Final answer:
Landlords desire a direct lease with tenants to ensure clarity and enforceability in transactions, protect their rental income, and maintain their ability to manage property in a way that balances opportunity costs with housing quality.
Step-by-step explanation:
A landlord would request the lease to be between them and the tenant to create a clear, legally binding agreement that outlines the responsibilities and rights of each party. This ensures that transactions are not unclear or confusing, reducing the likelihood of disputes. It is also a way to ensure that in the event someone breaks the lease, there are predefined consequences and procedures to follow, which are understood by both parties. Moreover, having a direct lease agreement can protect the landlord's interests by ensuring that tenants' belongings, such as corn and cattle, can be made liable for distress in cases of non-payment, thus helping to secure the landlord's rent. Furthermore, landlords face an opportunity cost when dealing with rent control measures such as price ceilings. Although they might provide the appearance of affordability to renters, price ceilings can lead to landlords reducing investment in property maintenance, potentially degrading the housing quality. By having a direct lease with the tenant, the landlord may have more flexibility in setting rent prices that reflect the true market value of the housing, thereby allowing for sufficient investment in maintenance and the provision of essentials like heating, cooling, hot water, and lighting.