Court possession delays reach 20-year high despite fall in landlord claims

Landlords are facing the longest court waiting times in 20 years despite a drop in possession claims, eviction experts Landlord Action reveal.

Its analysis of Ministry of Justice data shows 91,093 landlord possession claims were issued in 2025, down from 98,766 the previous year.

That represents a 7.8% annual decline.

Accelerated possession cases fell by 12.8%, while Section 8 claims dropped 4.9%.

Courts are taking longer

The founder of Landlord Action, Paul Shamplina, said: “Although headline possession claims have fallen, the reality on the ground is that the system is taking longer to deliver outcomes.

“Years of underinvestment in the courts are now translating into record waiting times for landlords.

“At the same time, the majority of landlords we act for are still relying on Section 21.

“Once that route is removed, every case will depend on a court process that is already under pressure.”

He added: “With the mandatory rent arrears threshold increasing from two months to three months and notice periods extending to four weeks under the new rules, landlords will face longer timelines before they can secure a possession order.

“Once an order is granted, enforcement delays can add further months.”

27 weeks to repossession

However, the drop in volumes has not translated into faster outcomes with the median period from claim to repossession stretching to 27 weeks in 2025.

Landlord Action says that’s up from 25 weeks a year earlier.

Excluding the pandemic backlog, this marks the longest wait in more than 20 years.

For landlords struggling with tenant arrears, those extra weeks carry a financial sting.

Separate research from the High Court Enforcement Officers Association, published last October, found average rent losses at eviction reach £12,708 nationwide.

Landlords in London saw rent losses of £19,223.

Section 21 abolished

Landlord Action’s internal figures underline how heavily the sector still leans on Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions.

In 2025, 43% of new instructions handled by the firm related to Section 21 or accelerated possession, compared with 27% linked to Section 8.

That balance is set to shift as Section 21 will be abolished in May.

When the Renters’ Rights Act comes into effect, all future cases must proceed via statutory grounds through the courts.

That will, the firm says, intensify reliance on a system already operating at full stretch.

Long court delays

To highlight the delays, the firm points to one Section 8 PCOL claim submitted on 19 November 2025 which has been scheduled for hearing on 26 February 2026.

That’s more than three months when historically, comparable matters were usually listed within eight weeks.

In London, matters overseen by Landlord Action saw eviction appointments being fixed seven to eight months after bailiff applications were lodged.

In severe arrears scenarios, the full journey from notice to eviction can approach 12 months.

Long waits in London

Regional patterns show that London boroughs accounted for six of the 10 highest private landlord repossession rates in the final quarter of 2025.

Mounting delays have reignited debate around transferring more cases to the High Court for enforcement.

The enforcement officers’ report, backed by Landlord Action, found average County Court bailiff waits stand at six months nationally.

But in London, the wait is eight months once orders are granted.

Mr Shamplina said: “When you combine extended notice periods, longer court waiting times and enforcement delays, it is not unrealistic for a landlord to face close to a year of unpaid rent in serious arrears cases.

“For many smaller landlords, that level of exposure is simply unsustainable.”

He adds: “Landlords will need to prepare for a system that is slower and more reliant on the courts.

“Careful tenant selection, stronger referencing, ensuring tenants have a suitable guarantor where appropriate, and considering rent guarantee insurance as a core protection rather than an optional extra.”

For help and advice about tenant eviction and collecting arrears, then Landlord Action may be able to help: