Quick summary: I own my house. It's a 3 br, 2ba home, and I only use one bedroom and bathroom for myself. Recently a friend of mine proposed moving in. I've thought about it, and decided to offer them the other 2 rooms and bathroom to them for $500/month + half utilities.

I told another friend of mine (someone not directly involved) about this in passing, and they began to personally attack me for being a sham of a communist, and being a capitalist, and a landlord. They claim that what I'm asking for is steep. I understand essentially the place where their criticism is coming from, rent is a system of accumulation whereby I would be gaining wealth, and my friend would be receiving merely the permit to exist in my house. So on some level I understand and agree with the fact that this arrangement is essentially at odds with my beliefs.

Does this make me a sham? Brutal honesty please.

    • UmbraVivi [he/him, she/her]
      ·
      3 years ago

      Exploiting is way too strong a word for this, but essentially I know they’d be losing out on value that, in our capitalist system, they would otherwise be getting.

      I know what you mean but it's value they shouldn't be getting. It is not something they're entitled to. I know that, realistically, you can't just go to your friends and be like "if you make me pay rent you're a capitalist oppressor" (even if it would technically not be wrong) but I wouldn't feel bad for renting below market value.