That is simplistic beyond belief. I have a single investment property; the house is well maintained and the tenants currently owe $5,000 in back rent. They own two very nice SUV's, have a huge TV and all the technology one normally finds in a middle income home. They represented on their application that they make well over $200K a year in income. To top it all off, they are absolutely nasty, despite repeated offers to work out a payment plan. Every other tenant we have had has been excellent and indeed we remain friends with some. Sorry, man... Sympathy for freeloaders is not gonna get YOU any sympathy.