When I was young(er?) people with 'reasonable' jobs (postman, bus driver, etc,) could afford to buy their own house. Graduates could exoect better paid jobs, free of student debt. Social housing existed for those who wanted, or needed, to rent a home. There has been a (UK) national ****fest about the increase in property prices that will be self-defeating unless incomes rise. Asset prices (including housing) are still rising as the asset rich are accumulating more assets using their under-taxed income. For now, smaller landlords are 'happy', and will be only so long as non-asset holders can afford to pay the rent. When those renting cannot pay, and the smaller landlords no longer have income, larger landlords will buy them out. In the medium term it may favour the asset not-so-rich to throw their support behind the super-rich. Eventually the assets of the asset not-so-rich will be aquired by the super rich. An oligarchy will speed this process.