First steps
ood news about the Rental Reform Bill [Issue 1566, 29 May], and I hope it makes it through to legislation unscathed. But this bill doesn’t so much introduce new rights as restore ones taken away by Thatcher in the ’80s. Before her interventions, being a landlord was more of a niche profession with risks, like sitting tenants and fair rents. It was only after these “risks” were removed that buy-to-let became a big