Warrant of possession

A warrant of possession is the county court authority that allows court bailiffs to physically evict an occupier who has not left by the date in a possession order. The landlord requests it from the court that made the order using Form N325, for a fee of £148. A possession order on its own does not remove anyone: it states the landlord's right to the property, while the warrant is what turns that right into an eviction carried out under court authority. A landlord who skips this step and removes the tenant personally commits unlawful eviction under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977, whatever the order says.

When you can request a warrant

A warrant can be requested once the date for possession in the order has passed and the occupier remains. Which form you use depends on the type of possession order the court made. After an outright order, the request goes in on Form N325. After a suspended order, the request goes in on Form N325A, and the route depends on how the tenant breached the terms: where the breach is a failure to pay under the order, the landlord can request the warrant directly without a further hearing, but where the breach is non-monetary, the landlord must apply back to the court for a hearing before bailiffs can be instructed. Getting this distinction wrong is one of the most common reasons warrant requests are rejected, along with mismatches between the names, addresses and case number on the form and those on the order.

If the order included a money judgment for arrears, the landlord can ask for the warrant to issue for execution of the money judgment as well, so the bailiff attends with authority over both the property and the debt. A warrant remains valid for 12 months from issue and can be extended by application if the eviction has not taken place within that period.

What happens after the warrant is issued

The court passes the warrant to its bailiffs, who fix an eviction appointment and must give the occupier at least 14 days' notice of the date on the formal notice of eviction. The tenant can apply on Form N244 to suspend the warrant, which triggers a hearing; courts grant suspensions where there are credible grounds, such as an agreement to clear arrears or a procedural defect in the original claim, so a landlord should attend that hearing with the rent ledger and the case papers in order. If the suspension is refused, the eviction proceeds. What happens on the day itself, from the knock on the door to receiving vacant possession, sits with the county court bailiffs who execute the warrant, and their queues are the single biggest delay in the whole possession process: four to eight weeks is typical in most areas, and twelve to sixteen weeks or longer in London and the South East.

From working with self-managing landlords across the UK, the stage that catches people out is not the form but the wait after it. The Ministry of Justice's own figures show the median from possession claim to repossession running at around 26 to 27 weeks, with most of that gap sitting between the order and the bailiff appointment, which is why the realistic timeline in our guide to how long eviction takes is worth reading before the warrant stage, not after it. Keeping the possession order, the tenancy file and the running rent ledger together in August's documents feature also means a suspension hearing can be answered from the file the same week rather than delaying the appointment.

Warrant vs writ of possession

A warrant of possession is enforced by county court bailiffs. A writ of possession is the High Court equivalent, enforced by High Court Enforcement Officers, and it is the faster route: HCEOs typically act within one to two weeks of instruction. To use it, the landlord must apply to the county court for permission to transfer the order to the High Court under Section 42 of the County Courts Act 1984, and courts grant permission where there is good reason, such as substantial ongoing arrears or long bailiff delays. The trade-off is cost, with High Court enforcement typically running to four figures against the £148 warrant fee. The occupier must still receive notice of the eviction, and the same prohibition on self-help applies throughout.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a warrant of possession take? 

The warrant itself usually issues within days of a valid request, but the bailiff appointment is the real wait: four to eight weeks in most areas and twelve to sixteen weeks or more in London and the South East. Transferring to the High Court for enforcement by HCEOs cuts the wait to one to two weeks where the court gives permission.

Do I use Form N325 or N325A? 

Form N325 follows an outright possession order. Form N325A follows a suspended possession order, and where the tenant's breach of the suspended terms is anything other than missed payments, you must apply for a further hearing before the warrant can issue.

Can a tenant stop a warrant of possession? 

A tenant can apply on Form N244 to suspend the warrant before the eviction date, and the court will hold a hearing. Suspension is more likely on discretionary grounds and where the tenant offers a credible payment arrangement; it is rare where a mandatory ground was proved and the order terms are clear.

How long does a warrant of possession last? 

Twelve months from issue. If the eviction has not been carried out in that time, the landlord can apply to extend it rather than starting the request again.

This entry reflects the law of England as of July 2026. Enforcement practice varies between courts, and landlords facing a contested warrant should take independent legal advice.