New Tenant with a very unruly garden

nicky79_2

Hi there,

Please can anyone offer any advice on the following:

Me, my partner and 2 children (1 nearly 3, the other 7 months) moved into our rented property on an agreement of 6 months at the end of March 09. The house we have moved into had been empty for years as it had been refurbished.

We have a huge rear garden and it is one big mess full of weeds, the landlord told us he had spent hundreds of pounds trying to get rid of them but they keep coming back, he said he will try to see what more he can do about. He has hinted at us that maybe we should sprinkle some grass seeds over the weeds or we should go out and buy more weed killers, however after some investigating on the internet and i am pretty sure i am right the weeds we have are called japenese knotweed and the land they are on needs either to be excravated or chemically spray treated by professionals - both would costs thousands to do.

My question and query is, i really cant see the landlord affording the costs to remove these weeds ( i also think he knows what sort of weeds they are as he had mentioned the words chinese weeds to us when explaining the garden (these weeds have grown 5ft in weeks) so what happens? are we responsible to just keep cutting them down over and over again? also i have read that these weeds have to be removed by professionals and we could actually be sent to prison if they are not disposed of correctly.

I really wanted a nice lawned garden this summer, what are our options? nothing was mentioned in our contract or inventory either that he would sort the garden out - missed that one oops!

I know this question is a weird one but just wondered as all agreements mention garden maintence etc..

Thanks

Booradley_2

Got this from a keen gardener. You need a chemical containing glyphosphate. There's a popular one called roundup.
"In simple terms, Glyphosate weed killers give the weeds or targeted plants a massive
dose of steroids by removing some of the natural growth inhibitors contained within a
plants cells and the plant simply out-grows itself, collapses and dies.
For this reason in the first few weeks after use, the chemical seems to be helping the
weed plants, they will grow and look healthier than before for a short period of time.
Until the day when, seemingly over-night, they will collapse as the growth effort
eventually kills them.

With this knowledge it is easy to get the maximum benefit from the weed killer."

PasturesNew

If it is Japanese knotweed then it's a particularly nasty beast - and yes, it costs thousands to get rid of as you literally have to dig out the whole area down to a ridiculous depth ... the neighbours would think somebody was building a swimming pool or basement extension.

There was somebody on Homes Under the Hammer that bought some land that had it.

It needs specialist treatment - and it needs a signoff by the Environment Agency to give the land the all clear. On the programme (aired on 9 Jan 2009) they said it could cost £10-15k to get rid of it. That was in Tunbridge Wells in Kent.

The notes I took from that programme say "Dept of Environment says herbicide (up to 5 years) and root has to be tested. Or excavate, 2 metres below the root and up to 1.5 metres around the root." She would have had to have got rid of 600-900 tons of earth.

For building a house on the plot she found a new way though, my notes say: "Found a new procedure recognised on the continent. They bring in a new machine and put it all through the machine and it separates the root from the soil.
Cost £12k to get rid of it and put a special copper-lined membrane lining and same when the footings go in."

RLH33

I'll never forget an episode of Gardeners World that covered weeds and what to do to get rid of them. They covered the normal weeds like bindweed, ground elder etc and gave advice. However in the case of Japanese Knotweed Alan Titchmarsh packed his bag and said it was easier, and cheaper, to move!! Says it all really.

There is Japanese Knotweed on the site of the Olympic village in London and this has caused a major headache in the building work, it can grow through concrete!!

Is there any way you can write to the LL and explain that you have identified the weeds a Japanese Knotweed and that it is impossible to get rid of without laying out a hell of a lot of money. Explain that as a tenant you do not feel it is reasonable for him to expect you to deal with this or keep it under control, especially as you only have a 6mth tenancy. Also point out that the garden was overgrown when you moved in, and given the weeds are Japanese Knotweed, then you are not going to attempt to maintain the garden.

I think your dreams of a lawned garden for the summer are going to be dashed. Good luck though

Geenie

I would look for somewhere else and move out at the end of the tenancy. The LL should have dealt with it before letting and not left the burden on you. In the mean time get a goat or some sheep on loan, as I gather they graze this pest and keep it down.

Booradley_2

Wow sorry for my naive advice. Sounds like triffids would be easier to deal with. i had no idea

Boo

tbs624

Nicky - your only obligation is to return the garden in the same condition as when the property was let to you so take photos. The Royal Horticulture Society has this page on Japanese Knotweed: if this is what the plant is then it's up to the LL to sort it out.

Ulfar

If things go the way the tin hat brigade expect at least you will have a source of food as this stuff is edible.

If you don't fancy eating it then sheep or goats will.

tbs624

Ulfar wrote: »

If things go the way the tin hat brigade expect at least you will have a source of food as this stuff is edible.

Apparently must be harvested before mid-May: some say that it tastes similar to rhubarb, & you can even juice the stuff although large quantities will act as a laxative. Now there's a thought, if the LL won't get the stuff cleared for you............;)

tomterm8

Hm... chinese weed...

I think it's a little too soon to presume Japanese Knotweed, chinese weed is the common name for a number of weeds, everything from giant hogweed to chinese violet.

Does the weed look like any of these pictures? http://images.google.co.uk/images?hl=en&um=1&sa=1&q=japanese+knotweed&aq=f&oq=


Or, can you take a photo of it, so we can identify it?

N.b. the owner of a property has a does not have a legal duty to remove Japanese Knotweed. It is illegal to plant it. You must dispose of it properly. But in practice, as a house owner, you would be a fool not to remove it, because it could easily destroy your home.

Have you considered asking on the greenfingered board? It already has a thread http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=212975 .

Ulfar

It was there when you moved in and it will be there when you move out, Landlord cannot hold you responsible for this.

Keep any communication he has sent you were he has mentioned that he has been unable to get rid of the weed.