The government has been warned that its failure to acknowledge the true state of the courts risks further eroding landlord confidence and undermining investment.

The NRLA says the system isn't ready to handle the volume of possession cases following the end of Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions as new Ministry of Justice data shows that the average time for landlords to regain possession of a property through the courts has increased yet again.

In the first quarter of 2025, the average time between a landlord submitting a claim and regaining legitimate possession was more than seven months (32.5 weeks – up from 29.8 weeks a year ago). This is despite ministers repeatedly claiming that the courts will be ready to manage the impact of the Renters’ Rights Bill.

Misleading

During the bill's committee stage in the House of Lords, Housing Minister Baroness Taylor claimed that possession cases take an average of just eight weeks. However, the NRLA insists this figure is misleading as it only covers part of the process – from making a claim to getting a possession order. It does not include the typically much longer wait for landlords to actually get their property back, which can take at least half a year.

Urgently

The NRLA wants the government to urgently set out a credible plan for court reform, including clear standards for “court readiness”, funding to ensure cases are processed without unacceptable delays, and a commitment to transparency through regular reporting on court performance.

Chief executive Ben Beadle (right) says ministers are either unaware of the true state of the courts or are refusing to admit it. “Their claims that the courts will be ‘ready’ for the impact of the Renters’ Rights Bill simply do not stack up,” he adds. “Seven months is an eternity for responsible landlords who may be dealing with serious rent arrears and for neighbours having to endure anti-social behaviour.”

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