New figures just released by the government emphasise the significance of creating a specialist housing court says one of the lettings sector’s most active trade bodies.

The Residential Landlords Association says buy to let owners face a growing amount of time in getting judgement on repossession cases from the courts.

Official statistics show that it now takes private landlords an average of 22.6 weeks from making a claim to the courts for a property to be repossessed to it actually happening, up from 22.5 weeks weeks in the second quarter of the year.

This is the third quarterly increase in a row.

Responding to this, RLA policy director David Smith says: “The courts are failing both landlords and tenants. A systematic programme of court closures, coupled with cuts to the court budgets have made it harder for anyone in the private rented sector to get justice in a timely way where something goes wrong.

“With all parties wanting to develop longer tenancies in the rental market, this will only work if landlords can swiftly and easily repossess properties through the court in legitimate circumstances. A failure to achieve this will make such tenancies a pipe dream.

“We are calling on all parties in the election to pledge to establish a specialist housing court that can bring rapid justice for landlords and tenants.”

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