Landlord court fees rising

Court fees for landlords will rise in April, for the second time in a year.

The cost of possession claims rose to £391 in April 2024, and will hit £404 the month after next.

Other rises relevant to landlords include the cost of general applications to set aside or vary an order, which is now £303 and the cost of applying for a warrant of possession, which has risen to £148.

The rises in brief include:

• £404 for making a possession claim (up from £391)
• £313 for general applications to set aside or vary an order (increased from £303)
• £148 for applying for a warrant of possession (was £143).

All will take effect from 8 April, if approved by Parliament.

The increases a year ago came against a backdrop of dissatisfaction over the quality of service landlords are getting from the courts.

In all, there are 171 court and tribunal fees that will rise, with the vast majority going up by 3.2%. The Ministry of Justice said a significant portion of these rises will be used to improve the efficiency of the service.

More information 

• Click here for a full list of the proposed increases.
• The NRLA added its voice to a joint industry letter to housing minister Matthew Pennycook, calling him out on comments suggesting those worried about how the courts will cope in a post-section 21 world were being 'alarmist'. Read more about the letter and the NRLA calls on court reform here.