Housing tribunal delays deepen Scottish housing emergency

Scottish landlords are having to wait up to a year to regain possession of their properties as housing tribunal delays cause chaos in the rental market.

Data from the Scottish Association of Landlords (SAL) reveals the average time between an eviction application being lodged and a tribunal decision has more than doubled, from around three months in 2019 to more than eight months in 2025.

The industry body warns the growing backlog is driving landlords out of the private rented sector, further deepening Scotland’s housing emergency.

Enormous financial pressure

Litigation specialists at Aberdein Considine LLP say landlords whom they represent are waiting between eight and 12 months from applying for an eviction order to receiving a tribunal hearing, while landlords are having to pay up to £10,000 in legal costs before a case is resolved.

Aberdein Considine Dispute Resolution Partner Elaine Elder warns small landlords cannot absorb these delays and costs and will leave the market.

She said: “The current delays are placing enormous financial pressure on landlords who are already dealing with rising costs and increased regulation. Many simply cannot afford to wait close to a year while continuing to cover mortgage payments, insurance, maintenance costs and legal fees with no rental income coming in.

“Many landlords across Scotland are not large-scale investors. They are ordinary working people with one or two properties that form part of their retirement planning or long-term financial security. When they are forced to absorb months of unpaid rent alongside significant legal costs, many decide they have no option but to sell.

“That has wider consequences for the housing market because every landlord leaving the sector reduces the supply of rental accommodation at a time when demand remains extremely high.”

Impact landlords’ businesses

John Blackwood, chief executive of SAL, added: “Delays in eviction notices can seriously impact landlords’ businesses and consequently affect the supply of rented property available at any one time.

“We have seen year-on-year increases in delays since 2019. Currently, the average time from application to a decision is over eight months, up from just three months in 2019.

“The Scottish government should work with landlords and tenants to speed up the process so landlords can do their jobs by providing flexible and suitable homes to those who need them.”

SAL’s data also reveals tenants being evicted for unpaid rent now owe an average of 14.7 months’ rent by the time a decision is reached, compared with 8.7 months in 2019.