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08 April 2022 / Sir Robin Knowles
Issue: 7974 / Categories: Opinion , Covid-19 , Housing
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Cross-sector initiatives

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Cross-sector initiatives on possession may have brought about a culture change post-pandemic, says Sir Robin Knowles

Residential possession proceedings involve lives and families. They also involve pensions, markets and more. By 2019, across England and Wales the legal system found itself dealing with over 11,000 claims a month to repossess homes. Then, in early 2020, the pandemic struck.

Serious at any time, the seriousness of possession claims doubled with the implications of homelessness in a pandemic—in human terms, in public health terms, and in terms of overwhelming pressure on local authorities. Then there were the serious economic and other consequences for lenders and landlords and to the market.

What happened next and where are we now?

Unprecedented teamwork

In March 2020, an immediate stay was imposed on existing and new claims. But who knew then the course of the pandemic? The longer the stay continued, the greater the danger that when it ended, a backlog would overwhelm the system.

At pre-pandemic rates, a six-month stay could accrue a backlog of

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