New Court Fee Increases: Details for Landlords

The government is imposing another stealth tax on landlords by raising the cost of going to court to repossess a property.

The Ministry of Justice has confirmed an across-the-board hike of 10 per cent after analysing responses to a month-long consultation last year.

HM Courts and Tribunal Service (HMCTS) explained this is the first fee increase since September 2021.

The extra money will bolster the service’s £2 billion a year budget, less than half the money needed to cover court running costs. The shortfall comes from taxpayers.

HMCTS also confirmed fees will rise every two years from now on.

Poor value service

Two-thirds of consultation responses were against the increase, with some claiming the court service was ‘poor value for money’.

The government argues that HMCTS faces a more significant deficit without the price hike due to the high inflation rate over the recent months, and some of the extra cash will go towards improving services.

View consultation document and responses.

Gove has promised to keep Section 21 in place until the time taken to evict a tenant shortens in the courts. The latest MoJ data reveals the timescale from claim to repossession is 23.7 weeks.

See MoJ landlord repossession data.

Which court fees are going up?

Most court fees will rise by an average of 10 per cent, although some will go up 12.5 per cent. The increase is likely to take effect in May.

Fees that landlords incur include:

• Recovery of land (county court) - Up from £355 to £391
• Issue of a warrant of possession/warrant of delivery - Up from £130 to £143.
• General Application Fee - Up from £108 to £119
• Commence Proceedings at a First-Tier (Property) Tribunal - Up from £200 to £220

View the list of fee increases.

Court fees FAQ

Why are court fees rising?

The MoJ says court fees must rise because the current levels do not reflect the government's spending on running the service. HMCTS has a £2 billion budget that they say doesn’t even stretch to half the amount they pay to run the system. The rest comes from public funds.

Are only landlord court fees rising?

Some 200 or so for fees are rising, including the landlord fees for repossession. There are some exemptions, mainly involving family courts and cases relating to children.

When did court fees last go up?

Court fees for landlords last increased in 2019.

When will court fees go up again?

The next increase is slated for May 2026