Geraint Wheatley has been ranked in Chambers UK Bar and the Legal 500 as a leading property litigation barrister across both Northern and North Eastern Circuits for many years.  The 2024 editions praise in particular his “ferociously effective” cross-examination, with his advocacy being described as “tenacious” as well as “precise and powerful”.

He is the only junior to achieve the distinction of being recommended for property and real estate litigation in both directories across both circuits.

He appeared in the leading case on adverse possession of recent times (Thorpe v Frank [2019] EWCA Civ 150), in which the Court of Appeal praised his submissions as “excellent”.

Geraint is an experienced senior junior in the field of property litigation, combining an outstanding academic background with tactical awareness and an eye for detail.  He is a guest editor of Property Law UK.

His real estate practice, which has a particular focus on commercial and development work, includes

  • Land Registration and Title Rectification
  • Landlord & Tenant
  • Land acquisition, promotion agreements, options, overage
  • Rights of Way (particularly access to development land) and other Easements
  • Restrictive Covenants
  • Boundary Disputes
  • Trusts of Land / Co-ownership disputes
  • Mortgages
  • Nuisance & Negligence causing damage to land
  • Adverse Possession

Geraint particularly enjoys acting in development cases at the interface between property and planning / highways law, often alongside colleagues from our planning and local government department.  He regularly acts in both the High and County Courts for institutional clients such as developers, banks and national limited companies. He has appeared a number of times before the Court of Appeal and the First Tier Tribunal: Property Chamber (formerly the Adjudicator to HM Land Registry).  He has niche expertise advising LPA receivers.

Geraint regularly delivers seminars at Chambers events and in-house to solicitors.  He has been invited to speak at multiple Property Litigation Association events and to provide training at the Business & Property Court District Judges’ national meeting.  Areas covered have included:

  • Realigning the route of rights of way in development cases
  • Surrender, double rent, and the retrieval of chattels upon termination of leases
  • Break Clauses
  • Commercial Lease Renewals
  • Access to development land
  • Vacant Possession
  • Boundaries
  • Commercial rent claims in the context of Covid
  • Authorised Guarantee Agreements
  • Expert evidence
  • Witness statements in the Business and Property Court
  • Easements
  • Mortgages
  • Professional Negligence
  • ‘Receivers, Lenders & Possession’

Geraint is aware of lay clients’ concerns over certainty and cashflow.  He is keen to assist in the resolution of disputes via ADR.  He has the expertise to offer Early Neutral Evaluation, and has experience of providing independent Opinions on disputes (or specific issues within disputes) to help the parties to reach settlement.  Opinions/Determinations can be provided on a binding basis (where the parties agree between themselves to adhere to the Determination, for example, on a particular legal issue or point of construction) or an advisory basis, where Geraint’s view can be taken away by both parties to assist with their own consideration of the merits and guide their settlement efforts.

Expertise

Geraint’s real estate practice, which has a particular focus on commercial and development work, includes

  • Land Registration and Title Rectification
  • Landlord & Tenant
  • Land acquisition, promotion agreements, options, overage
  • Rights of Way (particularly access to development land) and other Easements
  • Restrictive Covenants
  • Boundary Disputes
  • Trusts of Land / Co-ownership disputes
  • Mortgages
  • Nuisance & Negligence causing damage to land
  • Adverse Possession

Notable Real Estate Litigation cases


Thorpe v Frank [2019] EWCA Civ 150

Leading case in the Court of Appeal in relation to adverse possession of land which is not enclosed.


North British Housing v Matthews [2005] 2 All ER 667

Court of Appeal gave guidance as to the court’s powers in possession actions based on mandatory grounds for possession


Bailey v Clark & Others

Important case which involved successfully persuading the Court that the law of nuisance in the Leakey v National Trust line of authorities ought to be extended to cover damage caused by excessive leaf fall onto a neighbour’s land.


Paton v Jackson

Boundary dispute described by experienced Chancery judge as the most difficult he had ever dealt with. The Judge held ‘I am unable to place any weight at all’ on the evidence of the other side’s expert witness following his cross examination.


Doleman v Sayle

Inter-relationship between apparently inconsistent provisions of the CPR as to service in the context of business tenancy lease renewals (case prompted change in CPR Part 56)


Black v Charlton

High-profile boundary and adverse possession dispute involving former England international footballer.


Southern Pacific Mortgage Co v Guarino

Action before the Adjudicator to HM Land Registry dealing with the effect of a lender’s inadvertent request to HMLR to remove its charge from the Register, notwithstanding that it had not been repaid.


Jennings & Dorins v Hayat

Complex possession claim on behalf of LPA Receivers in relation to hotel premises, involving issues of sale at an undervalue and the locus standi of the receivers to bring the case.

