This is a tough one. First, I don't think MPs shoupd be landlords, but:

• She wanted to sell the house
• She waited until the renters contract expired
• She did offer a rolling contract to the current renters at their existing rent until the house sold
• They declined
• She put the house on the market and opened it up to any short-term renters who wanted to stay there while it was on the market
• She listed it for current going rate
• Someone took it
• The house is still for sale.

To me, there isn't much wrong with that, what is wrong is:

• She didn't wait 6 months. Not only is this terrible, but the optics are horrible and she should know that
• She is using a tenant agency that tried to charge them a ton of move-out fees (She did have them canceled)

And..

She's the HOMELESSNESS MINISTER?!?! Sheash.

Edit: Some additional context from UK peoples - some letting agencies will relist your home without telling you. Fun stuff.

update: this article caused her to resign from her Ministerial position the next day.

homelessness minister

well yes she's making people homeless, job well done

Maybe she misunderstood and didn’t realize she’s supposed to reduce homelessness.

All landlords are bastards.

FIY, the Minister's party (Labour) is currently pushing a law to increase tenants' rights, including preventing this exact situation from happening, which makes the whole situation even more ridiculous and hypocritical.

Labour’s Renters’ Rights Bill, which will become law next year, prohibits landlords who have ended a tenancy in order to sell a property from relisting it for higher rent until at least six months after tenants have moved out.

Always a nice change of pace seeing terrible politicians from outside the US. Terrible for our outlook as a species, but a nice change of scenery none the less.

She resigned rather than keep the rents low. She’s just gonna go full evil landlord now

Labour party lmao

Minister for homelessness, previous experiences appreciated.

My landlord did this. He said he wanted to sell the place, then rented it again at a way higher price. Very illegal, but I moved out of the city - hard to do small claims from so far away.

Being a landlord should automatically disqualify you from that position

Look up France-Élaine Duranceau, minister of housing in Québec, Canada. Another fine example.

Guess she meant something different with "unreasonable rent increases".

what a cunt

Incredible. In the worst way.

Look... If you own housing with the express purpose of using it as a means of income or financial gain/stability then you're objectively a piece of human shit.

SMH.

Awful, but unfortunately happens a lot.

I bought my home two years ago in anticipation of my now former landlord selling the building, which he did last year. I didn't want to get priced out of living in the place I wanted to be.