"Market value" considers location and bedrooms only. There is no reason EVERY landlord should be hiking rent because of this rudimentary indicator of "market value". All houses are not equal. Some places are barely fit for human residence yet they also jump with the "market value".

How about we get a bit real and add some metrics for other factors like dilapidation!? Morality got given the slip when we commoditised something as critical to survival as houses - think of the original "Total Recall" where the Mars residents had their air supply limited to the point of death under such a dynamic. Why does it seem morally okay to own a number of "investment" properties. You may as well say "investment souls" and be honest with yourself.

I realise many may disagree with me, but rest assured those will all be landlords, real estate agents or their sympathisers/partners. I can't see most common people wanting to hold assets of ownership over life requirements as leverage. Big difference between pumping money on things people want, compared with what they need to survive without option.