Worst areas for landlord eviction waiting times
The latest research industry insight from LegalforLandlords has highlighted where the longest and shortest wait times are when it comes to court hearing dates for landlords who are trying to repossess their properties, with the most overstretched courts found in the likes of Birmingham, Croydon, and Slough.
Having analysed internal data on wait times for court hearings across the nation, LegalforLandlords has highlighted the following jurisdictions as providing the lengthiest timelines, with landlords facing delays of up to 16 weeks:
Barnet
Birmingham
Brentford
Bromley
Central London
Clerkenwell
Croydon
Edmonton
Kingston-upon-Thames County Court and Family Court
Romford
Slough
Stratford
Wandsworth
Willesden
At the other end of the spectrum, the following jurisdictions have the shortest wait times of between 6-10 weeks:
Aldershot
Blackpool
Bradford
Canterbury
Crewe
Darlington
Gateshead
Great Grimsby
Leeds
Leicester
Milton Keynes
Oxford
Peterborough
South Shields
Stoke on Trent
Swindon
Walsall
Watford
Section 21 ban set to increase waiting times
The time it takes for landlords to get a court hearing is likely to increase further when the Renters’ Rights Act comes into force on 1st May 2026, abolishing Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions.
Once Section 21 is removed, landlords will need to rely on Section 8 grounds, which are typically more complex and more likely to require court hearings, at which tenants will be able to challenge their attempted evictions. LegalforLandlds expects this to add further pressure to an already stretched court system.
In areas where landlords are already waiting up to four months for hearings, it’s clear that additional court resources and reforms need to be introduced if rightful possession claims are to be processed within any kind of acceptable timeframe.
Sim Sekhon, Group CEO at LegalforLandlords, commented:
“The fact that landlords are already waiting up to four months or more to regain possession of their properties highlights the significant strain our court system is under. Even if you’re lucky enough to fall into one of the areas with shorter wait times, you’re still looking at a potential delay of more than two months. With the abolition of Section 21 under the Renters Rights Act due to be enforced from May 2026, this is set to get even worse as cases become more complex and more heavily contested.
In this environment, it’s never been more important for landlords to have competent, engaged and proactive legal experts on their side. Ensuring that cases are prepared thoroughly, submitted correctly and managed closely from day one will be critical to minimising delays and helping landlords regain control of their properties as efficiently as possible.”
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