Landlords are now waiting almost 28 weeks on average to regain possession through the courts, new Ministry of Justice figures show, with delays worsening despite a fall in total claims. The data suggests many owners are accelerating Section 21 evictions ahead of Labour’s Renters’ Rights Bill, which will ban no-fault evictions.
Longer waits and higher costs despite fewer cases
Between April and June 2025, the median time from possession claim to repossession reached 27.9 weeks—up from 25.4 weeks a year earlier and six weeks longer than two years ago. Although total landlord possession claims fell 9% to 22,364, and repossessions dipped 4% to 6,709, leading property lawyer David Smith of Spector Constant & Williams warns the system is moving in the wrong direction.
“It is taking almost three extra weeks in most cases, with no sign of real progress in tackling the court delays that continue to plague the system,” Smith said. “Court bottlenecks, longer timelines, and an uncertain regulatory horizon will not restore landlord confidence. Without that confidence, tenants will feel the impact through reduced availability and higher rents.”
Section 21 remains landlords’ fastest route—until it’s gone
Over the past year, no-fault evictions by bailiffs have increased by 8% to 11,402 cases, according to the Ministry of Justice. Smith believes landlords—particularly in London—are using Section 21 to exit the market before the legislation changes. “Although claims have fallen, a higher proportion are leading to possession orders,” he noted. “Once Section 21 is gone, we will simply see a sharp increase in other types of possession claims, which will lengthen delays further.”
Paul Shamplina, founder of Landlord Action, said the on-the-ground reality is even more frustrating: “We’re seeing more cases escalated to the High Court at the bailiff stage just to make progress. Tenants are filing meritless defences to drag things out, and judges are adjourning far too often on flimsy grounds. The system is too slow, too inconsistent, and it’s costing landlords thousands.”
Calls for reform before the bill passes
Shamplina warns that removing Section 21 without fixing the courts will “push even more cases through an already broken system.” He and other landlord advocates are urging judicial reforms to speed up possession hearings, reduce adjournments, and clamp down on abuse of the defence process.
Meanwhile, separate UK Finance figures for Q2 2025 show that actual buy-to-let mortgage repossessions fell by 2% to 790 cases, with arrears also down 5%—a sign that many landlords remain financially resilient. Mary-Lou Press, President of NAEA Propertymark, said: “Introducing more affordable mortgage products has helped ease the pressures people face. If interest rates drop further, affordability should improve, and repossessions could fall again.”
Editor’s view
This quarter’s possession data is a double warning for landlords: timelines are stretching, and Section 21’s days are numbered. Without urgent court reform, the Renters’ Rights Bill risks replacing one clogged process with another, leaving landlords in limbo for months. The question is whether policymakers act now to keep the market functioning—or watch supply shrink further as landlords vote with their feet.
