It's also how they turn to technology to make it harder to really feel like you're actually renting. Instead of keys, you have a door with a code, but you don't control it, so if you're even five minutes late with rent, they'll change the code and lock you out. Just like with places like Google, it's about removing humans and having a lot of this shit automated, despite how dehumanzing the automation is to the people who have to use such services. When you're being fucked over and can't even find a human to talk to, it's dehumanizing.

[–] WtfEvenIsExistence@lemmy.ca 6 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

so if you’re even five minutes late with rent, they’ll change the code and lock you out

If that happened in the US, it's illegal. Call law enforcement (as much as people hate them, unfortunately you have to rely on them) and they'll force the landlord to let you in. And you can also sue the landlord for it.

At least that's how it is in blue states and cities.

[–] dingus@lemmy.ml 8 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

At least that’s how it is in blue states and cities.

I see you have never lived in a blue area with a Sheriff that refused to enforce things they don't like. I lived through a COVID denying Sheriff getting so many cops killed from COVID that they had to shut down the local jail because too many cops and inmates were dying because bad ventilation and general refusal of the cops to take any type of masking or social distancing seriously.

I mean, nationwide, COVID became the number one killer of cops during the pandemic.

I mean fuck, right now in most major cities in Washington (Seattle/Tacoma) you have had cops admitting that they were refusing to respond to calls as a political act. Literally trying to make people afraid by not showing up.

But sure, you can totally rely on the cops in these situations to show up and help. Especially in a reasonable amount of time. /s

[–] WtfEvenIsExistence@lemmy.ca 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I guess you could also break the lock yourself. Breaking into an residence you have legal rights to is not a crime.

[–] dingus@lemmy.ml 3 points 1 year ago

I can see the landlord just pressing charges about property damage and claiming it wasn't locked.

[–] PeleSpirit@lemmy.world 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Here in Seattle, they were caught price fixing all of the rents as well. Basically, they all used one software that was supposed to tell you what others are charging so you could adjust your prices. Instead, they would all use it to raise the prices at the same time. It's an evil industry.

[–] dingus@lemmy.ml 7 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

It’s an evil industry.

People of the same trade seldom meet together, even for merriment and diversion, but the conversation ends in a conspiracy against the public, or in some contrivance to raise prices. -Adam Smith