this post was submitted on 20 Dec 2024
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[–] strawberrysocial@lemmy.world 5 points 5 days ago (3 children)

Many of my landlords were pretty decent people who actually cared about their tenants tho.

[–] nepenthes@lemmy.world 7 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Don't forget how many apartment buildings are owned by corporate landlords though. Western Canada has a huuuge problem with the slumlord billionaires at Mainstreet and others.

The out-of-date data I can find has 35% of BC apartments as investor-owned.

[–] strawberrysocial@lemmy.world 3 points 5 days ago

I guess that's likely the difference. With the big company owned apartments you usually deal with a super intendant or building manager instead of the landlord directly. So the renter is seen as a faceless number rather than an actual person to the owners you are paying money to. There's a lack of empathy towards the renter.

[–] cley_faye@lemmy.world 1 points 4 days ago

There are honest people out there. Unfortunately, it's a drip of water in the ocean.

[–] slartibartfast@lemm.ee 2 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Is that why they stole their money?

[–] strawberrysocial@lemmy.world 7 points 5 days ago (3 children)

Stole whose money? My money? My stove broke, they replaced it, pest issue, they paid for the exterminator, roof leaking, they paid for it to be fixed, many other examples but you get the idea. I didn't pay utilities in some places. I've had bad landlords and I moved house because of them and didn't do them any favours when I left. The good ones I made sure I was a good tenant for. I think a lot of renters don't understand how expensive owning a place is with upkeep. We wouldn't be able to replace a furnace or roof repair and all that jazz in our income bracket.

[–] Draedron@lemmy.dbzer0.com 10 points 5 days ago (2 children)

Landlords buy an essential good just so they can squeeze money out of their renters. Housing should never be seen as an investment, yet these parasites do.

[–] gimsy@feddit.it 5 points 5 days ago (1 children)

There is a huge difference between a private owner, and a corporation. Anyhow they might have a common approach, I would say estate ownership should be limited to a certain number through incremental taxation the more you own the larger the tax bracket, like we do for income

[–] Quadhammer@lemmy.world 3 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago)

Problem with that is they'll charge even more and then the people never see that tax money

[–] strawberrysocial@lemmy.world 1 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (1 children)

I am offended on behalf of the good people I know who made it so we could have housing when we can't afford a mortgage or the housing upkeep costs. They were investments to them sure but they cared about their tenants. Call in the middle of the evening because the toilet wasn't working and they came quickly with a brand new toilet. Couldn't make that months rent till the middle of the month , no problem, pay when you can type thing. Every single landlord aren't the devils you want them to be. I agree some of them are bad because I've had that experience too. I think maybe you should be angry with the banks and the giant conglomerates who pay you shit wages making you too poor to afford a mortgage or the upkeep for home ownership. I am not willing to lump all landlords in the same shit pile. I've seen second hand what being house poor is like. House is falling apart because they can't afford to maintain it. Wearing winter coats inside because the furnace broke and can't afford to fix it, not having a working toilet and shitting in a bucket with a trash bag. Also imagine having to buy a new house everytime you moved to a new town or different area of a big city. Renting a home or an apartment has a place in society.

[–] Quadhammer@lemmy.world 6 points 5 days ago

For profit housing tho is kinda bad don't you think? I'm not talking about one guy making a respectable living off running an apartment complex

[–] slartibartfast@lemm.ee 2 points 5 days ago (2 children)

Are you suggesting landlords make zero profit off of the property?

The money we put in is more than the cost of the exterminator, roof not-leaking, many other examples but you get the idea.

[–] strawberrysocial@lemmy.world 4 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (1 children)

No, I'm not suggesting that at all. Don't know why you are suggesting I am?

The benefits of renting is that we are too poor, we do not have emergency funds to buy a new stove or what have you, but we are able to afford monthly rent. Repairs and stuff, that falls on the landlords. They charge an amount that will cover the cost of any repairs or appliance or plumbing replacements in the future, along with (if they don't own the house outright) their mortgage payments on the house.

[–] frayedpickles@lemmy.cafe 1 points 5 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

Right, you're using them as insurance. You give them money, they pool cash you literally can't get because the system is out to crush you, and on the off chance something goes wrong they take a small hit to their profiting from your suffering.

This is especially a funny take from a Canadian considering the reason your rent is high is rich people who can easily get more capital are buying up real estate with the sole purpose of raising prices without providing any additional service. I mean I wouldn't want to try to live in Vancouver on a California salary and that's sad.

[–] commie@lemmy.dbzer0.com 0 points 5 days ago

poor landlords. they should just sell.

[–] StupidBrotherInLaw@lemmy.world 0 points 5 days ago (1 children)

The beauty of this is you'd be able to afford all of these if wages and housing costs were reasonable. The rich are the cause of both issues.

[–] strawberrysocial@lemmy.world 1 points 4 days ago

That's true, the rich truly are the issue largely. My good landlord(s) aren't though and they were never what I would consider rich. Just doing slightly better than me at the time. And I got to benefit from their slightly above me income bracket. I think it's easier in smaller towns and cities than the big places like Vancouver Toronto and such though. The housing costs and rental costs are insane there. Go to places like Thunder Bay and it's a lot more affordable.