Landlords in England face eviction costs of approximately £3,000 once the Renters’ Rights Act comes into force in May, according to property industry experts.
Greg Tsuman, managing director at Martyn Gerrard, said court fees and legal costs could reach that figure before accounting for any loss of rental income during the eviction process.
Legal costs increase
The anticipated cost increase follows the abolition of Section 21 ‘no fault evictions’ under the Act, with Section 8 becoming the primary route for landlords seeking possession in many cases.
“A solicitor outside London may charge around £350 per hour, whereas an expensive practitioner could charge more than double this,” Tsuman said. “It would be reasonable to expect total costs in the region of £3,000 on average when lawyers are involved.”
He told the Daily Telegraph that the figure excludes any loss of rent while awaiting a court date and eviction.
Extended timelines
Paul Shamplina, founder of Landlord Action, warned that landlords could “face close to a year of unpaid rent” under the new system.
Shamplina said Section 8 cases were more complicated “with greater scope for adjournments or cases being dismissed if paperwork is not completed precisely”.
“Evicting a tenant is no longer a simple administrative process. The detail matters. Landlords will increasingly need specialist, regulated legal representation to navigate what is becoming a far more demanding court environment,” he said.
Regional variations
In 2024, the High Court Enforcement Officers Association (HCEOA) reported that landlords and letting agents in London face average costs of up to £19,000 to evict a tenant, including lost rent, with wait times ranging between six months and 12 months to regain possession of properties.
The Renters’ Rights Act is scheduled to become law in May 2026, marking a significant change in the legal framework governing landlord-tenant relationships in England.