Knotweed

koolpc

koolpc

koolpc

Soldato
Joined
2 Dec 2004
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Location
Under The Desk, Wales
I have mentioned on here before about a friend of mine going for a house with knotweed growing in the back garden. In the end they pulled out of buying for various reasons.

Now, i have viewed a nice house that i like but, it has knotweed in the rear garden! The knotweed takes up about a quarter of the back garden, it is also behind the boundary and in next doors garden too.

The vendor has a 5 year treatment plan in place, of which i have seen and the very first treatment was carried out last week. This includes behind the boundary and in next doors garden (which is in a right mess).

I really like the house but wary of the knotweed and future value / saleability.

I am a cash buyer. No mortgage needed.

The price has been reduced because of the knotweed.

Should i let a weed dictate where i live?

Would you buy a house with knotweed?

RICS have reclassified it now as more research has been done on the weed. They have downgraded the severity of the plant.

I am torn between liking the house and the worry of knotweed!

I have done tons of research on the weed. I am still dithering about buying.

I am in a position where i am desperate to get my own place but properties are few and far between. Prices have soared in the last few years. My money is not worth what it used to be.

Advice / views welcome and much appreciated. Thanks people.
 
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If the treatment plan is insurance backed and has guarantees I would at least consider it.
In the other hand knotweed can a massive headache and potentially cost thousands to remedy, if the neighbour has let it grow in to your [would be] garden I would think they are responsible for any remedial work that needs doing as a result.
The only issue I have with all of this is that knotweed is extremely resilient to treatment, even with concentrated glyphosate being used, tiny rhizomes can remain dormant even if 99% of the plant is killed off or removed (that’s what the lady on our work cpd said anyway (she worked for a knotweed removal company)).
Ultimately it would be a risk and a significant one, for me anyway. Perhaps investigate some specific insurance or other insurance that mitigates against damage as treatment will be costly.
Can you sleep on it for a bit and consider other properties that aren’t quite as desirable?
 
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Don’t know how much use it’d be but there are knot weed sniffer dogs out there. Saw it in a news article a while ago

Im sure they could help properly locate the knot weed

Personally though, nah i wouldnt buy that especially as later on down the line it will be a problem to sell the place
 
And what about after the 10 years? When presumably you would want to sell the house? I imagine poss sellers would run a mile (even moreso) if there were no guarantees in place.
 
R.O.S.S.I said:
And what about after the 10 years? When presumably you would want to sell the house? I imagine poss sellers would run a mile (even moreso) if there were no guarantees in place.
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I guess the option is to take out another plan....

Should i let a plant dictate my life? So confused as i want the house but nervous about a ruddy weed!!
 
I guess it is a desirable property and you are infatuated with it.

My lesson in life = think with your head and not your heart. I wish I knew the value of that years ago. Good luck
 
psd99 said:
I guess it is a desirable property and you are infatuated with it.

My lesson in life = think with your head and not your heart. I wish I knew the value of that years ago. Good luck
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Thanks.

Hard decision to make for me.
 
I absolutely would not.

There is some growing on a public footpath about 100m from my house. The speed with which it grows and spreads is unbelievable.

I had come across it mentioned through work every now and then with properties having treatment plans in place but not having seen it in the flesh I wouldn't entertain it.
 
If you're in South Wales you'll find areas like Swansea and Bridgend Knotweed is everywhere.

We sold our last house with a knotweed plan in place. Controlling the knotweed isn't that hard but the area of the garden under the plan is effectively unusable as it's being sprayed once or twice a year. The cost of a plan is not that expensive if you have to sell and practially all of the lenders accept a property under an approved plan for a mortgage.

The main issue for me is the amenity loss of part of the garden being dead for 5 years.
 
SpellowHouse said:
Wise decision, I think. You don't want a home to be a stress. It's a bit like a partner, you have to love their bad-sides, not hope to change them.
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True, but....estate agent now wants to know if i am willing to negotiate the price. Yea, reduce by 20% and we have a deal! See what they say as i know the last person pulled out of buying because of the knotweed!

If they say no then so be it.
 
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No chance in hell.

If knotweed is next door AND behind then not only are you basically surrounded by the stuff but you're reliant on the neighbours etc giving a **** about controlling it. I've gone out of my way to spray some on a cycle path a few hundred meters away from my house, just to try to stop the spread. You may get someone who isn't bothered and lets it grow uncontrolled.

A fence isn't going to stop it popping up in your garden.. who's to say it won't start coming up through your tarmac / blockwork. Then when you do try to treat it, you have to remove it as special waste. Do you want that hassle?

Some insurance companies won't insure your home if you're within x distance of knotweed and it's not as simple as spray it a few times and it'll go away like those "plans" suggest.
 
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Black Noir said:
No chance in hell.

If knotweed is next door AND behind then not only are you basically surrounded by the stuff but you're reliant on the neighbours etc giving a **** about controlling it. I've gone out of my way to spray some on a cycle path a few hundred meters away from my house, just to try to stop the spread. You may get someone who isn't bothered and lets it grow uncontrolled.

A fence isn't going to stop it popping up in your garden.. who's to say it won't start coming up through your tarmac / blockwork. Then when you do try to treat it, you have to remove it as special waste. Do you want that hassle?

Some insurance companies won't insure your home if you're within x distance of knotweed and it's not as simple as spray it a few times and it'll go away like those "plans" suggest.
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The said neighbours are in the process of removing with a plan too.

Insurance companies have no issues insuring a property with knotweed. They just wont cover u if property damaged by the weed. Its over 30ft away from the house (at the moment).

I used to have a house with knotweed in the front garden. I got rid of it.
 
Agents just got back to me. They willing to take 15% off of price!!

I said i will let them know.
 
A lot of mortgage lenders will not lend if there is Japanese Knotweed in the property.

There are various categories according to the RICS framework, 1 to 4. If it's inside your boundary thats 4, and the mortgage lender I work for wouldn't touch that, treatment plan in place or not.

It can literally grow through your house.
 
kindai said:
Which shows how desperate they are to sell to you, because likely nobody else is interested.

So you'll have the same issue if you ever sell up.
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Yes. If the knotweed is still present. But He's already got a 15% discount. So having to discount it in the future is already priced in.

However, Unless its a one of a kind perfect house. I'd look for another.
 
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