Mortgage Survey Didn't Identify Japanese Knotweed

leedslad_2

Hi all,

I'm wondering if I have any grounds for a complaint as I have bought a new house in May and taken out a mortgage with Santander. A basic survey was done and the japanese knotweed that is present at the bottom of my garden and neighboring gardens wasn't identified.

It is clearly visible and from the house only I wasn't aware of what it was until a friend pointed this out so it isn't a case that the surveyor couldn't have spotted it. Could it be ignored due to it being a certain distance away from the house?

Any advice would be helpful as I don't want to complain to Santander and then them state that they don't look for knotweed as only some mortgage lenders will decline if it is present and fob me off.

Has anyone else had this issue and what did you do?

Thanks very much.
Ryan

RAS

You can deal with this.

Check out the National Trust treatment for JN, which involves cutting it back in August and injecting with glysophate. It works a treat.

KateLiana27

If by "basic survey" you mean "mortgage valuation" (the minimum you would have been required to get for the mortgage, ie not a homebuyer's report, home condition report or buildings/full structural survey), then I highly doubt you will have any grounds for complaint. It is done to protect the mortgage company's investment and they have no duty to you. Some valuers just do a drive by and this is seen as acceptable.

Get a proper survey done (who knows what other horrors might be lurking), then get quotes to rectify the problems. Then decide if you want to continue with the purchase, renegotiate, or walk away.

leedslad_2

I've looked at that but i'm not sure it will work with it originating from under the tarmac and under a private road. If I can't resolve anything from the survey then the next step is gonna be to speak to the neighbours and get them to pay towards glysophate as there's no point just treating the knotweed that's in my garden.

KeziahOBE

Hi there,
I would be very wary about mentioning the knotweed to Santander. They have a policy of not lending on homes where knotweed is present. We were refused a mortgage on a property after the Santander's surveyor identified knotweed on his basic valuation survey. There was no room for negotiation or possible treatment- it was a blanket 'no'.
The knotweed was a good way from the house and the vendors paid for a four year treatment plan to eradicate it. we then went on to get a mortgage with HBOS who were happy to lend taking into account the treatment plan and the distance it was from the house.
I hope that's helpful.
Keziah

leedslad_2

Thanks all who have replied, I have already bought the house and got the mortgage so there's no walking away now. Keziah as you are saying Santander would not give you a mortgage in the exact same situation I am in I would believe that the surveyors have some kind of responsibility for not highlighting this? They are supposed to identify knotweed on a basic survey so it's not a case of me not having a case as I didn't take out a full survey surely?

funkymonkey849

RAS wrote: »

You can deal with this.

Check out the National Trust treatment for JN, which involves cutting it back in August and injecting with glysophate. It works a treat.

Agree with this. One of our neighbours obliterated the JN at the bottom of his garden with glyphosate - poured it on with a watering can. You don't need to cut it, just make sure the leaves get a good dose in their growing season. We plan to do the same with a patch that is too close to our property for comfort.

We bought our house last year and our survey didn't identify JN on the adjacent property, even though it was blindingly obvious. We put the sale on hold while we found out more info about the dreaded JN and our solicitor told santander who had offered us a mortgage!

In the end we contacted our council for advice and someone involved with the council JN eradication programme did a free report for us saying that he didn't think it posed a threat to the property. Santander granted the mortgage as long as we 'keep an eye on it', whatever that means!

Contact your local council as some of them will treat it for you, I know Caerphilly council will send someone round to spray

leedslad_2

I have contacted Leeds City Council and they sent me a really helpful message telling me that they offer no assistance in removing knotweed but if it damages any council land they will remove and charge me for any damage.

It is a good distance from my property and has been there a while and my neighbour is a reasonable guy so i'm sure he will be happy to tackle it together but it's the private road that it's growing along too that i can't be bothered dealing with. Also my house is an old granny shack and I have far more other things i'd rather be donating time and money to rather than £50 for professional glysophate every year!

RAS

You probably own some portion of the private road? I own part of my back street.

Do not pour expensive chemical on the plants and pollute waterways and drains. Cut the stems a few inches above ground and inject with a syringe. It took one morning to clear a massive thicket between three of us.

Drop copies of that LCC reply through everyones' letter boxes and have a chat about the need to deal with it. You will get a little regrowth next year, which you can paint a couple of times. Much better than seeing it flowering in your house?

KeziahOBE

OP- yes, the surveyor should have identified it in his original valuation survey. Ours was picked up at their basic valuation (we were going to pay for a home buyers survey separately). He was a remiss in not identifying it, but I doubt there would be much point in putting a complaint in. I guess it might make him more careful in the future, or get him into trouble but I can't see that you'd get any money out of them for treating it- the valuation was for their purposes really in establishing whether they'd lend on the property so if anyone should take issue with the surveyor it should be Santander.
I think the most effective treatment consists of injecting glyphosate into the stems of the plant several times a year for a couple of years. Sounds time consuming though! Our vendors paid £5000 for a treatment plan that spans four years and gives a guarantee of eradicating it permanently. The company providing the treatment is apparently working with mortgage providers to give them training about Japanese knotweed, in order to get more of a standardised response as to where and when it poses a real problem.
For what it's worth, if I were in your position, I would treat it myself with weed killer and not panic too much about it. I think there has been a huge over reaction generally about this plant. Although it can be a pain and can damage buildings, it can also be treated quite easily.
Keziah

RAS

KeziahOBE wrote: »

I think the most effective treatment consists of injecting glyphosate into the stems of the plant several times a year for a couple of years. Sounds time consuming though! Our vendors paid £5000 for a treatment plan that spans four years and gives a guarantee of eradicating it permanently. The company providing the treatment is apparently working with mortgage providers to give them training about Japanese knotweed, in order to get more of a standardised response as to where and when it poses a real problem.

EEK - I am in the wrong job.

I think it cost us about a tenner?