Attitudes toward private housing are diverse across all of Europe, with home ownership rates, average age of first time buyers, average house size and a variety of other metrics showing large disparities. With these differences come contrasts in landlord and tenants’ rights, state provided incentives to downsize, and market interventions of various shapes. With home ownership therefore having environmental, economic and social impacts, what should governments do to balance fair treatment of the individual with fair treatment of society as a collective?