- Average repossession process now takes 26.6 weeks.
- Annual landlord possessions rise 4.4 per cent year on year.
- Section 21 reforms could increase pressure on courts.
Landlords in England and Wales are waiting longer than before to regain possession of their properties, with the average process now stretching to almost 27 weeks.
Analysis of the latest government data by LegalforLandlords suggests that the time taken from submitting a possession claim to carrying out a repossession has increased by 9.1 per cent over the past year. The average timeline has risen from 24.4 weeks to 26.6 weeks.
At the same time, the number of repossessions has continued to edge upwards.
Over the past four quarters, the average number of quarterly possessions stood at 7,099, compared with 6,799 in the previous four quarters. That marks an annual increase of 4.4 per cent.
Delays appear at multiple stages of the process. The time taken to move from claim to order has lengthened slightly, while the gap between claim and warrant has increased further. The combined effect is a noticeably longer wait before landlords can regain control of their property.
The broader picture shows repossessions climbing back towards pre-pandemic levels. In 2019, there were 30,319 landlord repossessions across England and Wales. That number fell sharply to 7,327 in 2020 when court activity was curtailed. Since then, repossessions have risen each year, reaching 27,582 in 2024. A further 21,441 were recorded between Q1 and Q3 of 2025 alone, based on the latest available figures.
While still slightly below 2019 levels, the trend may point to mounting strain within the sector.
Reform on the horizon
Landlords generally seek possession orders as a last resort. Cases often involve serious or persistent rent arrears, antisocial behaviour, tenancy breaches or situations where the landlord needs to sell or move back into the property. Most tenancies end without court action, but when disputes escalate, the legal process becomes essential.
The figures come ahead of the government’s planned abolition of Section 21 “no-fault” evictions under the Renters’ Rights Act. Once in force, landlords will no longer be able to regain possession without giving a statutory reason. Greater reliance will fall on Section 8 grounds and the court system.
Sim Sekhon, group chief executive at LegalforLandlords, reportedly said the data highlights the growing challenges landlords face when attempting to regain possession, as quoted in a news report. He suggested that even before Section 21 is removed, cases are taking longer at each stage, placing financial and emotional strain on landlords dealing with serious rent arrears or tenancy breaches.
Sekhon also reportedly said internal data indicates the real number of landlord possession attempts could be at least 40 per cent higher than official annual figures of around 30,000, as quoted in a news report. He suggested some cases never reach court due to paperwork issues.
LegalforLandlords expects that once the Renters’ Rights Act takes effect, possession claims may become more complex and add pressure to an already stretched court system.
Whether the system can absorb that extra demand remains unclear. For now, the figures suggest landlords are waiting longer, just as legislative changes approach.
