Jonathan Gaunt KC

Jonathan is an experienced property litigator whose practice encompasses all aspects of real property and landlord and tenant-related litigation and advice.

Jonathan has particular expertise in the following:

• Rent review
• Enforcement of covenants
• Break clauses and leasehold enfranchisement
• Rights of Light
• Mines and Minerals
• Easements (concerning which he is joint editor of the leading textbook, Gale)
• Restrictive covenants
• Specific performance of land contracts
• The interpretation of development agreements.

Recent years have seen him conducting a number of leasehold enfranchisement cases in the Court of Appeal and advising regularly on issues concerning mines and minerals (e.g. Coleman v. Ibstock Brick Ltd).

• Education
  • University College Oxford where he read classics (Mods and Greats)
• Professional
  • Called 1972, Lincoln's Inn (Mansfield Scholarship)
  • Took Silk in 1991
  • Bencher of Lincolns' Inn, Deputy High Court Judge
  • Past Chairman of the Property Bar Association
• Recent Cases
  • Co-op Bank v Hayes Freehold [2016]EWHC 2068 (Ch) (Implied term in Deed of release of Guarantor)
  • Winterburn v Bennett [2016] 2P&CR 11 (CA) (Right to park; prescription negatived by “vi”)
  • Generator Developments v LIDL UK [2016] EWHC 814 (Ch) (Pallant v Morgan equity; constructive trust).
  • Airport Industrial Nominees v Heathrow Airport Ltd [2015] EWHC 3753 (Ch) – (Parking rights at Heathrow Airport)
  • Kingston upon Hull City Council v Superstadium Management Co Ltd LTL 23/12/2015 – (Alterations to sports hall)
  • Parmar v Upton [2015] EWCA Civ 795 – (Boundaries – Hedge and Ditch Presumption)
  • Safin (Fursecroft) v Badrig [2015] – (Relief against Forfeiture)
  • West is West Distribution Ltd v Icon Film Distribution Ltd [2015] EWHC 838 (Comm) – (Breach of film distribution agreement)
  • Davies v Davies [2015] – (Proprietary Estoppel)
  • Regent Wealth v Wiggins [2014] L&TR 29 (collective enfranchisement)
  • Wood & Anor v Waddington [2014] EWHC 1358 (Ch)(rights of way, easements)
  • Dillard v F&C Commercial Property Holdings Ltd [2014] EWHC 1219 (QB)(the meaning and effect of a deed intended to regulate disputes in relation a party wall, and the distinction between an appeal properly so-called and a challenge to an award made without jurisdiction)
  • Telford Homes (Creekside) Limited v Ampurius Nu Homes Holdings Limited [2013] EWCA Civ 577 (CA)(Repudiatory Breach of Development Contract)
  • Kutchukian v Trustees of John Lyons Charity [2013] 1 WLR 2842 (CA)(Enfranchisement of Flats)
  • Lancashire Insurance Co Limited v MS Frontier Reinsurance Limited [2012] UKPC 42(Specific Performance – Rescission)
  • Lexgorge Limited v Howard de Walden Estates Limited [2012] 1 WLR 2884 (SC) Meaning of “house” in LRA 1967)
  • Berrisford v Mexfield Housing Corporation Limited [2011] 3 WLR 1091 (SC)(Uncertainty of Term of Lease)
  • Multiveste 226 BV v NI Summer Row Unitholder BV [2011] EWHC 2026 (Ch)(Damages for Breach of a Development Contract)
  • Glentree Estates Ltd v Favermead Ltd [2010] EWCA Civ 1473 (Estate Agents Commission)
  • London Tara Hotel Ltd v Kensington Close Hotel Ltd [2012] 1 EGLR 33 (CA) (Ch) (Right of way)
  • Star Energy v Bocado SA [2010] 3 WLR 654 (SC) (Damages for Trespass by underground oil extraction)
  • Fraser Islington Ltd v Hanover Trustee Co Ltd [2010] EWHC 1514 (Ch) (Specific Performance)
  • Grosvenor Estate Belgravia v Klaasmeyer [2010] UKUT 69 (LC) (Price for enfranchisement)
  • Bellway Homes Ltd v Beazer Homes Ltd [2011] EWCA Civ 15 (Shareholders Agreement)
  • Akzo Nobel UK Ltd v Arista Tubes Ltd [2010] EWCA Civ 28 (Break clause)
  • Van Dal Footwear Ltd v Ryman Ltd [2010] 1 WLR 2018 (Damages for disrepair)
  • Gregory Prospects (Halifax) Ltd v Tenpin Ltd [2009] EWHC 2639 (Ch) (Agreement for Lease)
  • Eastleigh BC v Town Quay Developments Ltd [2009] EWCA Civ 1021 (Term implied that consent not to be unreasonably withheld)
  • Ackerman v Lay [2008] EWCA Civ 1428 (Effect of notice under S.42 of LRH UDA 1993)
  • Sava v. SS Global Ltd [2008] EWCA Civ 1308 (adverse possession)
  • Town Quay Developments Ltd v. Eastleigh B.C. [2008] EWHC 1922 (Ch) (withholding consent)
  • Bocardo SA v. Star Energy UK Onshore Ltd [2008] EWHC 546 (Ch) (damages for trespass by mining)
  • Coleman v. Ibstock Brick Ltd [2008] EWCA Civ 73 (mines and minerals)
  • McDonalds Real Estate LLP v. Arundel Corpn. [2008] EWHC 377 (Ch) (rent review)
  • Grosvenor Estate v. Regis Group (Barclays) Ltd [2007] 3 EGLR 81 (enfranchisement price)
  • Kensington Heights v. Campden Hill Developments [2007] Ch 318 (CA) (LTA 1987)
  • Cameron Ltd v. Rolls-Royce Plc [2007] EWHC 546 (Ch) (Lease or Licence)
  • Ali v. Lane [2007] 1 EGLR 71 (CA) (boundary dispute)
  • National Grid Gas Ltd v. Lafarge Aggregates [2006] EWHC 2559 (Ch) (mining; compensation)
  • Redwell Investments Ltd v. 1-3 Cuba Street Ltd [2005] EWCA Civ 1799 (conveyancing)
• Publications
  • He was one of the editors of the Landlord and Tenant Volume of Halsbury's Laws of England (Vol 27), having re-written the sections on repairing covenants, rent and rent review for the 1994 Re-Issue.
  • Joint editor of the 19th Edition of Gale on Easements (2012).