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News Article

"In May, you MUST give your Tenants the Renters Rights Information Sheet or

YOU RISK  - £7,000 FINE  PER TENANT PER PROPERTY."READ MORE

Possession Delays Surge to 25 Weeks as Backlogs Deepen

18th Feb 2026

England and Wales landlords are now facing far longer waits to regain possession of their properties.


Average timelines have climbed 9% in the past year, reaching almost 25 weeks.

The rise comes amid increasing repossession volumes and ahead of major reforms to the private rented sector.

Specialist support services for landlords, agents and tenants warn that while possession numbers have only climbed slightly, the time it takes to complete a case has surged.

Over the past year, quarterly possessions averaged 7,099—up from 6,799 the year before.

The average journey from filing a claim to achieving repossession has lengthened by 9.1%, stretching from 24.4 weeks to 26.6 weeks. 

A leading support provider for landlords, agents and tenants reports that although possession volumes have only risen modestly, the time taken to complete cases has grown sharply.

Across the past four quarters, quarterly possessions averaged 7,099, up from 6,799 in the previous year.

Meanwhile, the average duration from submitting a possession claim to securing a repossession increased by 9.1%, rising from 24.4 weeks to 26.6 weeks.

A look at longer-term trends shows that annual repossession numbers are steadily returning to pre-pandemic levels.

In 2019, England and Wales recorded 30,319 landlord repossessions and this collapsed to just 7,327 in 2020 as court operations were heavily restricted.

Since then, volumes have climbed each year, reaching 27,582 in 2024—the most recent full year of data—and a further 21,441 repossessions were completed between Q1 and Q3 of 2025 alone. 

These figures arrive as the government prepares to abolish Section 21 evictions through the Renters’ Rights Act.

The firm warns that the change is likely to make possession cases more complex and add further strain to a court system already struggling with delays.



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"In May, you MUST give your Tenants the Renters Rights Information Sheet or

YOU RISK  - £7,000 FINE  PER TENANT PER PROPERTY."READ MORE

 

 

 


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Fit for Habitation|March 2019 The ACT is intended to define minimum standards a rental property MUST be and makes a clearer pathway way for Tenants to be compensated|https://www.pims.co.uk/fit_for_habitation_act_march_2019/ Guarantor|The person who provides a guarantee and promises to make payment good should the person responsible for the agreement fail|http://www.pims.co.uk/guarantors/ MEES|The Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES) Landlords are charged with the requirement to bring their rental property to a minimum EPC rating of E. Property with F and G rating will effectively be banned from the rental market April 2018 |http://www.pims.co.uk/epc/ Section 11|Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 places an obligation on the landlord to maintain the structure and exterior of the property, including installations for the supply of water, gas and electricity, heating systems, drainage and sanitary appliances|http://www.pims.co.uk/landlord-section-11-repairs/ serving date|This date is the date deemed received at the property - as an example if posted allow for posting days|/serving-notice-on-a-tenant-delivery-days/ Tenancy Application|The objective of vetting is to empower yourself so you can make an informed decision as to the calibre of the prospective person. Making your decision on facts and figures is invaluable and this is why you should always take references. The application form also provides you with permission to perform credits. This form details all the information you should ever require deal with most eventualities including absconding tenants|http://www.pims.co.uk/doc/57/ Tenant Fees|From June 2019 where renting properties in England gone are the days of charging for admin, letting fees, vetting, references, inventory, check in, check out, cleaning, pet insurance or ANY other fee that is not explicitly permitted within the legislation. |https://www.pims.co.uk/ban_letting_fees_act_2019/