Trade or Business confusion

[Gretel]

Does anyone have a good explanation why the repair regulations apply to Rentals but Home Office expenses are not allowed?

Repair Regulations definition: Trade or Business

Home Office: Trade or Business, but Rentals are not allowed? ... because they are just income producing?

How can the same term mean different things?

This brings also back the much disputed question if a rental property owner needs to file 1099's.

[Bob McCoy]

Your asking a logical question concerning the mindset of the IRS and how they arrive at various conclusions when administering tax laws. Not sure there is a good answer to that. Maybe because they can?

They may say because rental is a passive activity, but that is as close as I can come to figuring out the machinations of those who write tax law.