They fight like hell to avoid doing maintenance for the same reason any low-margin business avoids doing anything that isn't absolutely necessary: to protect their slim profit margins. They are not taking a "loss" on maintenance; maintenance is one of many costs of doing business and one slummier landlords try to minimize as much as they can get away with.
There is no fallacy here. For all maintenance done, either the renters cover the costs of the maintenance or the landlord loses money on the property. Trying to avoid performing the maintenance in the first place doesn't change that.
