Six Months and Counting: The Growing Wait for Evictions
Section 8 repossessions now take an average of 27.9 weeks – the longest wait in years – and that’s before the Renters’ Rights Act lands. With every eviction soon set to pass through the courts, landlords face even longer delays. Here’s what’s happening, why it matters, and how to protect your income.
For landlords, possession proceedings are already a last resort. But the latest Ministry of Justice statistics reveal that even when eviction becomes unavoidable, the wait for a resolution is getting longer.
Between April and June 2025, the average time from claim to repossession under the Section 8 eviction process stretched to 27.9 weeks - that’s over six months from start to finish. This is up from 25.4 weeks during the same period last year. Apart from the exceptional years of 2020-2021 (when repossessions were suspended during the pandemic), this is the longest wait landlords have faced since 2017.
Why are Section 8 evictions taking longer?
Interestingly, the initial stages of the process haven’t worsened: securing a possession order still takes an average of 7.9 weeks, the same as last year. The delays are stacking up in the later stages:
It now takes an extra week to obtain a warrant for possession when tenants don’t comply with the initial order.
Once that warrant is granted, there’s an additional 1.5-week delay before repossession is completed.
So, the logjam isn’t at the point of landlords filing cases - it’s when bailiffs and enforcement officers step in. The system simply can’t keep pace with demand.
A silver lining?
Not everything in the statistics is doom and gloom. Landlord repossession claims are actually down 9% compared with last year, and completed repossessions are down 4%.
That may reflect landlords and agents stepping up on tenant vetting and tackling arrears early, before issues spiral into eviction proceedings. The government’s Housing Loss Prevention Advice Service, launched in 2023, could also be playing its part in helping some tenancies survive.
But here’s the sting: even though there are fewer cases overall, repossession timelines are still getting longer. And this is before the Renters’ Rights Act comes into play.
Once the Bill passes, landlords will lose access to Section 21 and every single eviction will need to go through the courts. That means the already-stretched system could be handling thousands more cases, with no increase in resources guaranteed.
In practice, landlords could find themselves waiting not six months, but potentially eight, nine, or even twelve months before gaining possession if courts buckle under the pressure. Early disputes over rent arrears, anti-social behaviour, or breaches of tenancy could all end up taking longer to resolve, leaving landlords out of pocket and tenants in limbo.
In short: the delays we’re seeing now may only be the tip of the iceberg.
What the government says vs. landlord reality
The government hasn’t exactly reassured landlords.
They’ve refused to release their Justice Impact Test (JIT) on the Renters’ Rights Act - the official assessment of how the new legislation will affect the courts. Preparing a JIT is a mandatory part of lawmaking where the justice system is impacted, but in response to a Freedom of Information request, ministers said it was “an internal document not intended for public release.”
At the same time, ministers insist the Bill will reduce cases “in the long term.” But landlords and agents are sceptical. Why? Because the immediate reality is more evictions forced through an already-clogged system, at a time when average waits are at their longest in nearly a decade.
If delays are building with fewer cases in the system today, what happens when thousands more are added tomorrow?
What landlords can do right now
While we can’t control the court system, there are practical steps landlords can take to minimise risk and disruption:
Prioritise arrears recovery. Acting early on late rent payments is crucial to keep cashflow stable, especially when possession can take half a year (or longer).
Consider High Court enforcement. Landlords can apply to transfer possession cases from the county court to High Court Enforcement Officers (HCEOs). The application costs £123, plus HCEO fees, but can secure possession faster than waiting for overstretched county court bailiffs.
Screen tenants thoroughly. Prevention remains the best strategy. Careful referencing, income checks, and affordability assessments reduce the likelihood of arrears and future disputes.
Prepare for the Renters’ Rights Act. Many tenancies agreed now will fall under the new regime before their term ends, so building safeguards into your strategy today is essential.
How Cope & Co. can help
At Cope & Co., we’ve been preparing for these changes for some time. We know landlords want stability, predictable income, and reassurance that their investment is being protected. That’s why we recommend:
Rent Guarantee Insurance - ensuring rent is paid even if tenants fall into arrears or eviction proceedings drag on. In today’s market, with eviction timelines extending, this protection isn’t a luxury - it’s a necessity 👇
LetSimple is Cope & Co.’s fully managed lettings service, built to give landlords peace of mind with a modern, transparent approach.
Here’s what it includes:
✅ Rigorous tenant vetting – minimise risk from the start.
✅ Proactive arrears management – keep rent flowing.
✅ Rent Guarantee protection – income secured, even during disputes.
✅ Full compliance handling – stay ahead of legal changes.
✅ Simple subscription model – one monthly fee, no setup costs.
✅ Fair pricing – fees reduce as the tenancy progresses.
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With LetSimple, your property - and your income - are always protected without the hidden costs or long tie-ins of traditional letting models.
The courts may be slowing down, but your rental income doesn’t have to.
📞 Want to protect your rental income and cut out the stress of lettings? Get in touch with me, Laura Clarke, today. I’ll walk you through how LetSimple and Rent Guarantee Insurance can give you certainty, security, and peace of mind in a market that’s anything but simple!
