Landlords are facing growing delays in reclaiming their properties, with fresh government data showing eviction timelines stretching to nearly 28 weeks on average.
Figures released by the Ministry of Justice covering April to June this year reveal the median time from claim to repossession has risen to 27.9 weeks—up from 25.4 weeks during the same period in 2024. Bailiff-led repossessions by landlords have also increased by 8%.
Property lawyer David Smith of Spector Constant & Williams described the trend as “almost three extra weeks in most cases, with no sign of real progress in tackling the court delays that continue to plague the system.”
Smith warned that the looming ban on Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions under the forthcoming Renters’ Rights Bill is prompting landlords to accelerate evictions while they still can. Although the number of possession claims has fallen, a greater proportion are resulting in repossession orders—particularly in London—where some landlords are believed to be leaving the market altogether.
“The Government assumes accelerated claims will disappear once Section 21 goes,” Smith said. “But I expect we’ll see a surge in other types of possession cases, further increasing delays.”
Paul Shamplina, founder of Landlord Action, echoed the concerns. “Yes, possession claims are down 9% and repossessions down 4%, but landlords are still waiting far too long—almost 28 weeks now, compared to six weeks less just two years ago,” he said. Shamplina criticised judges for adjourning cases on “flimsy grounds” and warned that the system’s slowness and inconsistency are costing landlords thousands of pounds.
Meanwhile, separate UK Finance data shows mortgage repossessions remain relatively low despite a 10% quarter-on-quarter rise to 1,340 cases in Q2 2025. Mary-Lou Press, president of NAEA Propertymark, said the figures should offer “some relief” to households, crediting more affordable mortgage products with easing cost-of-living pressures.