Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment has been made of the potential impact of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 on court workloads relating to possession proceedings; and whether administrative or time-limited possession processes have been considered where landlords have complied fully with regulatory requirements.

My Department continues to work closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to ensure that the justice system is well prepared for the implementation of the Renters Right’s Act 2025, including the impact on the County Court. We will ensure that the County Court has the resources and capacity it need to handle the additional possession workload these reforms will generate. A core part of this work is the development of a brand new digital possession service.

In relation to administrative possession, the Government considers it important that a tenant has the opportunity to attend a possession hearing as this is vital for tenants’ access to justice, especially in the new tenancy system where landlords must always evidence that possession grounds have been met.

In relation to time limits, the Civil Procedure Rules have a target for all possession hearings to be listed within 8 weeks of issue. We believe this appropriate and balances the rights of the tenant and landlord.