London landlords face prolonged delays in the eviction process as bailiff operations are suspended indefinitely due to unspecified ‘health and safety reasons’. This move is reportedly causing an immediate and significant impact on evictions, with one bailiff reporting an 80% decrease in their workload.

The understanding is that the safety concerns arise from the need for bailiffs to be accompanied by additional personnel while attending properties, to ensure their safety. This requirement, however, has seemingly brought the system to a standstill.

One of the affected bailiff companies has stated that it will be operating a ‘skeleton’ service until normal operations can resume. Meanwhile, landlords in need of eviction services may have to resort to the more costly route of High Court bailiffs.

A number of magistrates’ courts in London serve landlords seeking to evict tenants, one of the largest being the Central London Court. It recently sent an email warning that bailiff appointments have been suspended for the ‘foreseeable future’.

Landlords who wish to evict tenants via the courts through a Section 8 notice must first establish the ‘grounds for eviction’ before a magistrate. Once this has been proven, a possession order is granted, followed by the issuance of a warrant specifying a date when a bailiff can repossess the property. This is a route that all landlords will have to take soon, once Section 21 is abolished.

Landlord Action reports that one of its eviction cases scheduled for yesterday was postponed indefinitely.

Paul Sowerbutts of Landlord Action expressed the frustration of his clients, saying, “Our clients, whilst sympathetic to the bailiffs’ concerns, have already been waiting in some cases many, many months for an appointment.” He warned that without a more affordable alternative to taking the case to the High Court, this development will significantly exacerbate the difficulties facing landlords.