Home ownership

There is a general belief that owners will take care of their home better than tenants. This was the reasons given to promote home ownership.

This may be true to some extent. But, it should not be exaggerated. The care that is given to the home and environment depends not so much on ownership, but on the behavior of the person. A higher income person is likely to take care of the home better than a person struggling to make a living at a low income.

Most people in Switzerland rent, rather than own their homes. I believe that they do take care of the property as well as home owners. This is just a belief, as I do not have the chance to verify it.

The poor people who lives in slums in some countries cannot afford to take care of their own living, so they are not likely to take care of their homes either.

I believe that it is better to treat home owners and renters equally, rather than to promote home ownership on a wrong belief that it leads to a better society. If more people rent their homes, they will be able to move closer to their place of work and reduce the travelling time and expense. This will reduce traffic congestion and improve quality of life.

Some people will argue that it is not possible for everyone to live near their place of work. I agree. We only need to have (say) 30% to live near their place of work to reduce traffic congestion by 30% - which is a lot.

The next step is to abolish the stamp duty and legal fees for selling a home. This will reduce a financial obstacle and encourage some home owners to move closer to their place of work.

Tan Kin Lian