Landlords seeking to repossess their properties face court hearing waits of up to 16 weeks in some parts of England, according to new research from LegalforLandlords.
The company analysed internal data on hearing wait times across the country, identifying 14 jurisdictions where delays are most severe.
The longest waits affect landlords in Barnet, Birmingham, Brentford, Bromley, Central London, Clerkenwell, Croydon, Edmonton, Kingston-upon-Thames, Romford, Slough, Stratford, Wandsworth, and Willesden.
At the other end of the scale, 18 courts are processing cases within 6 to 10 weeks, including those in Aldershot, Blackpool, Bradford, Canterbury, Crewe, Darlington, Gateshead, Great Grimsby, Leeds, Leicester, Milton Keynes, Oxford, Peterborough, South Shields, Stoke-on-Trent, Swindon, Walsall, and Watford.
The findings come ahead of the Renters' Rights Act taking effect on 1 May 2026, which will abolish Section 21 "no-fault" evictions. Once removed, landlords will need to rely on Section 8 grounds, which are typically more complex and more likely to require contested court hearings where tenants can challenge eviction attempts. LegalforLandlords expects this to place further strain on a system already under pressure.
"The fact that landlords are already waiting up to four months or more to regain possession of their properties highlights the significant strain our court system is under," said Sim Sekhon, group CEO of LegalforLandlords.
"Even if you're lucky enough to fall into one of the areas with shorter wait times, you're still looking at a potential delay of more than two months. With the abolition of Section 21 under the Renters Rights Act due to be enforced from May 2026, this is set to get even worse as cases become more complex and more heavily contested."
"In this environment, it's never been more important for landlords to have competent, engaged and proactive legal experts on their side. Ensuring that cases are prepared thoroughly, submitted correctly and managed closely from day one will be critical to minimising delays and helping landlords regain control of their properties as efficiently as possible."
The company argues that without additional court resources and meaningful reform, possession claims will become increasingly difficult to process within any reasonable timeframe, particularly as the volume of Section 8 cases grows post-abolition.
