Landlords face RRA tribunal delay chaos

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Landlords face RRA tribunal delay chaos

England’s tribunal and court system is already struggling with case delays as the Renters’ Rights Act adds fresh pressure to rent appeals and possession cases.

The warning comes from Real Estate:UK which submitted Freedom of Information requests to the five Tribunal Property Chambers.

It asked for the number of tenant rent appeal cases over the past three full years, and the average time taken to consider, process and rule on them.

Four chambers responded, with three providing substantive data and one confirming it did not hold the information requested.

To underline the issue, Ministry of Justice data shows the average time between a court accepting a private landlord possession claim and repossession under the grounds-based route has risen by three weeks over the past year to 27.4 weeks.

PRS attraction hit

The organisation represents more than 500 members and its assistant director, Kate Butler, said: “With the Renters’ Rights Act and s21 abolition now in effect, and given serious concerns as to the stability of the market, many would expect that the government would have, and be able to share, a basic understanding of the impacts of the Act on the judicial system and its detailed plans to mitigate these.

“Yet here we have new evidence which clearly demonstrates a clear and deeply concerning lack of consistent collection of rent appeal data within the Tribunal process, and evidence that 80% of current recorded appeals take over 10 weeks to decide.”

She added: “Expanding the use of the s13 process to all tenancies will dramatically increase the number of appeals the Tribunal hears, and there is no evidence to suggest that it will be able to effectively deal with this, or that the government will be able to undertake its commitment to measure ‘overwhelm’.

“This not only undermines the attractiveness of the PRS for new investors, but it will negatively impact existing landlords and incentivise their exit.”

More than 10 weeks

Across the three tribunals that supplied figures, 2,944 rent appeal cases were recorded over the period.

However, only one chamber confirmed that it held data on how long those appeals took to conclude.

That chamber said just 21% of appeals were decided within 10 weeks before the Renters’ Rights Act came into force.

The findings raise questions over how ministers will measure whether the tribunal system has become ‘overwhelmed’.

The organisation is also questioning how the government’s commitment to allow the backdating of rent in unsuccessful appeals occur where serious delays are evident.

Government has no data

Ministers have also confirmed through written Parliamentary Questions that the government does not hold centralised data on appeal volumes or processing times.

Real Estate:UK says that leaves no reliable baseline for measuring additional pressure as the Act expands use of the Section 13 process for challenging rent increases.

The government has also committed to carrying out a viability assessment of an alternative or filtering body to make initial rent determinations before cases reach the tribunal.

However, no timetable or operating detail has yet been confirmed.

The firm says the government has also not published its Justice Impact Test, which assesses the effect of the Act on the tribunal process, and is resisting its release.

The organisation also points to continuing delays in possession cases, despite ministers having pledged ‘court readiness’ alongside the Act’s implementation.

The government has announced £50 million of funding linked to court readiness, but Real Estate:UK says ministers have not provided specific metrics, timelines or a definition of what readiness means.

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Landlord resilience grows despite legislative pressure

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Landlord resilience grows despite legislative pressure

Despite ongoing pressure in the private rented sector, landlords remain resilient, with new data showing most are still making a profit.

Research by lender Foundation reveals that 84% of landlords report their lettings activity is profitable, with average rental yields edging up to 6.5%.

The figures come after the Renters’ Rights Act came into force on 1 May 2026.

PRS continues to prove its resilience

According to the data, confidence levels are also showing tentative signs of recovery. The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) says its landlord confidence measure rose across all regions in Q1, while the proportion of landlords planning to remain in the sector increased to 63%, up from 58% in Q4 2025.

Following the government’s announcement that all private rented properties must meet EPC C targets by 2030, 62% of landlords with lower-rated properties say they plan to carry out improvement works to meet the new requirements.

Nearly four in 10 landlords with borrowing (39%) are planning to remortgage in the next year, while the average portfolio size has increased to 7.3 properties.

Grant Hendry, director of sales at Foundation, says many landlords are adapting to changes in the private rented sector.

He said: “The latest data shows a landlord community and wider private rental sector that continues to prove its resilience. While landlords are clearly facing a range of challenges, from rising costs to regulatory change, the fundamentals remain strong. Profitability is holding up, yields are stable, and we’re seeing early signs that confidence is beginning to return.