Geraint regularly undertakes solicitor and surveyor professional negligence cases, particularly, though not exclusively, in the property and general litigation contexts.

Notable Professional Negligence cases


Scotinvest v A Firm

Causation and the proper measure of damages in a conveyancing transaction


Bridge v A Firm

Dispute over the identity of the correct defendant in case concerning successor firms/firms holding run-off insurance following original firm’s negligence


Carson v A Firm

Conveyancing requirements under the Right to Buy scheme – delayed completion leading to cancellation of transaction


Johnson v A Firm

Requirements for expert evidence in the context of an allegedly negligent mortgage valuation survey.

"Geraint's advocacy is focused and his cross-examination is ferociously effective".

Chambers UK 2024

"Geraint is measured and calm. He provides confident and clear advice, and his advocacy is precise and powerful without being prolix".

Legal 500 2024

"Geraint is a very safe pair of hands. He is accurate, intelligent, capable and very user friendly. He is also incredibly responsive".

Legal 500 2024

"Geraint is client-friendly and results-focused. His advice is always clear."

Chambers UK 2024

"Geraint's responsiveness is outstanding. He is a tenacious advocate and has a way with clients that gains their trust and respect incredibly quickly".

Chambers UK 2024

  

Chambers UK 2023

“Geraint is always a real part of the team when you work with him. Commercially and technically excellent, clients love him and he is always able to explain complex legal arguments in terms clients understand.”

Legal 500 2023

“He is very diligent and accessible – he speaks the same language as solicitors.”

Chambers UK 2022

“Geraint is superb to work with. He is responsive, commercial and very client-friendly.”

Legal 500 2022

“Geraint is incredibly capable, and provides clear, client friendly advice.”

Chambers UK 2021

“He has a measured skill as advocate.” “He is very thorough, technically strong, pragmatic and also good with clients.”

“He is a superb trial advocate. He is a tough negotiator who provides rigorous case analysis and thorough written advice. He is a joy to work with.” “Geraint is very thorough, precise and good with clients.”

Legal 500, 2021

“Geraint is incredibly accessible and provides concise commercial advice. His style is user friendly but efficient and concise.”

Legal 500, 2020

“Approachable, user-friendly and thinks outside the box.”

Chambers UK 2020

“He is very accessible, commercial and he provides clear advice.” “Incredibly user-friendly, easy to understand and good with clients.”

Chambers UK 2019

“Very approachable.” “He has a good understanding of the legal issues and is very methodical.” “Very good on his feet and very bright.”

Chambers UK 2018

“Very robust but also very friendly with clients.” “He’s really user-friendly, with no airs and graces, but also incredibly intelligent. I trust his knowledge of the law.” “A very good advocate. He is so thorough and gives good, clear advice.”

Chambers UK 2017

“Very commercially astute, he gets the job done.” “Exceptional property litigator, very commercial, someone I would be happy to put in front of any client.”

Chambers UK 2016

“Well respected by clients and peers alike for his strength in a wide variety of property issues, including boundary disputes and restrictive covenants. He is especially highlighted for his representation of lenders, and regularly handles possession claims. ”

“Very approachable and user-friendly.”

“Very knowledgeable for all matters including insolvency and bank-related litigation and advice.”

Chambers UK 2013

‘The “extremely bright” Geraint Wheatley offers expertise in all areas of property litigation. Sources praise the fact that he is “technically accurate but also practical, pragmatic and commercial.” He is further appreciated for his approachable and user-friendly style.’

Client comments and testimonials

“Thanks again for all your fantastic help yesterday and before. A great result in a hard fought case. [The client] is delighted, as am I! You did an excellent job.” Instructing Solicitor in case of Armour v Hindle

“I think you did a great job yesterday. Well prepared, insightful and excellent with the clients. I thought you worked hard and we had the benefit of your great intelligence. At each stage we had [the mediator’s] reports, I think [the clients] were really grateful for your immediate, clear and invaluable advice. A top job.” Instructing Solicitor in case of CF Corporate Finance Ltd v Hillcrest Animal Health Ltd

“The fact that we won the court arguments by a ‘landslide’ judgment, and the overall case over 6.5 days in court, is further testimony to the ultimate brilliance of Mr Wheatley in court” Lay client in case of Winfield v Frontline Solutions UK Ltd.

  • Oxford University (St Edmund Hall)
    1st Class Law Degree
  • Bar Vocational Course, Manchester
    Grade: Very Competent (ranked 1st in year)
  • Awarded the Edmund-Davies Award by Gray’s Inn

  • Member of the Chancery Bar Association
  • Member of the Northern Chancery Bar Association
  • Member of the Northern Circuit Commercial Bar Association
  • Member of the Northern & North Eastern Circuits

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