I am an EX island Owner.

Well, the fight to stay afloat lasted a while, and finally died. Of late, visitors to my sims has reduced frighteningly. The land search in SL is so screwed up no one can even find my land, let alone buy it.

I can’t compete with those that have no additional Tax bolted onto their Tier. So my tier is 295 USD plus VAT, their tier is 295 USD even. But even that’s not true. The new corporate members pay their 25,000 USD and get a very low rate if Tier. I cannot possibly complete with them.

Slowly I lost customers, here and there as they went off to buy ‘Open Spaces’ at giveaway prices. Some I lost as they were teased away with a promise of lower tier.

Each vacant lot meant some of my reserve was paying for it. Soon my reserves started to run out, until I feared I would not be able to meet the full round of tiers next time around. I have sold a couple Sims to residents, sold one to my partner and sold the rest off at a very attractive cheap price. I lose out overall!

I don’t want to think of the hundreds of hours I have invested making sure islands work and look pretty and are free from greifers. Don’t want to think of those sims I paid 1760 USD for, don’t want to think of the loss of 40% value, don’t want to think of the dip after the loss of Gambling, or the loss of residents after VAT got ADDED to my tier bill.

Some residents I gave a cheap tier to because I liked them as people, reduced tier, less than half in some cases, and they called me all the names under the sun when they realised their free ride was over. Had one resident threaten me with her lawyers to sue over a 1200 Linden loss to them! Sue me for the cost of a cup of juice?

So now I have no islands, and I blame the lindens squarely.

1) Unfair land pricing policy

2) Badly implemented VAT

3) Unfair advantage to corporate players

4) Lack of support for those who generated their income with low risk to them.

I am now an Ex-island owner, because the Lindens failed to recognise a problem properly, failed to react when a problem occurred and failed to be responsible in the providing a solution to a problem.

Knee- Jerk rule creation and implementation is not a responsible solution when things go bad.

Now, I turn my talents back to building and managing land for other people. Like my Partner in RL, her islands are suffering too and she is close to 'failing to survive'.

She too has spent a fortune in time, money and effort, she too has come too close to being unable to continue. I pray the Lindens will correct their mistakes before she too goes under.