Why even the Lords are worried€¦ but carrying on regardless
Recently, Baroness Thornhill (Lib Dem) stood in the House of Lords and admitted – quite bluntly – that the state of the court system under the incoming Renters Rights Bill is €œfrankly worrying.€
I read the Hansard report on the Lords debate (Jeez, as if I have nothing better to do – at least it’s saved you the job) because news that Government has refused to publish the impact study of Renters Rights Bill on the court system is a deeply worrying matter.
She acknowledged everything we, as landlords and agents, have known for months:
- That court delays are already months long – and growing
- That IT systems in the courts are years from being sorted
- That even legitimate evictions, under new Section 8 rules, will leave landlords exposed to unfair financial risk
- That €œjust 0.3% of tenancies ending in possession€ (Generation Rent’s figure)…which sounds hearteningly small, until you realise this actually represents 144,000 tenancies a year, which seems a poor place to start when it’s clear this is a figure likely to grow significantly with the removal of Section 21
And yet… despite recognising all this, she refused to support any amendment that would delay implementation of the Section 21 ban. Why? Because it would €œdelay the Act coming into force.€
Well obviously it would: the point of a delay would be to put right the very issues that she acknowledges pose the risk we are all warning about.
€œI expect full answers on the readiness of our courts€¦ but we do not support in any way delaying the abolition of Section 21.€
– Baroness Thornhill, House of Lords, July 2025
What a a paradox of parliamentary reasoning: she accepts that the court system is €œworrying,€ €œunfair,€ and not fit for purpose€¦ then advocates steamrolling through anyway to avoid delay.
This is the danger zone
Baroness Thornhill, to her credit, supports formal court performance reviews and better access to justice. She even warns that some landlords will be pushed into financial jeopardy. But she ultimately accepts the risk in favour of ideological progress.
This is policy by aspiration – not by readiness.
How nice of Government to accept the risk…it’s only landlords left holding the bag, after all.
What abolition of Section 21 means in practice
If the Bill passes as expected this autumn:
- All evictions will require court time – no exceptions
- Every possession claim must be justified and heard
- No-fault notices will no longer exist
- The same number of judges will face a vastly higher workload
Meanwhile, the government has refused to publish its own court readiness assessment, despite FOI requests – fueling speculation that the truth is worse than we’ve been told.
Why this should set off alarm bells
This isn’t just a landlord problem. Court delays mean:
- Fewer properties available to rent (there’s clear evidence that more landlords are selling)
- Tenants stuck in limbo during disputes: a property in court is one that isn’t being re-let
- More pressure on councils and temporary accommodation
- A chilling effect on investment in the Private Rented Sector at exactly the wrong time
How we’re protecting our clients once Section 21 goes
At Northwood Leicester, we can’t change legislation – but we can help you weather it.
With our Guaranteed Rent scheme, you:
- Receive your rent every month – even when the tenant doesn’t pay
- Avoid the stress of possession proceedings – we handle that risk
- Stay compliant, protected, and paid – even in a delayed court system
🧱 Summary
The Renters Rights Bill is expected to pass into law in September 2025, with the new rules kicking off in early 2026. The government has declined to release the Justice Impact Test, and the Lords acknowledge serious risks – but abolition of Section 21 presses ahead anyway.
It’s a brave new world for landlords. And one best navigated with professional backup.
