The Government has confirmed that it has no plans to introduce Nightingale-style courts to help manage possession cases, despite ongoing concerns about the impact of housing reforms on the court system.
In a written response to Parliament, Justice Minister Sarah Sackman said there is currently no national backlog in possession cases and therefore no consideration has been given to creating temporary courts similar to the Nightingale courts used during the pandemic.
Government Focuses on Digital Court Improvements
Instead of expanding court capacity through temporary venues, the Ministry of Justice is working alongside the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and HM Courts & Tribunals Service to prepare for the additional workload expected from recent housing reforms.
A key part of these preparations is the development of a new Digital Possession Service, which aims to streamline the possession process and improve efficiency within the court system.
The Government also highlighted several improvements being made to the wider tribunal system, including recruiting additional administrative staff, creating a centralised operational hub, upgrading technology and improving hearing facilities to help manage residential property cases more effectively.
Government Says There Is No National Backlog
According to Sarah Sackman, current court performance does not indicate a nationwide backlog in possession claims.
Under the Civil Procedure Rules, standard possession claims should receive their first court hearing between four and eight weeks after a claim is issued.
The latest Mortgage and Landlord Possession Statistics, covering the period from January to March 2026, show that the median time from issuing a possession claim to receiving a possession order remains around eight weeks nationally.
These figures suggest that, from the Government’s perspective, possession cases are continuing to move through the courts within expected timescales.
Property Industry Continues to Raise Concerns
Despite the Government’s position, many organisations representing landlords argue that delays remain a significant issue in practice.
Propertymark has previously called for the creation of specialist housing courts to deal exclusively with landlord and tenant disputes, arguing that dedicated courts would help improve consistency and reduce waiting times.
The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) has also expressed concerns about the current system. The organisation says many landlords continue to face lengthy waits before regaining possession of their properties, creating financial pressure and uncertainty.
In a recent letter to the Justice Select Committee, the NRLA warned that there is still limited information about how the courts will cope with the new Digital Possession Service once further housing reforms take effect.
Questions Remain Over Future Capacity
While the Government believes existing courts have sufficient capacity, landlord groups remain concerned that increased demand could place additional strain on the system as more reforms are introduced.
Many in the property sector argue that investment in court resources, improved technology and greater operational capacity will be essential to ensure possession cases continue to be handled efficiently.
For now, the Government has made it clear that temporary Nightingale-style courts are not part of its plans. Instead, it will continue focusing on digital improvements and operational changes to support the courts as the housing sector adapts to the latest reforms.
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