[WalterBright]

> in a "free market" tenants have no rights.

Their rights are what is mutually agreed upon in the rental agreement.

> without laws to prevent it, landlords could arbitrarily raise rents whenever they felt like it.

Many rental contracts have clauses specifying when and how much the rent can change.

Landlords can demand whatever they want, but a tenant would have to agree to it. Tenants can also demand whatever they want, but the landlord would have to agree. That's supply & demand at work.

[adgjlsfhk1]

contacts only work because we don't live in a few market. without regulation, a contract is just a piece of paper

[WalterBright]

Contracts are not regulations. But the government provides contract enforcement, which is an essential part of a free market.