“What is particularly notable is the way in which landlords are adapting. Portfolio sizes are increasing, more investors are taking a structured, long-term approach, and there is clear evidence of landlords planning ahead, whether that is through refinancing activity or preparing for future EPC requirements.

“At the same time, we shouldn’t ignore the pressures that remain. Softer tenant demand and rising voids show this is a more balanced market than in recent years, and some landlords will continue to reassess their position. However, the overall picture is one of a sector that is evolving rather than retreating.”

Landlords leaving the market

However, the lender also reveals that some landlords are choosing to exit the market, with 42% said they plan to sell at least one rental property in the next year.

The data also reveals round 61% of landlords expect to increase rents over the next 12 months, with an average projected rise of 5.7%.

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The UK rental market is being reshaped by landlords who no longer need to grow

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The UK rental market is being reshaped by landlords who no longer need to grow

There was a time when growth was the natural direction of travel for landlords. Acquiring more properties, refinancing to release equity and steadily expanding a portfolio was not just common, it was expected. Progress was measured in scale, but that is no longer the case.

A growing number of landlords now find themselves in a very different position. Their portfolios are established, borrowing levels are low and the original objective of building wealth has largely been achieved. At that point, the motivation changes, growth is no longer essential, it becomes optional, and when something becomes optional, it is often reconsidered.

This is where the current shift begins. Instead of asking how to expand, many landlords are now asking whether expansion still serves a purpose. The focus moves towards stability, control and how the portfolio supports the next stage of life, rather than the previous one.

That shift in mindset is subtle, but powerful. It means that even those best placed to grow are choosing not to. The decision is not constrained by finance, but guided by preference.

Evidence of this can be seen in the Property118 Landlord Sentiment Survey Q1 2026, where a majority of landlords operate with relatively low leverage, yet only a small proportion intend to expand their portfolios.

This creates a very different kind of market dynamic. When landlords who have both the capacity and the experience to grow decide not to, the underlying momentum of the sector begins to shift. Expansion slows, activity becomes more selective and the emphasis moves towards consolidation. It is not that opportunity has disappeared, it is that the need to pursue it has.

For now, one conclusion stands out: the rental market is increasingly shaped by landlords who could grow further, but have decided they no longer need to.

For many landlords, the question is not whether the market is changing, but what that change means for their own position.

If you are holding a portfolio with relatively low borrowing, or are beginning to reassess how your assets are structured, this is often the point where a more joined-up view becomes useful.

An invitation for established landlords

If you find the Property118 articles helpful and are curious about how those ideas apply to your own portfolio, you are welcome to take the conversation a step further.

These conversations are typically most useful for landlords with established portfolios and relatively modest borrowing who are beginning to reflect on how their assets could work more effectively in the years ahead.

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From there we can arrange a free introductory discussion to explore how your portfolio works as a whole and what that might mean for the years ahead.

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Government sets out reforms to Right to Buy

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Government sets out reforms to Right to Buy

The government has announced new reforms to Right to Buy as part of efforts to overhaul and support councils.

The flagship policy, introduced by Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s, was designed to give council tenants in England and Wales the right to purchase their homes from local authorities.

However, the scheme has proven controversial, and following the completion of a Labour government consultation, ministers are now considering changes aimed at making Right to Buy “fairer and more sustainable.”

Minimum eligibility period would increase

Under the new reforms, the minimum eligibility period would increase from three to ten years before tenants can apply to buy their home.

Discount rules would also be amended, with discounts starting at 5% of the property value and increasing by 1% each year up to a maximum of 15% of the property value or the cash cap, whichever is lower.

A 35-year exemption would also apply to new builds, meaning newly built social homes could not be sold under Right to Buy for 35 years after completion.

Change is needed

Gavin Smart, chief executive officer, Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH), said: “CIH welcomes the government’s continued focus on reforming Right to Buy and the clear recognition that change is needed to better protect and rebuild our social housing.

“The measures confirmed are a positive step towards addressing the long-standing imbalance between homes sold and those replaced.

“We also welcome the further work on fraud prevention and the scheme’s impact in rural areas, both of which are crucial to ensuring Right to Buy operates fairly and sustainably.”

Although the Labour government has not abolished Right-to-Buy, it sharply reduced the maximum discount in last October’s Budget, cutting it from £136,000 to £16,000 in most London boroughs, and from £102,000 to £38,000 outside the capital.

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