How many investment properties is too many?

[Olive]

There was a referendum held in Berlin recently regarding the nationalisation of megaproperty holdings, which gave support to the idea that private individuals or companies should have limited numbers of residential investment properties. The local political leadership are now formulating legislation to go ahead with that proposal which will compensate landlords, nationalise their holdings, and limit future purchases.

With our current challenges around housing, should there be a limit to the number of residential properties that can be held in private hands? Or should we perhaps use taxation to persuade investors to look at more productive use of their savings?

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/...aland.html

Your reference to Berlin has got me thinking. One of the many differences between housing attitudes in Aotearoa and in Germany is that in Germany renting is seen as a perfectly valid and honourable way of living, and renters are not regarded as second class citizens. A consequence of that is that renters are just as community-minded as property owners. Although the rent cap legislation has been repealed there are still rental controls that prevent landlords from profiteering, and tenants enjoy protection against being booted out at short notice.

We lived in Berlin briefly about ten years ago, as sub-tenants in a large apartment block in Prenslauerberg, and I was awestruck by the civic responsibility shown by all of the other tenants. Correct communal recycling was a point of honour, everyone was polite and respectful of one another.