The Law Society of England and Wales has called on the UK government to increase investment in the court system, as private landlord repossessions continue to rise ahead of major reforms to the private rented sector.
Latest quarterly figures from the Ministry of Justice show that repossessions by private landlords were 3% higher than in the same period last year, continuing an upward trend.
The increase comes just months before Section 21 evictions are due to be abolished in England on 1 May 2026, a change expected to shift more cases into the courts and lead to a higher volume of contested possession claims.
London borough Barking and Dagenham recorded the highest number of private landlord repossession claims of 878 per 100,000 households.
Law Society president, Mark Evans, said: “To ensure a level playing field between landlords and tenants and maintain confidence in the justice system, the government must ensure courts are properly funded to handle the expected rise in contested hearings.
“The end of no fault [Section 21] evictions in England is one of the biggest changes in the private rented sector in decades. However, without appropriate funding, additional delays and backlogs in the courts will be unavoidable and will mean that justice will not be available to all.
“Next year’s data will ultimately show how the Renters’ Rights Act contributes to a fairer housing system, including how the abolition of Section 21 in England affects the overall repossession statistics. The courts must start getting ready now, not after the backlog starts growing even more.
“Although most of the provisions in the Renters’ Rights Act only apply to England, rising case volumes will impact the whole system. So, now is the perfect time to further invest across both the Welsh and English courts.
“Safe and stable housing is a fundamental human right. The government must take prompt action to protect both tenants and landlords.”