Fresh Ministry of Justice figures suggest that the landlord possession route is not getting any quicker, even as the number of new claims has eased back. For landlords, that matters because the court process is still part of the real-world backdrop to the Renters’ Rights changes coming into force in England on 1 May 2026.
The latest official statistics cover county courts in England and Wales for October to December 2025. They show landlord possession claims falling compared with the same quarter a year earlier, but repossessions by county court bailiffs edging up and the median time from claim to repossession stretching to 27.0 weeks. In plain terms, fewer new cases were started, but where cases did move all the way through the court route, the process was still slow.
What the latest figures show
According to the Ministry of Justice, landlord possession claims fell from 24,004 in the final quarter of 2024 to 21,458 in the final quarter of 2025, an 11% drop. Orders fell 8% to 16,913 and warrants fell 12% to 9,606. At the same time, county court bailiff repossessions rose 3% to 7,254.
The publication also says the median time from claim to repossession increased from 25.0 weeks to 27.0 weeks over the same period. Claim-to-warrant timeliness also ticked up, while the time from claim to order was a little shorter. The overall picture is that the route from starting a claim to actually recovering possession remained lengthy.
One useful detail in the official commentary is that the Ministry of Justice does not yet say with confidence why claims fell. It notes that it is still unclear whether the dip reflects normal seasonal variation or changing behaviour ahead of the Renters’ Rights Act coming into force on 1 May 2026. That is worth remembering before anyone tries to turn one quarter of data into a simple market narrative.
Why this matters for landlords now
These figures do not change the law by themselves, but they are a practical reminder that possession strategy is about timing and process as much as legal grounds. If a landlord expects to need possession in a live case, slow court progression can matter just as much as the notice stage.
That is especially relevant in the run-up to the end of Section 21 in England. As we covered in our earlier guide to the Renters’ Rights timetable, the current system remains in place until 1 May 2026, after which private rented sector possession in England moves onto the new framework. The newer information-sheet and tenancy-form changes also show how much of the reform is now moving from headline policy into operational paperwork.
For landlords, the main lesson from the possession statistics is not panic. It is that relying on the court route has never been a last-minute admin exercise. Where a case may end up in court, dates, records, notices, supporting evidence and realistic expectations about timescales all matter.
What may be worth checking
First, review any live possession-related cases now rather than treating them as something to tidy up later in April. That could include rent arrears files, anti-social behaviour cases, sale-related plans, or older notices that may still need follow-through. If a case is already in motion, it may be worth checking dates carefully against the official guidance and any transitional rules rather than assuming there is more time than there really is.
Second, make sure the underlying file is in better shape than just “notice served”. The Ministry of Justice supporting document is a useful reminder that possession is a staged court process: claim, order, warrant and only then repossession by county court bailiffs. A weak or incomplete file does not become less risky just because the broader policy spotlight is on Section 21. Landlords may want to check tenancy records, service evidence, arrears schedules, communication logs and any documents that support the ground being relied on.
Third, separate legal entitlement from practical timing. A landlord may have a route to seek possession, but that does not mean the property will be recovered quickly. The latest figures suggest that once a case reaches court, the full journey can still take months. That can affect how landlords plan repairs, reletting, sales, cashflow and communication with agents or contractors. This is not financial or legal advice, but it is a good reason to avoid optimistic assumptions about how fast a difficult case will conclude.
Fourth, keep the geography point in mind. The possession statistics cover England and Wales, while the Renters’ Rights Act changes discussed above apply to England. That means the court data is useful context, but landlords should be careful not to blur England-only reform rules with wider England-and-Wales court trends.
A practical takeaway
The latest possession figures are not a signal that landlords suddenly need to rush into court, and they do not prove that every fall in claims is caused by the May reforms. What they do show is something more practical: possession cases can still take time to work through the system, even when new claim volumes are lower.
For landlords with live issues, the sensible response is to get organised early, check official guidance, and make sure any possession-related paperwork and evidence are not being left until the last minute. Where a case is legally or procedurally sensitive, it may be worth seeking professional advice on the specific circumstances.
