A Sector in Transition - Possession Claims to go Digital

Possession proceedings in England and Wales are moving online. A new digital court service is being launched in stages, and while most private landlords and their agents are unlikely to use the service, the direction of travel is clear. PCOL already exists but only for claims that relate to rent arrears or breach of a mortgage agreement.

What has changed?

The Online Procedure Rules 2026 came into force on 7th September 2026 with the introduction of a separate set of court rules for cases run online, sitting alongside the Civil Procedure Rules rather than within them. Possession claims are the first type of case to be brought under the new rules.