Are landlord repossessions set to spike ahead of RRA?
Calm before the storm? Landlord repossessions fell in 2025, but they could now spike ahead of the Renters’ Rights Act
New analysis from Inventory Base reveals that the number of landlord possessions fell by almost -8% in 2025, but does the introduction of the Renters’ Rights Act mean that numbers are set to spike in 2026?
The Renters’ Rights Act (RRA) is set to come into force from 1st May 2026, and includes a ban on Section 21 evictions, otherwise known as no-fault evictions. The reform is designed to protect tenants with greater security, but it also significantly reshapes how landlords and letting agents manage risk, disputes and possession proceedings…
For letting agents in particular, the months leading up to implementation could prove critical. Any increase in possession activity will translate directly into higher case volumes, greater demand for inspections, tighter compliance expectations, and increased reliance on robust property evidence.
It might have been expected that landlords would rush to regain possession ahead of the new rules, resulting in a sharp increase in claims during 2025. Yet the data suggests otherwise.
In fact, the total number of possession claims issued in 2025 stood at 91,093, which is 7.8% lower than the 98,766 claims issued in 2024.*
Furthermore, the average number of claims issued per quarter was lower in 2025 than it was in either of the two preceding years.
In 2023, the average number of quarterly claims was 23,553, rising to 24,692, and then falling to 22,773 in 2025.
However, the Renters’ Rights Bill, as it was then called, didn’t receive Royal Assent until 27th October 2025. Until that point, landlords could not be certain that the legislation would pass, nor what form the final Act would take. This may help to explain why possession claims declined last year, with many landlords potentially waiting for legislative clarity before taking action.
If this is indeed the case, it could mean that possession orders will see an enormous spike in the first half of 2026, as landlords do finally rush to regain their properties before the RRA comes into force on 1st May, after which regaining possession may become significantly more complex.
For agents, the months leading up to implementation could bring a surge in landlord instructions, alongside increased demand for inspections, inventories, and defensible reporting.
Sián Hemming-Metcalfe, Operations Director at Inventory Base says:
“As the implementation date approaches, we may see an uptick in repossessions, but this isn’t only a landlord issue. Letting agents will be the ones managing the operational reality: increased scrutiny, more disputes, and far greater reliance on inspection evidence.
The key is preparation: regular, consistent inspections and detailed inventories and risk assessments, like HHSRS, give agents and landlords the documentation they need to act decisively, protect the asset, and demonstrate compliance.
When tenants feel safe and settled, they are far more likely to stay long term. Longer tenancies reduce churn, minimise costly void periods, and cut the expense of repeated marketing and onboarding.
Under the Renters’ Rights Act, robust reporting will no longer be optional – it will be the backbone of any successful Section 8 case, and a critical safeguard against escalating risk.
As the sector moves into a post-Section 21 environment, the agents with the strongest compliance processes and the best property evidence will be the ones best placed to protect landlords, tenants, and their own businesses.”
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