I am a property owner. It's a tough business.

I had a tenant, Mr. Alvarez. He never missed a rent payment for 5 years.
Then, the transfers stopped coming. I went to the apartment. He didn't answer the door. I used my key. The apartment was empty. No furniture. Just a mattress on the floor and Mr. Alvarez sitting on it.
"Sorry," he said, looking at me. "My wife got sick. The medication... I sold everything. I’m leaving today." I looked at the empty room. I went to my truck. Grabbed my tools. "I’m not going to evict you," I said. "But I will raise the rent." He looked terrified. "I’m going to raise it to €0 for the next six months." He started crying. "And," I added, "I have an extra sofa stored away. And a table.
Let’s make this place feel like a home again." That was three years ago. His wife recovered. He’s back on his feet. Now he insists on paying me double rent to "settle the debt."
I deposit the extra money into a fund for other tenants in difficulty.
A roof is a business. Keeping a roof over your head when you're drowning? That’s a duty.
Anonymous participant