Not to this scale, but my partner’s father has spent a fair bit of money doing upgrades and repairs that are technically for the landlord. However, I should note that the contract isn’t registered, meaning the landlord cannot index the rent. This also makes it hard to hold the landlord responsible for doing any repairs. On the other hand, renter can’t be held responsible for modifications either. So legally there is more freedom on either side. Thing is, the renter can always demand registration. But usually this means no renewal of the contract. It’s very likely here the property would get sold and even if he brings up the money, it may be sold to someone else. So the short answer is really that people in poverty often don’t know or don’t dare to stand up for their rights and loopholes like this keep existing because you can get a cheaper rent on a building not up to standards.

I get it. I always found a dishwasher too expensive for what I’d gain from it. Doing dishes manually for one or two adults who are diligent about reuse isn’t that much effort. But after being gifted a second hand one in excellent condition, I am very happy to have it in my home. The running cost is very reasonable. I’m unsure if I would replace it if broken. But for now it is serving me very well.