Loading Guild Resources
Loading Guild Resources
Loading Guild Resources
Landlord evictions across England and Wales notably declined in the first three months of 2026, according to the latest official statistics from the Ministry of Justice.
The quarterly data, spanning January to March 2026, reveals a sweeping reduction in landlord legal activity before the courts, offering a temporary reprieve for renters in the countdown to the Renters' Rights Act overhauling how the private rental sector works.
Compared to the same period last year, landlord possession actions—which include claims, court orders, warrants, and evictions by county court bailiffs—all fell:
The MoJ noted that while the private rental sector as a whole experienced a downward trend, the nature of the drop was uneven. Accelerated claims (often associated with 'no-fault' Section 21 evictions) plummeted by 12 percent, and social landlord claims dipped by 7 percent. Conversely, standard private landlord claims bucked the trend, rising by 4 percent.
Regionally, the drop in claims and court orders was observed across almost all areas except Wales, which recorded an increase.
Despite the nationwide decline, London continues to bear the brunt of the rental crisis. London courts handled 7,083 landlord claims and 5,278 orders in the first three months of 2026, accounting for nearly a third (31 percent) of the entire volume across England and Wales.
Locally, London boroughs dominated the statistics. Barking and Dagenham registered the highest rate of private landlord claims in the country, with 671 claims per 100,000 privately rented households. Newham followed closely behind at 515 per 100,000, and Enfield ranked third at 478 per 100,000.
Outside the private sector, Dartford saw the highest rate of social landlord claims, with 634 per 100,000 social-rented households.
While fewer renters are facing immediate eviction, those locked in legal battles face longer waits. The median time from a landlord issuing a claim to an actual repossession has ticked upward slightly to 26.4 weeks.
Meanwhile, the timeline for the courts to issue orders and warrants has held steady, taking an average of 8.0 weeks and 15.9 weeks from the initial claim, respectively.
Legal experts and housing analysts are closely monitoring these figures to discern whether the current decline is merely seasonal or a strategic "wait-and-see" approach from property owners.
The Renters' Rights Act started to implement key changes on May 1. The landmark legislation fundamentally alters the private market, giving tenants sweeping new protections and introducing stricter regulation for landlords.
Because the data in this report covers the quarter prior to the new rules taking effect, the MoJ warns any true behavioural shifts or direct consequences of the Act will not show up in official statistics until the next quarterly data releases later this year.