Hello experts:

You played Monopoly when you were a kid. You knew the rules too. Of course you did. And, Monopoly is just a game. Why do you think that adults, who are playing REAL LIFE Monopoly as landlords, don't bother to learn the rules?

excon

Maybe it stems from playing games as a child? I know with Monopoly we always put money from Community Chest and Chance cards under the Free Parking spot, and when someone landed there they got the money. That was not in the rules, but I've seen it done by a lot of people. That kind of thing happens in a lot of games. They just make up some rules because... well, it's their game and they can do it if they want!

Perhaps the landlords see it as "their game" too, so they get to make the rules. And they'll just write the rules up on paper, get a singature, so the tenants have to play their way. They don't realize (or don't WANT to realize) that they DO NOT get to make all the rules.

In a capitalistic society they are indeed free to make the rules. The consumer is free to seek the service elsewhere.

In a capitalistic society they are indeed free to make the rules. The consumer is free to seek the service elsewhere.

Except when law trumps their rules. This is what excon is referring to when he says they don't bother to learn the rules.

As long as they conform to state law.

Haha well this is slightly off topic but where I live we have a government agency where you can report bad landlords. They have rules that they need to follow or else they are banned from renting or even charged. We also have rent control. One of my ex-landlords was charged for not having fire alarms in his building... the building caught on fire and a child died, and he was charged with manslaughter in the death.

Seriously though I think a lot of landlords are just jerks. When they were kids they probably cheated when they were playing monopoly. :p