According to figures from the Ministry of Justice, private landlords currently wait 26 weeks – a median figure – between bringing a claim and being able to repossess a property. Ten years ago, it was approximately 16 weeks.
Data from the National Residential Landlords’ Association suggests the average rent loss per property is more than £12,000 nationally, and more than £19,000 in London per property.
Section 21 evictions are a “paper-based” administrative process, according to Chris Norris, policy director of the National Residential Landlords’ Association – but under the new rules landlords will have to have a court hearing if a tenant challenges an eviction.
A government spokesperson said the reforms would “reduce pressure on the courts in the long-term, but to support them now we are recruiting up to 1,000 judges and tribunal members across all courts and tribunals this year”.
They said the Act would give tenants “much needed and long overdue” security in their homes.