The UK Government has rejected a petition calling for increased landlord protections and measures to address court delays in possession proceedings, despite the petition gathering more than 15,000 signatures.
The petition, initiated by Craig Littlejohn, a self-described ‘accidental landlord’ from Scotland, reached the 10,000-signature threshold required for a Government response. If it reaches 100,000 signatures, it will trigger a parliamentary debate on the issue.
Littlejohn, who rents out one property and is currently experiencing difficulties with a non-paying tenant, used the Parliament website to call for urgent reforms. The petition specifically requested an expedited court process for mandatory grounds including anti-social behaviour and arrears, a vetting database for repeat offenders, and a higher deposit cap.
Government response
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government stated it “has no plans to introduce an expedited court possession process for mandatory possession grounds, a tenant vetting database, or to raise the cap on tenancy deposits.”
The department said it “does not support these proposals” and pointed to the Renters’ Rights Act, which comes into effect on 1 May 2026. According to the Government, the Act will “ensure landlords can continue to gain possession when necessary, while offering more security to tenants.”
The response noted that the reforms will “clarify and expand grounds for possession, allowing landlords to regain possession when necessary, for example to sell or move in.”
Digital court process
The Government also referenced plans for “a new digital end-to-end service for resolving all possession claims in the County Courts in England and Wales,” though no timeline was provided for this system’s implementation.
The rejection highlights the ongoing tension between landlord and tenant protections in the UK rental market, with landlord groups increasingly vocal about possession delays while the Government maintains its focus on tenant security through the upcoming Renters’ Rights Act.
