An Accelerated Possession Order is a legal process that landlords in England and Wales can use to regain possession of their property from a tenant who has failed to vacate the premises after a valid Section 21 notice has been served This process is typically quicker and more straightforward than the alternative route of going through a standard possession claim in court However, one of the key questions that arises for landlords is: How long does it take to obtain an Accelerated Possession Order?
The timeline for obtaining an Accelerated Possession Order can vary depending on a number of factors, including the efficiency of the court system, the complexity of the case, and whether the tenant decides to contest the possession order In general, though, the process typically takes between 6 to 10 weeks from the date of submitting the application to the court to the date of receiving the possession order.
The first step in obtaining an Accelerated Possession Order is to ensure that all the necessary requirements have been met This includes serving a valid Section 21 notice on the tenant, providing evidence that the deposit has been protected in a government-approved scheme, and providing the tenant with a copy of the Energy Performance Certificate and Gas Safety Certificate for the property.
Once these requirements have been met, the landlord can then proceed to submit an online application for an Accelerated Possession Order through the court’s Possession Claim Online portal The court will review the application and, if everything is in order, issue a possession order without the need for a hearing This is what makes the process “accelerated” compared to a standard possession claim, which typically involves attending a court hearing.
After the application has been submitted to the court, the tenant will be given a period of 14 days to respond If the tenant does not contest the possession order, the court will typically issue the possession order within 6 to 8 weeks of receiving the application accelerated possession order how long. Once the possession order is issued, the tenant will be given a further 14 days to vacate the property.
If the tenant does decide to contest the possession order, the process can take longer as it will involve a court hearing In this case, the timeline for obtaining the possession order can vary depending on the availability of court dates and the complexity of the case However, even in contested cases, the process typically takes between 8 to 12 weeks from the date of submitting the application to the court to the date of receiving the possession order.
It is worth noting that the exact timeline for obtaining an Accelerated Possession Order can vary depending on the individual circumstances of each case Factors such as the workload of the court, the availability of court dates, and the responsiveness of the tenant can all affect how quickly the process is completed Landlords should therefore be prepared for some variation in the timeline and stay in close communication with the court throughout the process.
In conclusion, while the process of obtaining an Accelerated Possession Order is generally quicker and more straightforward than a standard possession claim, it still requires careful attention to detail and compliance with all the necessary requirements The timeline for obtaining the possession order can vary depending on a number of factors, but in general, landlords can expect the process to take between 6 to 10 weeks from the date of submitting the application to the court to the date of receiving the possession order If the tenant contests the possession order, the process may take longer, but in most cases, the landlord can expect to regain possession of their property within a few months of initiating the Accelerated Possession Order process.