21 October 2025
David Smith featured in property press on County Courts overhaul rejection
Property Partner David Smith is featured in the property trade press, including PropertyWire, Landlord Zone and Property 118, on the rejection of MP’s calls to overhaul the dilapidated County Courts.
In response to the government’s rejection of MPs’ call for a “root‑and‑branch review” of the HM Courts & Tribunals Service, David criticised the move as more of a “keeping the lights on” approach than a genuine fix.
He said: “While digitisation has its place, it cannot by itself address the fundamental resourcing and structural problems the County Court faces. With the Renters’ Rights Bill set to increase workloads further, there’s an urgent need for more decisive action to build confidence and ensure the system can cope with what’s coming.”
The coverage highlights his view that although the government has accepted some recommendations – such as use of remote hearings – the deeper issues of staffing, funding and structural reform remain unaddressed
Read David’s comments:
Please note that this post has been prepared for the purpose of providing general information in a non-specific situation. Legal advice should be taken in relation to your particular circumstances. It is not intended that this post is relied upon by any party, and no liability is accepted for reliance.