Homelessness Minister Resigns

After much negative press, the Homelessness Minister resigned. Her resignation comes after she was accused of hypocrisy over the way she handled rent increases on a property she owns.

The row was sparked after Ali ended her tenants' fixed-term contract in order to sell up, but then re-listed the house for rent at a higher price within six months.

In a story first broken by the the i Paper, a former tenant said she was sent an email in November giving four months' notice the lease would not be renewed.

She said shortly after she and the three other tenants had moved out, the house in east London had been re-listed at a rent £700 a month higher.

Ali's resignation is very embarrassing for government given the fact Labour went into the election promising to strengthen the rights of private tenants.

The way in which the tenants were treated is exactly what the government is battling against - serving a section 21 notice for no reason, unfair rent increases and resetting the property because it has not sold.

If this were to have happened in the future, post the introduction of the #rentersrightsact , the outcome would have been very different for the tenants and the minister.