MPs and senior legal figures have issued fresh warnings about ongoing dysfunction in England and Wales’s county court system, citing the failure of recent digital reforms and chronic underfunding.
The House of Commons Justice Committee has described the system as "dysfunctional," pointing to excessive delays and backlogs that continue to affect housing cases. The Law Society echoed those concerns, stating the Government’s investment in the court system has been inadequate and fails to meet rising demand.
Their concerns come as the Renters Rights Bill edges closer to becoming law. The legislation will abolish Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions, meaning landlords will need to pursue court action to remove tenants—an outcome made more uncertain by the current state of the courts.
Industry voices warn that if these issues persist, landlords and letting agents may face significant challenges in navigating the legal process for evictions.
With the Renters Rights Bill nearing its introduction into law, concerns are mounting over the impact on eviction proceedings. The legislation will eliminate Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions, requiring landlords to present valid grounds and seek court intervention to remove tenants.
However, with the court system already under strain, legal professionals and property experts warn that the shift could exacerbate delays and create new hurdles for landlords and letting agents navigating eviction cases.
In response to ongoing delays in the county court system, leaders in the property sector are advising landlords to seek tenant evictions through the High Court instead.
A coalition of housing bodies, and legal specialists at an eviction service have collectively issued the recommendation, highlighting the mounting backlogs that continue to hinder eviction proceedings in lower courts.
Andy Slaughter, Committee Chair, says: “The county court is a dysfunctional system, that has failed adequately to deliver civil justice across England and Wales.
“It is beset by unacceptable delays, recruitment and retention issues across frontline staff and the Judiciary, and a complex ‘patchwork’ of paper-based and digital systems.”
Members of the Justice Committee are urging the Government to launch a comprehensive review of the county court system, warning that reforms must begin no later than Spring 2026 to address mounting delays and inefficiencies.
Richard Atkinson, President of the Law Society, says: “Recent reforms have not worked. Over 50% of solicitors we surveyed do not believe that the new online portals are effective in delivering justice.
“If the government properly funded our courts and those who work in them, thousands of people would be freed from the legal limbo caused by long waits.”
The founder of the eviction company, says: “Let’s rewind back to 2019 when there was talk, prior to Covid, of having dedicated housing courts as a remedy to these delays by fast-tracking landlord and tenants cases.
“The caseload faced by the County Courts is only going to increased once Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions are banned once the Renters’ Rights Bill becomes law.
“As I’ve said all along, we need more judges, more bailiffs and faster rollout of digitisation – but not enough has been done on these fronts yet. The courts system needs to be fixed and in particular needs greater investment if, as the Justice Committee report points out, justice is to be delivered.”