Figures from the Ministry of Justice reveal that the median time for landlords to achieve repossession has risen to $27.4$ weeks, up from $24.4$ weeks just one year ago. The number of properties repossessed by landlords has also increased by $9\%$ in the last 12 months.

In response, high-profile PropTech firm Reapit is urging the government to commit to investment in the civil court system in the upcoming Budget.

Why Court Capacity is Crucial Now

With the Renters Rights Act set to introduce significant changes—including the abolition of Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions starting May 1 next year—all future evictions will require a court hearing under Section 8 grounds.

Neil Cobbold, Commercial Director at Reapit, warns: “Without action to increase court capacity, timelines could lengthen further, creating uncertainty for the industry and risking continued investment in the private rented sector… Agents, landlords and tenants need confidence that the system can handle this, which requires urgent investment in court capacity.”

Reapit highlights that lengthy court delays create financial strain for landlords and can keep tenants stuck in unsuitable situations, stressing the critical need for a functioning system to handle the inevitable increase in eviction cases.