Why is this not the solution?

[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