New online court rules will initially be piloted in four locations across England and Wales.
Possession cases online are being introduced for the first time under new Online Procedure Rules, marking the initial stage of a move towards digital possession proceedings in England and Wales.
The new rules apply initially to possession cases involving social landlords in England and community landlords in Wales. The first phase of the pilot is taking place in four locations: Bradford, Caernarfon, Huddersfield and Wandsworth.
The development was announced by the Law Society on 7 September 2026 as part of the wider digitalisation of the justice system. The new process is intended to make online proceedings simpler, fairer and more accessible.
The introduction of possession cases online represents the first application of the Online Procedure Rules to this area of proceedings. The pilot will allow the new arrangements to be introduced in selected locations before the digital process develops further.
For people involved in possession proceedings, the move means that parts of the process will now take place online under the new rules. The initial scope of the pilot is limited, with the participating locations and types of landlords specified as part of the first phase.
The Law Society has welcomed the move towards digital justice while stressing that technology should not be regarded as a substitute for investment in the wider justice system.
Mark Evans, president of the Law Society, said the introduction of the rules was an important step in modernising justice in England and Wales. He also emphasised that digital processes should help people resolve disputes more simply and accessibly.
However, Evans also raised concerns about access to legal aid. He described legal aid as a vital public service and said it remained drastically underfunded. He also referred to continuing difficulties faced by people despite recent reforms.
The Law Society said the success of digital justice should ultimately be judged by whether it helps people resolve disputes fairly and efficiently, without unnecessary delay.
The introduction of possession cases online therefore forms part of a broader approach to modernising how cases are handled. The immediate change is narrower: the Online Procedure Rules now apply to the specified possession proceedings covered by the pilot.
For solicitors dealing with possession matters, the new rules are particularly relevant where a case falls within the scope of the pilot. Legal professionals will need to be aware of the new online procedure and the arrangements applying in the relevant pilot location.
The Law Society has highlighted the Online Procedure Rules and the Online Procedure Rule Committee’s practice direction for possession proceedings as relevant documents for those seeking further information about the new process.
The pilot’s initial geographical scope means that the introduction of possession cases online is not, at this stage, a universal change covering every possession case. Instead, the four locations provide the starting point for the new online procedure.
The move also comes with an emphasis on ensuring that digitalisation supports, rather than undermines, access to justice. The Law Society’s comments underline the importance of assessing digital reforms by their practical effect on people using the justice system.
The introduction of the rules is therefore a procedural development as well as part of the wider digitalisation programme. Possession proceedings have become the first area in which the new Online Procedure Rules are being applied, with the initial pilot providing the framework for the new online process.
For practitioners, the immediate point to note is that possession proceedings covered by the pilot are now subject to the new Online Procedure Rules. The pilot is limited to the specified locations and landlord categories, making the scope of the initial change important when considering whether the online process applies to a particular case.
The Law Society’s announcement does not state that all possession proceedings have immediately moved online. Instead, it identifies the four pilot locations and the types of landlords covered by the first phase.
The development provides the first practical implementation of the new rules in possession proceedings and establishes the initial framework for handling these cases online.