The latest quarterly statistics from the Ministry of Justice have shown a 21% surge in private landlord possession claims to 28,249 for July to September 2026, compared with the same period last year, the first numbers to fully reflect life post-Renters’ Rights Act coming into force with the end of section 21 evictions.
Under the new system, a private landlord possession claim is the first step towards eviction.
There was also a 68% rise in accelerated possession claims, compared with the same period last year, reflecting landlords making their claims during the Act’s transitional period.
However, the court system isn’t equipped to cope with this rise, according to The Law Society of England and Wales, which has urged the government to invest more. The latest figures also show that mortgage possession delays have worsened, with cases taking an average of 52 weeks, up from 46.3 last year.”
Law Society president Brett Dixon said: “The courts are not appropriately resourced for what was an expected increase in the number of landlord possessions as a result of the Renters’ Act. This is despite concerns being raised about court capacity as the Bill passed through parliament.
“The Act created some of the most significant reforms to renters’ rights in decades, levelling the playing field between landlords and tenants. The end of no-fault evictions marked the biggest shift, as landlords rushed to repossess their properties before tighter controls took effect.
“However, without adequate funding, the courts will continue to struggle with backlogs and delays, leaving both landlords and tenants in a state of limbo.
“Safe and stable housing is crucial to us all, but reforms should not come at the expense of justice. The government must act quickly to ensure the courts have the resources they need to prevent further delays and protect the rights of both tenants and landlords.”
The Ministry of Justice figures show that landlord repossessions have decreased 10% to 6,886, however, with the median time from claim to landlord possession down to 25.9 weeks from 27.4 weeks in the same period last year. This is likely because of the delay of other claims through the courts, as well as a rush to evict before the Renters’ Rights Act came into effect.
This article is taken from Landlord Today