his room was being rented out due to the fact that he was living together

[Tony_M]

Hello.

My example:
A friend of mine was going to Warsaw for a few days. He found a very affordable room on Airbnb. When my friend contacted the owner, he learned that it was a Polish student named Phillip who decided to make some money off sort of his real estate. Phillip said that his room was being rented out due to the fact that he was living together with his girlfriend in a room next door.

My thoughts:
The parts in bold are just backshifted present continuous constructions. From the perspective of the speaker, the present continuous indicates two activities that are happening currently or now. Renting and living are taking place within another temporary activity, which is studying. Phillip is a student now; he's studying to become a manager, economist, engineer, or ... I don't know. So, the current period of his life (now) is dedicated to the activity of studying, and renting and living are happening inside of it.

My questions:
Does my explanation make sense? Can the simple past be used instead?

Thank you.

 

[jutfrank]

My thoughts:
The parts in bold are just backshifted present continuous constructions.

Yes, correct.

From the perspective of the speaker, the present continuous indicates two activities that are happening currently or now.

The present continuous indicates that the actions are a) in progress at the time of speaking, and b) of limited duration.

Renting and living are taking place within another temporary activity, which is studying. Phillip is a student now; he's studying to become a manager, economist, engineer, or ... I don't know. So, the current period of his life (now) is dedicated to the activity of studying, and renting and living are happening inside of it.

You're on the wrong track here. The fact that Philip is a student is wholly irrelevant.

My questions:
Can the simple past be used instead?

The present continuous is the right choice in both clauses.

 

[Tony_M]

You're on the wrong track here. The fact that Philip is a student is wholly irrelevant.

Thank you very much, @jutfrank.

Why do you think so?

- I am a student now. I'm studying to become a mechanic. I'm living in a dormitory. A few months ago I started living together with my girlfriend. I'm renting out my room to earn some additional money. -> This one looks like a pretty natural flow.

- I am unemployed, and I can't find a job. I have two flats. I live in a dormitory, and I rent them out for a living. -> I think the part in bold can be written in the present simple, since the period of time might be indefinite. It's not limited to my being a student; we don't expect it to end.

 

[jutfrank]

Oh, so you're using the idea that Phillip is a student merely as a contextual way to make clear or reinforce the temporiness indicated by the continuous aspect of the verb? You're saying that students by their nature live temporary lives, and so we are to understand that as soon as Phillip graduates, he's going to move back into his room? If so, then fine.

Renting and living are taking place within another temporary activity, which is studying. . So, the current period of his life (now) is dedicated to the activity of studying, and renting and living are happening inside of it.

This is what I think you've got wrong. There's no 'within' or 'inside'. The fact that he's a student is irrelevant to the fact that he's renting out his room for a limited time.

Maybe I've completely misunderstood what you mean.

 

[Tony_M]

Oh, so you're using the idea that Phillip is a student merely as a contextual way to make clear or reinforce the temporiness indicated by the continuous aspect of the verb?

Yes, something like that.

You're saying that students by their nature live temporary lives, and so we are to understand that as soon as Phillip graduates, he's going to move back into his room?

Yes, he is a student now, and he's living in a dormitory. His being a student allows him to be living in a dormitory, which in turn gives him an opportunity to be renting out his room now. When he's done, he'll probably have to find another place to live (I don't know if he'll be able to move back into his old room).

This is what I think you've got wrong. There's no 'within' or 'inside'. The fact that he's a student is irrelevant to the fact that he's renting out his room for a limited time.

I think there's 'within' and 'inside,' because his being a student makes possible his living in a dormitory and renting out his room. I'd like to think of it as a time span encompassing living and renting out. By no means am I claiming that placing any activity within or inside this time span makes it a continuous action; no, I am merely remarking upon the fact that being a student is a process as well as living and renting out; these two can continue as long as being a student does. This period of time can include many other activities that are qualified as repeated actions or habits, for instance:
I'm a student now, I'm studying to become a programmer. I go to the university every weekday mainly to annoy my teachers and maybe get some knowledge. I often visit the library, I'm spending there a lot of time. or I'm visiting library a lot. (This option includes going and spending time there)
I'm studying -> a process now;
go + every weekday -> repeated action/fact within/during this time span;
visit + often -> the same as 'go + every';
I'm spending -> this one can be another process, it takes a lot of time; why? - because I'm a student.
Thank you for reading this, @jutfrank.
You're nothing short of a hero.