With the new Renters’ Rights laws due to take effect in May 2026, landlords who are considering eviction need to tread carefully. Between now and then, court backlogs, stricter evidence requirements, and tenants’ growing awareness of their rights mean that gaining possession is already far from straightforward — and it’s only getting harder. After the reforms take effect, landlords who remain in the sector will face a completely different legal landscape: Section 21 will be gone, every tenancy will effectively become open-ended, and compliance failures — even minor ones — could be used by tenants to block or delay eviction and claim compensation.
When landlords talk about eviction delays, it can sound like exaggeration — until you hear the real stories. Across LandlordZONE, Property118 and other forums, landlords are reporting ten-month waits, cancelled hearings and bailiffs booked months ahead. In this and our companion piece featuring more real life examples, we share first-hand experiences that reveal the true state of the courts — and why so many landlords are choosing to sell early rather than spend a year fighting for possession.
In the Leaders’ Renters Rights Bill Zone on LandlordZone, one landlord summed up the situation bluntly:
“The Government is running faster than Usain Bolt to introduce the Renters Rights Bill without addressing the long delays at the Courts.”
He went on to describe his own case:
“A tenant must be in 3-4 months arrears before a landlord can invoke Section 8. Then it’s another 56 days before a hearing, 28–56 days to vacate, plus bailiffs — another 6–8 weeks. Estimated time to complete the circle: 4 + 2 + 2 + 2 = 10 months approximately. What will the Government do for the landlord who has lost 10 months’ rent?”
“These figures aren’t random. I had a case on 5 September 2025, adjourned to the next available court date — 19 January 2026. That’s five months before the hearing, in addition to two months before Section 8, 56 days to vacate, plus two months for bailiffs.”
This is not an isolated story — it’s a reality now facing many small landlords across England and Wales. And as the Renters Rights Bill moves closer to becoming law in 2026, abolishing Section 21 and pushing more cases through already overloaded courts, these delays are set to become the norm, not the exception.
More real life examples in our companion piece: “10 Months and Counting”: Real Landlords Share Their Eviction Nightmares
The harsh arithmetic of eviction delays
Let’s break down what a typical landlord faces under current conditions:
| Stage | Duration (approx.) | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Tenant stops paying rent | 3–4 months | You can’t use Section 8 until serious arrears accumulate. |
| Wait for first court hearing | ~2 months | Many courts are operating at full capacity with hearings booked months ahead. |
| Possession granted + time to vacate | 1–2 months | Most courts give tenants 28–56 days to leave. |
| Bailiffs | 1–2 months | Delays in scheduling bailiffs are now common due to backlogs. |
| Total | ≈ 10 months | Before you regain possession — and all that time, you’re losing rent. |
That means 10 months without rent, continuing mortgage payments, and mounting legal fees — all while your property may be deteriorating or being damaged.
Real landlords, real delays
Across landlord forums and support groups, similar stories are everywhere:
- “We applied for a Section 8 four weeks ago and haven’t heard a thing. Courts are taking up to 15 months.” — LandlordZone Forum
- “We finally got a possession order after 8 months. Bailiff appointment still pending — that’s another 10 weeks minimum.” — Property118
- “Even if you win, the courts are so slow you’ll lose another three months before the bailiffs come.” — NRLA Member Comment
These delays are not just inconvenient; they are financially devastating for smaller landlords who rely on rent to cover mortgages and maintenance.
The financial reality: Eviction vs Selling Now
Let’s put real numbers to the problem in a possible scenario.
Suppose you own a £200,000 rental property and your tenant stops paying rent.
Option A: Go through eviction via the courts
- 10 months with no rent during eviction process
- 6 months no rent during marketing, sale and completion
- Mortgage cost: £800/month × 16 months = £12,800
- Lost rent: £1,000/month × 16 months = £16,000
- Legal, bailiff and conveyancing costs ≈ £5,000
- Total cost: ≈ £33,800 + potential property damage
That’s before factoring in your time, stress, and the risk of further delays if the tenant appeals or the court adjourns.
And don’t forget if you evict tenants to sell your property: once you do get vacant possession, you won’t be able to rent it out again for 12 months. That means if the sale doesn’t complete, your losses just keep mounting.
Option B: Sell now via Landlord Sales Agency
- Sell fast at a 10–15% discount (say 12.5%) = sale price ~ £175,000
- Landlord Sales Agency does not charge fees or commission (we will try to sell for more than the offer you accept and take our pay from that)
- Landlord Sales Agency contributes £720 towards legal fees if you use the independent panel solicitors we recommend because they prioritise our clients
- Sale completed with tenants in situ or with their cooperation — minimising voids
- Avoid 16 months of lost income and mortgage payments
Effective cost: ≈ £24,300 (discount minus fee contribution)
Savings compared with eviction: £9,000 – £10,000 plus months of uncertainty avoided.
Why this matters more in 2026 and beyond
When the Renters Rights Bill is enacted, Section 21 — the “no-fault” route — will disappear. Every eviction will have to go through court. The Government has promised to reform court processes before that happens, but as landlords are already warning, “the Government is running faster than Usain Bolt to introduce RRB without fixing the courts.”
That means the delays landlords are facing today may soon become the baseline.
For landlords already struggling with rising interest rates and compliance costs, waiting 10–15 months for an eviction could be the breaking point.
A practical solution for landlords who want out
Landlord Sales Agency helps landlords exit without facing this nightmare.
By working directly with your tenants and investor buyers, they:
- Minimise void periods by keeping tenants in place until completion.
- Contribute £720 towards your legal fees.
- Handle compliance and tenant communications professionally.
- Complete faster — no waiting for eviction, no bailiff delays.
For many landlords, the choice isn’t between selling for full value or not — it’s between selling now with certainty and eliminating the risk of losing tens of thousands waiting for the courts.
The takeaway
If your tenant has stopped paying rent, or you’re planning to sell, you need to calculate the true cost of waiting for possession. The 10-month example from the LandlordZone forum isn’t a worst-case scenario anymore — it’s increasingly typical.
The Government may not compensate landlords for 10 months of lost rent, but you can protect yourself from it. A strategic sale at a 10–15% discount could end up saving you more than you lose — and spare you the stress of watching court dates slip further and further away.
Let us know what property or properties you want to sell and we’ll let you know what we can do for you and how we value your property.
3 thoughts on “Landlords Warned: Real-Life Eviction Timelines Show Why Waiting for the Courts Can Be a 10-Month Nightmare”
Comments are closed.