should make up a substantial portion of the market, on the order of 30%. This provides a pretty hard floor below which privately-owned housing cannot fall, because people should be reasonably able to say "this place isn't good enough, I'll move".

If a property owner is willing to deal with the fact that a home's first and foremost purpose should be to provide a safe and secure place for a person to live, then I have no problem with them profiting.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 6 months ago (3 children)

While I hate the current state of affairs around housing, some people do lose the plot and forget that some people prefer/need to rent and that rent cant just be the mortgage payment because they're on the hook for repairs, not you.

Landlords aren't inherently the problem, they're a symptom of ALL property owners completely shutting down new development for over 50 years.

I agree with these ideas but we also need to fund development of new housing, and if anyone wants to complain instead of shutting it down extend an offer to buy their house so they can leave.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 months ago (1 children)

We also need to look at how mortgage applications are handled. Like if you can pay 3k a month in rent for 2 years (not saying 2 years should be the requirement, just that if you happen to have that history) and can prove it, you should qualify for a mortgage that costs 3k a month.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 months ago

The idea that affording $3k also means you can afford a $3k mortgage falls under what I'm saying about people swinging too far in the other direction - affording $3k in rent =/= affording a $3k mortgage plus taxes/insurance plus upkeep etc etc.

That being said our credit system is 100% busted. Engaging in predatory lending to build a credit score should not be the only way to "prove" financial fitness. Just because I pay my credit cards off every month doesn't mean I don't still waste like $300/mo on doordash 🤣

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