Landlord possession claims increased by almost 6% in Q1 2026, as property owners looked to regain home controls ahead of the Renters’ Rights Act, LegalforLandlords has found.

The firm’s analysis of Government data found that in the first quarter of the year, 22,733 possession claims were issued, marking a 5.9% quarter-on-quarter increase.

LegalforLandlords said the figures reflect a “clear attempt” by landlords to regain possession ahead of the introduction of the Renters’ Rights Act in May, which removed Section 21 powers and introduced a new legal framework.

It added that as a result, many landlords fear that the act will make repossessions slower, more difficult and more uncertain.

The data showed that this increase in claims was driven by an 11.1% jump in the number of private landlords issuing possession claims, while the number of claims from social landlords rose by 5%.

Meanwhile, the number of accelerated repossession claims across both sectors rose by 1.7%.

The firm stated that the figures are “particularly notable” as they follow a prolonged period of falling possession activity throughout much of 2025.

Accelerated possession claims have fallen by more than 10% in Q4 2025, before changing course in Q1 as landlords approached the legislation’s implementation deadline.

Group CEO at LegalforLandlords, Sim Sekhon, said that landlords have acted while Section 21 was still available to them.

He concluded: “Many landlords have spent the last year working to understand what the new rules mean for their ability to manage risk, deal with arrears and recover possession when necessary. These figures suggest a significant number decided not to wait.

"There continues to be a real concern within the sector that the reforms have reduced confidence among existing landlords and will go on to discourage future investment in rental housing at a time when supply is already under pressure.”

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