In the United States, the power is almost entirely in the hands of the landlord. Maybe not for things that reach criminal levels of malfeasance but for your average renter with a crappy landlord there is zero leverage, it is particularly bad now because housing is so incredibly broken at the moment.
For a long time, you have needed references from prior landlords to rent another place.
This was especially challenging for mediocre landlords. Where there was nothing worth a court date but they may have ignored real problems and garnished the deposit with no reason.
Rental management companies are practically incentivized to deliver the worst service for the highest price.
It’s like the taxi industry before ratings from Uber and Lyft came to provide some recourse for riders.
Ridesharing’s present outcome isn’t to strive for but neither is the taxi industry of yore.
Most folks who talk up the benefits of renting haven’t done it in a very long time.
For a long time, you have needed references from prior landlords to rent another place.
This was especially challenging for mediocre landlords. Where there was nothing worth a court date but they may have ignored real problems and garnished the deposit with no reason.
Rental management companies are practically incentivized to deliver the worst service for the highest price.
It’s like the taxi industry before ratings from Uber and Lyft came to provide some recourse for riders.
Ridesharing’s present outcome isn’t to strive for but neither is the taxi industry of yore.
Most folks who talk up the benefits of renting haven’t done it in a very long time.