Bailiff evictions: how long they take and what happens

A bailiffs eviction is the last step of a possession claim: county court bailiffs, acting under a warrant of possession, remove the tenant and give the property back to you. For private landlords in April to June 2026, the median time from warrant to repossession was 8.7 weeks. The tenant must be given at least 14 days' written notice of the eviction date, and only court bailiffs or High Court enforcement officers can carry it out.

How long do bailiffs take to evict a tenant?

The latest official figures are the Ministry of Justice's "Mortgage and landlord possession statistics: April to June 2026", published on 13 August 2026. The Q2 2026 figures are provisional.

Median weeks (April to June 2026)	Private landlords (standard claims)	All landlord claims
Warrant to repossession by county court bailiffs	8.7	9.4
Claim to warrant	13.3	14.9
Claim to repossession	24.6 (mean 33.6)	27.1

The type of order makes a big difference. Across all landlords, the median from claim to repossession was 26.0 weeks for outright orders and 77.7 weeks for suspended orders.

These figures cover only the first 2 months after the Renters' Rights Act changes on 1 May 2026, and most of those claims rested on older notices. Treat them as a guide, not a promise: half of cases take longer, and defended claims take much longer. For the whole process from notice to eviction, see the possession claim timeline or how long eviction takes.

Before eviction day: the notices

Once you have requested the warrant of possession, these notices follow:

Notice	Who gets it	Timing
EX96 notice of appointment	You	Sent by the court with the eviction date
EX97a risk questionnaire	You, possibly	Questions about risks at the property
Your reply to EX96 and EX97a	The court	At least 3 working days before the eviction, or it may be cancelled
N54 notice of eviction	The tenant, delivered to the property	At least 14 days before the eviction
N54A notice of a further attempt	The tenant	At least 7 days before any further attempt

The 14-day rule (CPR 83.8A) applies to High Court writs as well as county court warrants.

Worked example

Your outright possession order said the tenant must leave by 17 November 2026. They didn't, so you requested a warrant on 18 November 2026 and paid £152. If your case followed the private-landlord median of 8.7 weeks, the eviction would be around Monday 18 January 2027. The N54 notice would then have to reach the property by Monday 4 January 2027 at the latest. Return your EX96 and any EX97a as soon as they arrive rather than waiting for the deadline.

What happens at a bailiffs eviction

The bailiffs attend at the appointed time and carry out the warrant. The eviction gives you back possession of the property.

Practical steps that help the day go smoothly:

• Be there yourself or send your letting agent, at the time on the EX96.
• Book a locksmith to change the locks once the bailiffs give you possession.
• Bring your copy of the possession order and the warrant details.
• Take dated photos of each room and the meter readings.
• If the tenant leaves belongings behind, take advice before you dispose of them.

If you included the money due in the warrant, it also allows execution against the tenant's goods for that money. Any balance still owed afterwards can be pursued through other enforcement methods, such as an attachment of earnings order; see getting a CCJ for unpaid rent.

Can the tenant stop the bailiffs?

• An application to suspend the warrant (N244, £16). GOV.UK says a warrant can usually only be suspended where a discretionary ground was used, and the tenant must show a change of circumstances related to the reason for the order. If the court lists a hearing, attend with your updated figures.
• A Breathing Space. While a debt respite breathing space covers the arrears, the court won't continue evictions. A standard breathing space pushes a scheduled eviction to no earlier than 14 days after it ends. During a mental health crisis breathing space, the eviction can't take place, and a judge reviews the case if it is suspended beyond 6 months. See Breathing Space and rent arrears.
• An appeal against the possession order, which needs permission and must be filed within 21 days of the decision.

County court bailiffs or High Court enforcement officers?

Instead of county court bailiffs, you can apply to transfer the case to the High Court for enforcement by High Court enforcement officers. That costs £126 (without notice) or £321 (on notice) for the transfer application, £82 for the writ, plus the officers' own fees. GOV.UK only says "You might get a faster eviction this way". The tenant still gets at least 14 days' notice. See High Court enforcement officers for evictions.

Never evict without the bailiffs

Watch out: an eviction must be carried out by court bailiffs or High Court enforcement officers under a warrant or writ. Changing the locks yourself, or using anyone else to remove the tenant, is illegal eviction. Since 1 May 2026, councils can impose a civil penalty of up to £40,000, and prosecution can lead to a fine and up to 2 years in prison on indictment.

This applies even when you have a possession order and the date has passed. Read illegal eviction for what counts.

What to do next

If you don't have a warrant yet, read warrant of possession (N325). If you're still before the claim, the possession court pack prepares N5, N119 and the rent schedule for you to sign and file, and the eviction timeline calculator shows your likely dates. For the whole court process, see possession claims.