Duncan Lewis housing solicitor featured in The Telegraph on the UK's eviction crisis (29 April 2026)

Manjinder Kaur Atwal, a director solicitor in our housing team, has been quoted as an expert commentator in a feature published by The Daily Telegraph.

The article, "Exposed: the 334-day eviction battle facing Britain's landlords", highlights the mounting pressures on the UK's residential possession system, including record court backlogs, rising rent arrears, and the imminent abolition of Section 21 "no fault" evictions under Renters' Rights Act, which comes into force on May 1, 2026.

Drawing on her extensive experience in residential possession proceedings, Manjinder highlights significant trends in housing litigation.

She says: "Even relatively straightforward rent arrears claims are now frequently being defended, often with counter-claims, which lengthens proceedings considerably. I'm seeing a lot of tenants using AI to draft defences. AI has given tenants the confidence to defend a possession claim. I would say 80% of these defences are not correct. But it triggers the legal procedure and that delays matters."

The Telegraph feature comes at a pivotal moment for the private rented sector. With the Renters' Rights Act removing the accelerated Section 21 route to possession, the article projects that average eviction timescales could now extend to 334 days — placing greater pressure on both landlords and an already under-resourced court system.

Read the full article here: Exposed: the 334-day eviction battle facing Britain's landlords

About Manjinder Kaur Atwal

Manjinder Kaur Atwal is a highly regarded housing solicitor whose expertise has earned her recognition as a notable practitioner in the Chambers UK legal directory. She leads Duncan Lewis's Housing team — ranked Tier 1 across London by The Legal 500, which has praised the team for its "excellent knowledge of the law" and "extensive experience" and is noted for her particular strength in interim relief, homelessness applications, and a broad range of social housing matters. Under her leadership, the team has established itself as a market leader in social housing and property litigation, covering disrepair, unlawful evictions, possession disputes, and complex judicial review proceedings.

Contact her email at manjindera@duncanlewis.com or by telephone on 020 3114 1269

About Duncan Lewis Solicitors

Duncan Lewis Solicitors is an award-winning firm with a longstanding reputation for combining legal excellence with a genuine commitment to access to justice. Recognised by Chambers & Partners, The Legal 500, and named among The Times Best Law Firms, the firm advises clients across a broad spectrum of practice areas — from individuals and families to public bodies and commercial organisations.

The firm's Housing and Property Litigation practice is consistently recognised as one of the leading teams in England and Wales, bringing substantial expertise to landlord and tenant disputes, possession proceedings, housing disrepair, and judicial review. The team's work is driven by a determination to safeguard the rights of individuals for whom housing is not simply a legal issue, but a matter of fundamental wellbeing.