Accelerated landlord possession claims hit a record 12,156 in the third quarter of 2026, the highest quarterly total since records began, as landlords raced to meet the final Section 21 court deadline.
The latest Ministry of Justice (MoJ) statistics show accelerated claims surged by 68% on the same period last year and accounted for 43% of all landlord possession claims between July and September. Total claims rose 21% year-on-year to 28,249.
Landlord possession claims surge after Section 21 abolition
The rise follows the abolition of Section 21 on 1 May under the Renters’ Rights Act. Landlords who had served valid notices before the reforms had until 31 July, or the earlier expiry of their notice, to begin court proceedings.
Landlords had issued 27,320 accelerated possession claims by the end of September, equivalent to more than 95% of the 28,595 claims issued across the whole of 2025.
Despite the rise in claims, actual landlord repossessions fell 10% year-on-year to 6,886, meaning fewer landlords regained possession of their properties during the quarter.
Possession firm Landlord Action felt the rush first-hand, with July one of its busiest months for instructions in the past year. Instructions then dropped by almost 50% in August before recovering by 30% in September.
Demand for advice has continued through the quieter period, with enquiries rising 8% in September and holding steady in October, while the proportion converting into instructions has stayed consistent.
The nature of those enquiries is changing, however. Initial consultations are taking considerably longer as landlords struggle to understand the new possession rules, and the firm is seeing landlords act earlier on rent arrears, relying on discretionary grounds rather than waiting until they qualify for mandatory possession.
“These figures show just how extraordinary the final rush to use Section 21 was,” said Paul Shamplina, founder (pictured). “Landlords knew the clock was ticking, and thousands raced to get their claims into court before the door closed.”
“We saw the pressure first-hand. A significant proportion of our July instructions involved getting existing Section 21 cases progressed before the deadline, and I suspect some landlords also brought forward possession action as a precaution.
“What concerns me is what sits behind these figures. Around three in ten of the possession cases we are handling involve landlords seeking to sell their properties. That is a significant proportion, and it means more tenants potentially facing the upheaval of having to find somewhere else to live, at a time when suitable rental accommodation is already in short supply.
“With smaller landlords already facing mounting financial and regulatory pressures, and property income tax rates set to rise again in April 2027, I fear we could see more deciding that selling is their only realistic option. That risks putting further pressure on tenants, the supply of rental homes and local authority homelessness services.
“Section 21 has gone, and landlords now have to prove they have legitimate grounds to regain possession. That is a very different process, and my concern is what happens when these cases reach court. Landlords who have followed the rules need to know they will not be left waiting indefinitely to regain their properties.”
“The phones are understandably quieter than they were in July, but the calls we are receiving now are taking much longer,” added Victoria Valentine, business development executive. “We are speaking to landlords who are confused, frustrated and genuinely worried about what the new rules mean for them.
“One trend we are seeing is landlords taking action over rent arrears much earlier, relying on discretionary grounds rather than waiting until they reach the threshold for mandatory possession.
“That tells us something about the financial pressure landlords are under. With the mandatory arrears threshold now three months for monthly-paying tenants and longer notice periods, many simply cannot afford to sit back and allow unpaid rent to keep mounting.
“For smaller landlords in particular, the rent often needs to cover a mortgage and other essential costs. Several months without that income can put them under enormous strain, and we are seeing signs that some are being forced to take action sooner.”
The MoJ statistics also show the median time from a landlord possession claim to repossession fell from 27.4 weeks in the third quarter of 2025 to 25.9 weeks over the same period this year.
With the revised possession framework still in its early stages, the firm says it remains too soon to establish how the changes will affect court proceedings and possession times.
