Rent does not necessarily include a profit margin for the owner. There is a rental market rate and if the landlord's expenses exceed that rate, they can and do

Rent does not necessarily include a profit margin for the owner. There is a rental market rate and if the landlord's expenses exceed that rate, they can and do rent out the unit at that rate. It's still better than leaving it empty. Loss-making business ventures are common, and if we're talking about owners who have a separate source of income than property ownership, loss-making side hustles are exceedingly common. (there's a lot of complexity that sometimes does incentivize big commercial-property landlords to leave office spaces empty in some cities, but, I think that's a different market yet again)