I think the game simply counts plot as owned. From my understanding timer counts same no matter if you build house or not. But you need to walk into the house to reset it.
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It's the failure to enter the estate hall once every 45 days that triggers demolition.
Under normal circumstances, lack of the estate hall would lead the plot to demo when the 45 days was up because there was nothing to enter. With demolition suspended, the absence of an estate hall doesn't matter because entry isn't needed.
Granted it would be nice if SE would change things so that demolition occurs if the plot is missing an Estate Hall for 14 consecutive days. I can see someone not building the estate hall immediately because they weren't aware of the extra expense but it shouldn't take that long to earn the needed gil (or borrow it from friends). Having a plot sitting without an estate hall 3 months later is a clear sign of someone who doesn't actually want a house and is merely abusing the system.
I agree that an empty plot should be relinquished if it goes without house for too long (I was under the impression that you had to build the house until the next lottery period started but clearly i was wrong there). Will that actually end up freeing those plots or will it get the owners of those plots to just build the house there is a different question entirely however. Still I'm for having to actually build a house to keep the plot, there is nothing looking more awkward than an empty plot. Overall supply is an issue and I dont like trying to keep people who want to honestly take a break from the game hostage by threat of housing demolition. So I am in favor of keeping auto demolition off but that doesnt need to apply to empty plots.
current small lottery due tomorrow: 165 bids
whose feeling lucky?