New research has identified the courts with the longest and shortest waiting times for possession hearings, as landlords seek to repossess properties.
Analysis of internal data by LegalforLandlords found that some courts are listing hearings up to 16 weeks ahead. The most delayed jurisdictions include Barnet, Birmingham, Brentford, Bromley, Central London, Clerkenwell, Croydon, Edmonton, Kingston-upon-Thames County Court and Family Court, Romford, Slough, Stratford, Wandsworth and Willesden.
At the other end of the scale, LegalforLandlords found that a number of courts are listing possession hearings within six to 10 weeks.
Jurisdictions with the shortest reported wait times include Aldershot, Blackpool, Bradford, Canterbury, Crewe, Darlington, Gateshead, Great Grimsby, Leeds, Leicester, Milton Keynes, Oxford, Peterborough, South Shields, Stoke-on-Trent, Swindon, Walsall and Watford.
Wait times could increase further when the Renters’ Rights Act 2026 comes into force on 1 May 2026, abolishing Section 21 evictions.
Once Section 21 is removed, landlords will need to rely on Section 8 grounds, which are generally more complex and more likely to require a court hearing. Tenants will also be able to challenge possession claims in court. LegalforLandlords said this is expected to place additional pressure on an already stretched court system.
In areas where landlords are already facing waits of up to four months for hearings, the firm said additional court resources and procedural reform will be needed to ensure possession claims are processed within a reasonable timeframe.
Sim Sekhon, group CEO at LegalforLandlords, commented: “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. 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.”
I’m curious what will happen in the cases of a Section 21 that has been served, but the end date is after 1st May? For example, someone who is on a fixed term AST where the tenancy cannot be ended before 1st May but the notice has been served to end it at the first available date, say 5th May. The notice was served legally, and was a legal option at the time of service, so therefore it should still be valid, yes?
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As long as section 21 is served prior to the new regulation it is valid for what ever date it expires after, you cannot reserve a section 21 after the 1st of may if the RRA is in place, and it would not be advisable to serve a section 8 after either, this may complicate the situation stick to the S21 form 6a if served.
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Unlike s21, s8 has no guarantee that a landlord will even get his property back especially for anti social behaviour. How many tenants will live happily rent free for months and just disappear days before a court date is finally achieved.
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Section 8 will mainly be used for grounds 1 and 1a, unless there are issues with the tenancy of course.
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