The Government says tenants and landlords will have “swift access to justice” once Section 21 ends on 1 May 2026, yet industry figures argue the latest announcement does little to address the concerns they have raised since the reforms were first proposed.

There were already huge delays in possession cases, and the switch to Section 8 is expected to increase pressure further, as landlords will have to prove their case in court, requiring evidence, hearings and judicial time.

Roadmap

Within its Roadmap the Government seeks to assuage those concerns, claiming courts and tribunals will be “supported with funding to ensure they have the resources and capacity they need to handle the additional workload” – but the newly published Roadmap offers no figures, no timetable for increased capacity, and no plan for reducing the existing backlog.

The Government is also promising a new digital end-to-end possession service. A rough timetable is given, with rollout beginning in 2026, but it will be “introduced in stages” and will not be fully operational when Section 21 ends.

Until then, existing possession processes will simply be “updated” — meaning the current paper-based system will be amended to reflect new Section 8 rules, but not fundamentally improved or sped up.

“Without a clear plan to improve the speed and efficiency of the courts, the Government risks creating a system that simply cannot cope.”

The NRLA says the lack of clarity leaves landlords without meaningful assurance. Chief Executive Ben Beadle said: “Without a clear plan to improve the speed and efficiency of the courts, the Government risks creating a system that simply cannot cope.”

And with Section 21 no-fault evictions due to be abolished in less than a year, time is running out.

For the full details of the Roadmap document, click on this link.