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Sat 14 Feb 2026

Landlords are already facing long waits for possession even before May’s rule changes as possession timelines rise.

Landlords in England and Wales are waiting significantly longer to regain possession of their properties, with the average process now taking more than 26 weeks as repossession volumes continue to rise.

The latest research shows the end-to-end timeline from submitting a possession claim to completing a repossession has increased 9.1% over the past year, rising from 24.4 weeks to 26.6 weeks. Over the same period, average quarterly possessions climbed 4.4% to 7,099.

PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS

Longer-term figures suggest the market is returning to pre-pandemic levels. There were 30,319 landlord repossessions in 2019 before dropping sharply to 7,327 in 2020, when the courts curtailed their operations. Totals then recovered to 27,582 in 2024, with 21,441 already recorded in the first three quarters of 2025.

Figures underline “the growing challenges landlords now face when trying to regain possession of their properties,” with cases taking longer “at every stage of the process,” placing additional financial and emotional strain on landlords dealing with serious arrears or tenancy breaches.

As the Renters’ Rights Act comes into force, possession claims are set to become more complex and far more reliant on an already overstretched court system.”

The true scale, though, may be higher than the official data suggests. Internal figures indicate annual possession numbers could be “at least 40% higher,” with many cases failing to reach court due to paperwork issues.

As the Renters’ Rights Act comes into force, possession claims are set to become more complex and far more reliant on an already overstretched court system, and The margin for error is “shrinking” as delays continue to grow.