There is no obligation to enter into a tenancy knowing that the landlord can jack the prices up on a whim. There is plenty of choice – one can opt to move into a unit constructed before 2018 instead, or, in newer construction, one can make it a contractual condition of the tenancy to have an independently negotiated “rent control” in force.

To ignore all of that at the time and then cry about it later because the risk taken didn’t work out is just plain antisocial behaviour. We invented contract law exactly to prevent these kinds of surprises. If you want to play some other stupid game instead, expect to win stupid prizes.

Exactly. To accept a lease on a property that you know doesn’t have automatic rent control, and to not contractually obligate the landlord to long-term price controls in that rental agreement, is reckless. They took the high risk gamble and lost. Such is life. But to then complain that their high risk scheme, which was done to screw over other renters who are more careful, didn’t work out is plain antisocial behaviour.