Multi Owning: Limiting FC Leadership Transfers

I'm mostly posting this reflecting complaints I've seen across both Twitter, Reddit, and Discord regarding multi owning. I am posting it here on OF in an attempt to get the devs to either read, see, process, and (ideally) actually reply to this (i have little faith with that last one but i can dream right).

This post will not discuss personals and will exclusively talk about the ownership of multiple FC houses on one server. I am also going to try to focus on facts rather than the moral side of this argument.

As it stands, a player can purchase ONE (1) Free Company house from the placard. This places a "flag" on the character's account, and locks them from purchasing more FC houses from the placard in other FCs on the same server. This was implemented around Shirgoane launch (~4.2??). This is fine and is directly outlined on the Lodestone guide.

HOWEVER, through leadership transfers of any kind (inactive leadership or manual transfer), a player can bypass this flag and theoretically gain ownership of 7 more FCs (assuming 1 per alt). This means that even if a player has the "flag" preventing them from purchasing more FC houses at the placard, they can hold ownership over multiple FCs. Alternatively, a person can be transferred ownership of 8 FC houses and never have to touch the placard.

As it stands right now, this is what people assume is the system working intentionally. The lodestone guide indicates "purchases and maintains" as the check for the restriction flag. This isn't incorrect! The system checks if you purchased a house from the placard AND if you are currently maintaining a position in that FC. If you leave the FC (and are no longer "maintaining"), the flag resets and you will be able to purchase again.

However there is zero indication if the FC leadership transfer feature is a loophole or an intended feature. Through the definition of the lodestone guide, this is as classified as only "maintaining" a FC, not purchasing. On top of this, one GM cites that "If the game systems in place are allowing you to keep and/or purchase multiple housing plots on the same account, then that means you are able to possess those specific properties."

Basically, please just be direct if this is intentional or not. If it is, directly outline it on the official purchase guide and tell players that the ownership of multiple houses is normal gameplay by design. If its not, consider restricting leadership being passed to players who already hold a purchase rank in another FC on the same server. Extend that flag to transfers. This argument keeps happing because Squenix has been vague for years in regards to this. Make it clear for us.

This is a good question. I have alts in other people's FCs to help staff roleplay venues on the same server. I also am the leader of an FC with a house. I'd like to know if this will affect any of my friends' FCs in the future.