Government insists courts can cope with Renters’ Rights Act
1 month ago | 10 comments
Landlords face higher court costs as possession claim fees increase
8:01 AM, 14th July 2026, 3 weeks ago
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The government has announced that court fees for landlords will rise this week.
However, fees for tenants to challenge a rent increase will remain frozen at £47.
The news comes as the government claims the justice system “is well prepared” to handle the Renters’ Rights Act.
Rise due to inflation
Annual price rises linked to inflation mean that, from this week, charges for possession claims will increase from £404 to £415, while bailiff fees will rise from £148 to £152.
The government says the increases to court and tribunal fees are part of annual price rises linked to inflation.
The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) writes on its website that the government claims the money raised from the increases will “be used to fund the improvements to the justice system pledged by the Government as part of the Renters’ Rights Act, which has promised end-to-end digitisation of the courts by spring next year”.
It adds: “In all, 80 fees across the Residential Property Division of the Property Chamber of the First-tier Tribunal will increase, including those for leasehold cases and most residential property cases.”
Deep concerns about readiness of court system
The news comes as industry experts warn the Renters’ Rights Act could overwhelm the court system.
As previously reported by Property118, Propertymark warn the court system is not ready to handle the surge in claims as landlords are already waiting months to regain possession.
Megan Eighteen, President of ARLA Propertymark (Association of Residential Letting Agents), told Property118: “We recognise ambition behind the Renters’ Rights Act, but there remain deep concerns about the readiness of the court system to cope with the anticipated rise in possession and eviction cases.
“Removing “no-fault” evictions under Section 21 will shift many cases into contested hearings under Section 8, placing an increased burden on a system already stretched beyond capacity. Recent data shows that, in many parts of England, the time between claim and hearing now routinely stretches to 29 weeks, and in London that wait can extend to as long as 40 weeks.”
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Member Since April 2018 - Comments: 517
9:44 AM, 14th July 2026, About 3 weeks ago
Well what do expect from this Labour government 2 tier justice system.
Member Since May 2022 - Comments: 104
9:48 AM, 14th July 2026, About 3 weeks ago
This must be a new and unique type of inflation, which apparently, is able to discriminate between landlords and tenants and apply inflationary pressure only to the former and not the latter.
We now have two tier inflation!!!
Member Since May 2024 - Comments: 154
10:01 AM, 14th July 2026, About 3 weeks ago
Since the government is so confident that the court system is working well perhaps they should underwrite any landlord losses caused by court delays… Perhaps a £7000 fine also if any mistakes are made in processing the claim? We all love a level playing field…
Member Since August 2021 - Comments: 320 - Articles: 1
10:41 AM, 14th July 2026, About 3 weeks ago
If I want to put my rent up significantly prospective tenants will expect me to have invested in upgrading and delivering a quality home with every effort having been made to ensure compliance and all known defects addressed before they pay higher rent.
Why is it that regulators think it is acceptable to charge top whack for a service which is substandard, and charge us to fund the works while they patch the system together and they collect indexed pay increases with no-one held to account?
All carrot for legislators and stick for landlords.
Where are the publicly available dashboards and SLAs for us to judge them?
Time for performance related pay and removal of those found wanting. Oh, that’s not going to happen as we just doubled down with the employment [shirkers] rights act.
Member Since March 2022 - Comments: 383
3:48 PM, 14th July 2026, About 3 weeks ago
It would seem that as a way to “help” tenants the Government is actively encouraging them to challenge any rent rises. It’s a way to freeze the rent for more than a year and does not cost the Government a penny while the landlord loses money, not a bad deal for £47.
If you want a tenant to go, it could cost a fortune in lost rent, property damage etc. plus while a tenant is in you can’t realise the value of your property asset which you might need for all sorts of other reasons. I find myself sort of agreeing with Generation Rent that tenants should be compensated in some way for the loss of a rental property, but only if they actually leave promptly.
Let’s face it offering 3 or 4 months rent as an incentive to leave could well be cheaper than waiting a year with no rent while your property is smashed up with you still having to fork out for repairs, mortgages etc. only for the courts to eventually throw your case out for some oversight leaving you to start again.
It could be a new no fault eviction. Advantage for the tenant no CCJ, so easier for them to rent again. Advantage for landlords they get their property back in quick time no strings attached.
There just needs to be formalised legal document where the tenant agrees to go in say 3 months in exchange for a cash settlement only payable when they actually vacate. Nothing to stop a landlord starting eviction procedures as a back-up.
Member Since August 2021 - Comments: 320 - Articles: 1
4:38 PM, 14th July 2026, About 3 weeks ago
Reply to the comment left by northern landlord at 14/07/2026 – 15:48
“. . does not cost the Government a penny while the landlord loses money” Not quite.
Assuming the property is profitable, the cost to the Treasury is between 20% and 60% of the uplift.
Taking a property with rent of £700 pm and a below inflation 3% rent increase:
£8,400 x 3% = £252 extra rent (profit)
So even if the landlord is on basic rate, Treasury misses out on £50.40 (£252 x 20%)
Now let’s look at the annual cost to HM Treasury, assuming landlords only put up the rent on half their properties and make an adjustment for new tenancies:
Approx total rentals = 5 million
less 20% new lets reduces that to 4m
half of that = 2 million
If 50% of tenants appeal to FTT, that gives us
£252 x 1m = £252,000,000
So, yes, it won’t be a penny, more like £250 Million