Jonathan deals with all aspects of commercial and residential property litigation (except enfranchisement). He also frequently acts for claimants on property-related professional negligence claims and fee disputes.
Jonathan is hugely clever and really commercial
Chambers UK
Expertise
- Development and sale agreement disputes
- Dilapidation disputes
- Restrictive covenant disputes
- Rent review disputes
- Business tenancy renewals
- Rent and service charge disputes
- Forfeiture
- Professional negligence claims
- Boundary/neighbour disputes
Experience
Commercial Property Litigation
- Acted for the successful landlord in the Court of Appeal dilapidations case of Sunlife Europe v Tiger Aspect.
- Acted for a developer in successfully contesting the purported termination of a development agreement by a major supermarket.
- Acted for a property joint venture consortium in suing its professionals for damages for a negligently drafted overage agreement.
- Acted for a retail tenant in recovering damages for loss of statutory rights under Landlord and Tenant Act 1954.
- Acted for the Football Association in successfully seeking rectification in relation to redevelopment of Wembley Stadium.
Residential Property Litigation
- Acted for Reedbase Ltd in successfully recovering substantial arrears and defending liability for repairs to a penthouse roof terrace.
- Acted for numerous lessees in contesting service charges.
- Acted for a lessee in relation to an application to discharge a manager.
- Acted for a management company in successfully opposing a basement development.
- Acted for a purchaser in suing solicitors for failing to advise as to restrictive covenants on a substantial house bought for redevelopment.
Reported Cases
- Sunlife Europe Properties v Tiger Aspect 17/12/2013 CA
- Reedbase v Fattal 19/04/2018 CA
- Deutsche Bank v Sentrum Holdings 20/07/2017
- McDonald’s Real Estate v Arundel Corporation (2008)
- Orchard v Mooney and Orkin (03/04/23)
Recognition
Recognised in the Hall of Fame by The Legal 500 2025 for Property Litigation
Recognised in Chambers UK 2025 for Real Estate Litigation
“He understands the needs and drivers of businesses and acts quickly and proportionately.”–Chambers UK 2025
“Jonathan always provides quick and commercial advice on many different areas. He understands the needs and drivers of businesses and acts quickly and proportionately.”-Chambers UK 2025
Acknowledged by Chambers 2025 for being a highly regarded practitioner who is sought after for disputes relating to commercial property. He is experienced in areas including negligence claims and right of way cases.
Former Chairman of the Property Litigation Association
Member of Arbrix
Law Society appointed Trustee to the Hampstead Garden Suburb Trust
Recognised by Chambers and Partners as a senior statesperson for property litigation:
“Jonathan Ross is a highly regarded practitioner who is sought after for disputes relating to commercial property. He is experienced in areas including dilapidations, rent reviews and development agreements.”
Chambers UK 2023
Recognised by The Legal 500 and ranked in the Hall of Fame for property litigation:
“Jonathan Ross, who is noted for his ability to find ‘ingenious solutions’, is experienced in property-related professional negligence claims, whilst the ‘bright, hardworking and engaging’”
The Legal 500 2023
Career
Jonathan qualified as a solicitor in 1983. Prior to joining Keystone Law in 2024, he worked at the following firms:
- Forsters
- Dentons
- Forsters Saunders Kerman
- Saunders Sobell Leigh & Dobin