The ongoing delays within the justice system, which are the main reason why so many landlords have to wait long periods to remove tenants to evict, have been highlighted by a new report from the parliamentary committee that oversees the Ministry of Justice.
It has found within today’s report that the County Courts, where all eviction cases are heard and processed, is ‘failing to deliver civil justice’. Most recent data from Landlord Action shows landlords waiting nine months on average from instructing a solicitor to gaining possession.
The report is critical of previous and current Governments’ patchy attempts to modernise and digitise the legal system, and notes that although Labour has promised a new digital possession claims service, there are no plans as yet to upgrade the system of enforcement of possession orders used by landlords.
“County courts provide a vital public service for communities and businesses of all sizes,” says Law Society president Richard Atkinson (pictured).
“But right now, the wheels of justice are turning too slowly, causing backlogs that have a devastating impact on the people caught in them. “Recent reforms have not worked. Over 50% of solicitors we surveyed do not believe that the new online portals are effective in delivering justice, with the main impact being delays to the wider justice system.
“Court buildings need repairs, systems and technology must be fit for purpose, and civil legal aid needs urgent investment across all areas. Robust data collection should track and drive systemic improvements.
“If the government properly funded our courts and those who work in them, thousands of people would be freed from the legal limbo caused by long waits.”
Paul Shamplina, founder of Landlord Action, (pictured) says: “Let’s rewind back to 2019 when there was talk, prior to Covid, of having dedicated housing courts as a remedy to these delays by fast-tracking landlord and tenant cases.
“The workload faced by the County Courts is only going to increase once Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions are banned once the Renters’ Rights Bill becomes law.
“As I’ve said all along, we need more judges, more bailiffs and faster rollout of digitisation – but not enough has been done on these fronts yet. The courts system needs to be fixed and in particular needs greater investment if, as the Justice Committee report points out, justice is to be delivered.”
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