Long story short, we had a survey done on our house that we’ve just accepted an offer on and the surveyor has found knotweed (one shoot/cane whatever you call it) at the top end of the garden amongst some brambles.

Fair play to him for finding it as I’d genuinely never spotted it but obviously this is bad news where the sale is concerned. The surveyor says it shouldn’t affect the buyers mortgage application as it’s a lot further away from the house than most lender require, but quite rightly the buyer will want it sorting (if they don’t decide to now pull out).

Had a few quotes over the phone today and they range from 1.5 to 2k! Spoke to the EA and they suggest just managing it (removing/double bagging and disposing of it) but the buyers will want a proper job doing.

I don’t know why I’m asking this but is it just a case of stumping up or is there anything else I can try?

We deal with it a lot at work and yes, really you need to deal with it properly which will involve spraying over a long period of time or controlled removal with a watching brief from an ecologist or knotweed chap. And that will cost £1.5 to £2k I’m afraid, it’s nasty stuff.

edit: read it wrong, sucks you be you

Ball sacks!

Thanks.

dirtyrider – Member
edit: read it wrong, sucks you be you

Kangaroo court?

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/japanese-knotweed

You can’t move it off site yourself, it’s illegal and carries a fine. It is treatable yourself, but it’s not a quick thing to remove. The root system can reach 3m in depth, and up to 7m in any direction, so what you’re seeing will not necessarily be a good indication of what’s there. It can also lay dormant for years and then reappear. Speak to a specialist imo

There’s an error on that thread…. It’s not poisonous, it’s edible.

Probably doesn’t taste good though.

Cheers Drac!

Favourite quote from that thread:

So you have the ‘nuke it from orbit’ and the ‘no problem’ camps and never the twain shall meet.
Either way I’ve got to deal with a poisonous weed – an estate agent or the plant – it’s just a shame I can’t legally eradicate both!

Will speak to the estate agent in the morning so they can let the buyers know.

Take £1500 off the price and make it the buyers problem.

It’ll be the same whoever tries to buy it so you might as well sick with this lot.

M6TTF – Member
You can’t move it off site yourself, it’s illegal and carries a fine. It is treatable yourself, but it’s not a quick thing to remove. The root system can reach 3m in depth, and up to 7m in any direction, so what you’re seeing will not necessarily be a good indication of what’s there. It can also lay dormant for years and then reappear. Speak to a specialist imo

EA told me today that it’s perfectly acceptable to remove and move it myself so long as it’s double bagged etc, according to them some local authorities even provide designated disposal points for knotweed.

I sold a house with knotweed less than 2 years ago – it’s illegal to dispose of it yourself and mortgage providers (assuming your buyers are having a mortgage) will require a guarantee which will only come from a proper formal treatment plan. It cost me well in excess of £2k to have 2 sprigs removed from about 90ft away from the house…

I also lost about 4 buyers as their mortgage providers would not mortgage a house with knotweed (even with a treatment plan).

I don’t know if anything has changed in the last few years, but from my experience your estate agent is incorrect. It’s a complete pain in the backside – your best bet is to get of properly removed by a company that will issue a formal guarantee for X number of years (that your buyers mortgage company will accept).

Your EA (with respect) is talking bollocks. You can treat it yourself but it takes time (years). Yes you could just try and dig it out – but leave the smallest bit and it will be back.

Have a read here

Given that your buyers now know its there – you can’t just say I’ve removed it – that’s not how it works.

In any case – hope it all works out.

By EA do you mean estate agent or environment agency? If the environment agency then the rules have changed and if the estate agency then ignore it. I can’t see how bagging it yourself would be acceptable as the roots are much, much bigger than people thing and its ability to seed incredible.

Sorry, Environment Agency!!!!!!!!!!!!

They pacificilliliy told me it was ok to manage yourself, even to the point exhaustive removal will eventually kill the roots. I’m not saying they are right, I don’t know the ins and outs.

Dear bluearsedfly,

As discussed please see the attached publication in relation to managing knotweed on your property.

The below link to Gov.uk may also be useful

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/prevent-the-spread-of-harmful-invasive-and-non-native-plants

Below is the link to the Cornwall councils website that has a lot of useful information in relation to the law, identification and forums.

http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/environment-and-planning/trees-hedges-and-woodland/invasive-plants/japanese-knotweed/?page=13789

If you need any further information please contact us

Thank you and Kind Regards
Very nice Lady.
National Customer Contact Centre – Part of National Operations Services

She also went on to say the majority of the laws apply to commercial developments, not domestic ie the removal and disposal.

You need to educate the estate agent, they are talking through their cornhole. They are right in the fact there are licensed sites for disposing, but you need to be licensed to transport it

Since the timescale of dealing with it properly is likely to be much longer than the conveyancing process, and the buyer will be the one doing the job, I reckon you’re into the business of getting a few quotes and knocking money off the price to cover them.

Hope it doesn’t fall through.

– it’s illegal to dispose of it yourself

Is ignorance ever mitigating? Or is the deliberate nature of the act that gets you prosecuted? I say that as on the strength of this thread I just googled it. I’ve got to say it looks just like ‘green stuff’ – like pretty much every plant looks to me. I profess to no real interest in gardens and plants but I can’t be the only complete ignorant out there. Thousands of folk around the country must be pulling it up and lobbing in down the tip or selling a house with the stuff in complete ignorance.

Environment Agency.

Environment Agency.

Environment Agency.

Environment Agency.

🙂

Sbk brushwood killer nails it, good stuff.

– it’s illegal to dispose of it yourself
Is ignorance ever mitigating? Or is the deliberate nature of the act that gets you prosecuted? I say that as on the strength of this thread I just googled it. I’ve got to say it looks just like ‘green stuff’ – like pretty much every plant looks to me. I profess to no real interest in gardens and plants but I can’t be the only complete ignorant out there. Thousands of folk around the country must be pulling it up and lobbing in down the tip or selling a house with the stuff in complete ignorance.

5 years ago, maybe – but everyone involved in the housing market industry should be very aware of it these days. you are liable for it. if it spread to your neighbours property, you would be liable for that too. Its really shitty stuff. I have a client and good friend who is one of the leading specialists in knotweed removal for large commercial sites. He goes to great lengths to educate people and bring awareness to the issue.

I’d say he’s fighting a losing battle.

I have seen it spring up in the West of the Netherlands in the last few years, isolated patches, it’s never going to be controlled.

It won’t be if people continue to move it around, which is why more needs to be done.