cross-posted from: https://lemmy.crimedad.work/post/12162
Why? Because apparently they need some more incentive to keep units occupied. Also, even though a property might be vacant, there’s still imputed rental income there. Its owner is just receiving it in the form of enjoying the unit for himself instead of receiving an actual rent check from a tenant. That imputed rent ought to be taxed like any other income.
Feel free to react here or on !economics@lemmy.ml
That’s what property tax is for.
Landlords should not exist in the first place. When fantasizing, why aim for mediocrity?
Housing can get built without the professional middlemen involved, believe it or not.
Landlords do not build houses, they just rent them out. Housing, shelter call it whatever you like is human right and essential need, so it should not be a part of speculations for profits. Now you can see overpriced real estate because of investors who buy it and never live there. All this “helpers” who rent out their apartments bring more harm than benefit for society (they at least contribute to a price growth in real estate). Buildings could be constructed by government owned organizations in order to provide society with housing, no need in speculators to solve problems.
They pay for it to be built. Unless you think the workers should work for free and not receive any benefit from their labor. Does hexbear know you feel this way? 🤣
That’s how it is here in Belgium. I pay tax on the income I would get if I would rent out my apartment, even when I’m actually living in it.
Luckily the amounts are based on rent prices as they were in 1975. It’s indexed, which means it gets adjusted for (general) inflation, but not for the increased prices in the housing market which is much higher than inflation.
