Why is this not the solution?

[Nepentha]

IMO I think the loophole here is (SE once again) not realizing that they need to restrict things on a per account per server basis, and not per character.

For example, only one character per account per server should be on any leaderboard, and an account should only have one apartment and one personal house on any given server. SE fixes THAT issue, and we'd likely see a good chunk of apartments released from the system as SE is basically getting forced to do this because there is no way they can ever release enough housing to accommodate the demand in the near future.

Incorrect. First, SE will not restrict apartments. At the time they were implemented, SE probably was under the impression they were unlikely to sell out and there's no need to restrict them. And by and large they're right. Balmung is a unique situation and afaik the only server that has sold out. Other servers still have plenty of open apartments. I walked out of my FC house this morning and checked the nearby apartment block and out of 90 possible slots only 16 of them have tenants. It's not a loophole that people can buy an apartment on their alts. It was actually meant to be something you could purchase on multiple characters on a given server.

In the extremely unlikely event they do decide to restrict them in the future, they will grandfather in current ownerships, just as they did with multi home owners at the time they instituted the 1 personal per server rule. They are not going to punish players who were playing by the rules at the time. So no, there will be no sudden release of apartments. It's a silly thing considering Balmung is literally the only server that's sold out. The best thing they can do is just add more apartments, as they told us they could do in the future if it was needed.

[Almagnus1]

Incorrect. First, SE will not restrict apartments. At the time they were implemented, SE probably was under the impression they were unlikely to sell out and there's no need to restrict them. And by and large they're right. Balmung is a unique situation and afaik the only server that has sold out. Other servers still have plenty of open apartments. I walked out of my FC house this morning and checked the nearby apartment block and out of 90 possible slots only 16 of them have tenants. It's not a loophole that people can buy an apartment on their alts. It was actually meant to be something you could purchase on multiple characters on a given server.

In the extremely unlikely event they do decide to restrict them in the future, they will grandfather in current ownerships, just as they did with multi home owners at the time they instituted the 1 personal per server rule. They are not going to punish players who were playing by the rules at the time. So no, there will be no sudden release of apartments. It's a silly thing considering Balmung is literally the only server that's sold out. The best thing they can do is just add more apartments, as they told us they could do in the future if it was needed.

You have no idea what SE will (or won't) do. Methinks your time would be better spent spinning insane conspiracy theories instead... kinda like what your sig is implying...

[Nepentha]

You have no idea what SE will (or won't) do. Methinks your time would be better spent spinning insane conspiracy theories instead... kinda like what your sig is implying...

Neither do you. Look at you, saying what SE is doing or being forced to do.

As for the rest, if that's your best retort I will assume you know I'm right and have nothing to counter with.

[Almagnus1]

Neither do you. Look at you, saying what SE is doing or being forced to do.

As for the rest, if that's your best retort I will assume you know I'm right and have nothing to counter with.

We're back to the same old same old, and a lot of design (that is IMO a huge oversight) where SE keeps ignoring that people will no-life FFXIV with multiple alts and abuse systems that are pretty clearly intended to be used by only a single character just because they can. This wanton expression of greed is going to continue to be a problem (both here and on the leaderboards for other things) until SE finally locks it down and only allows certain things to occur once per account per server, like the house and apartment. I wouldn't be surprised if the Balmung apartment situation is being exacerbated by alts, and that is something SE should fix IMO... but SE has shown a complete lack of spine to do what is necessary to fix the situation - likely because we're looking at a difference between the Japanese and American cultures.

Balmung is the canary in the coal mine.

[Elladie]

We're back to the same old same old, and a lot of design (that is IMO a huge oversight) where SE keeps ignoring that people will no-life FFXIV with multiple alts and abuse systems that are pretty clearly intended to be used by only a single character just because they can. This wanton expression of greed is going to continue to be a problem (both here and on the leaderboards for other things) until SE finally locks it down and only allows certain things to occur once per account per server, like the house and apartment. I wouldn't be surprised if the Balmung apartment situation is being exacerbated by alts, and that is something SE should fix IMO... but SE has shown a complete lack of spine to do what is necessary to fix the situation - likely because we're looking at a difference between the Japanese and American cultures.

Balmung is the canary in the coal mine.

I'm sorry, but just because someone doesn't play the game the way you do, that doesn't give you the right to call them greedy and other unsalubrious adjectives. Having a number of alts is the way some of us play. I have many, some I play often, some I rarely play at all. I have them because I'm a writer, and I get a great deal of enjoyment out of telling their various stories. Yes, I RP with a couple. If they are high enough level and have earned the gil and the rank in an GC, they have apartments. If they could still buy a house, I would work on trying to get a house. I get as much fun and pleasure out of them as I do my main; some play jobs I wouldn't want to play on my main, some focus on crafting or gathering, some are about other specific goals. If SE announced that they could no longer have apartments because reasons, I'd accept that, although it would sadden me. I get a lot of pleasure out of creating places that suit them. It's fine for you to think I'm odd, but it's not fine for you to call me greedy because I've worked to earn an apartment for a few of my alts....

Nor do I 'no life' XIV as you so charmingly put it. I hold down a demanding full time job, I have three grown up children with their own families with whom I spend a lot of time, I write most nights. Some weeks I only log into XIV once for ten minutes to check my retainers. In short I have a rich and full life of which this game is a small but much enjoyed part. So please don't make ridiculous generalisations about other people who play differently