What's the norm? - mortgages and Japanese Knotweed

cloo

Yes, we treated a small stand ourselves. Treated as per RHS guidelines for three years, clear after that for over two years. We were very lucky with our sale though - almost got caught in a catch 22 where we might have been considered 'blighted' by knotweed, but wouldn't be able to get a mortgage-backed guarantee treatment because there would have been nothing to treat! However, by the time the sale was progressing, we were into the second season without regrowth, plus our vendor had treated kw herself before and wasn't concerned by it.

Really the current situation is absurd. It is treatable, I don't even know if there's any proof it has ever actually structurally damaged a building with foundations in this country (sheds and garden walls maybe, but whole structures?) and no one publicises the fact you can get mortgage backed guaranteed work done by professionals.

I wish that, rather than melodramatically turning down mortgages, lenders on properties with KW would just say that having it treated by qualified pros is a condition of the mortgage. Risk removed, sale saved and the cost of an extra few K. It would be much less alarming and would save sales.

moneyistooshorttomention

Re "proof it has ever damaged buildings" will this do?

- ie google "Japanese knotweed building damage images".

Davesnave

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

Where I've come from, I wouldn't even think to look in a garden of a house I was viewing for it - but, in this area I'm now in, I wouldn't dream of not checking/having my surveyor checking the ground (and neighbours ground) with a fine toothcomb. You soon learn of the need to check in some areas...

Can we put a stop to this mythology now, please?


You keep insisting that JK wasn't an issue in the previous place that you lived in, but the evidence suggests otherwise.


I know, it depends on how one defines 'area,' but you are being very parochial with your definition.


I used to live within 1/4 mile of the Royal Crescent in Bath, and there was knotweed there, close to all those World Heritage buildings.


It's everywhere.


http://bsbi.org/maps/#taxonid=2cd4p9h.vr0&taxon=Fallopia japonica

cloo

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

Re "proof it has ever damaged buildings" will this do?

- ie google "Japanese knotweed building damage images".

Fair enough point and I know if causes damage, but I suppose I meant in terms of has it made a place uninhabitable? Has anywhere been condemned because of JK damage?

Damp damages buildings too, and is also treatable, if sometimes also tricky but lenders will still lend on properties with it or other problems. So why not JK, which is treatable and, where it's just a small stand, easily contained and prevented from causing damage to a property? Why not, in the very least, distinguish between volumes of it that pose a risk and ones that don't, IMO.

moneyistooshorttomention

cloo wrote: »

Fair enough point and I know if causes damage, but I suppose I meant in terms of has it made a place uninhabitable? Has anywhere been condemned because of JK damage?

There are images of it pulling walls apart literally on google images.

Try this one:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2052337/Hertfordshire-couple-demolish-300k-home-rid-Japanese-knotweed.html

ruggedtoast

The roots spread out in a far greater diameter than the above ground vegetation. They then sprout new shoots so it can spread far and fast. Chopping down the bits you can see wont stop it spreading or growing back. The root system has to be poisoned and monitored yearly.

Its bred to survive in volcanic rubble so is pretty hardy.

moneyistooshorttomention

Thank you RT. It can only be to the good for more people to be informed about this etc.

I'm just sitting here feeling a bit shocked about exactly how complaisant some people are about JK. I've been told how to check out Googlemaps Streetview for previous years and just done so for the main culprit in this area (ie a householder who just cant be bothered to deal with it appropriately). I can see clearly from the Google Streetview that it has been in their garden since at least 2009!!!!:eek: So just why haven't they dealt with it yet.....?

Off for some more historical browsing....

EDIT: If anyone else wants to check on a property - get the property concerned up on Google Streetview and then click on the clock timer in that black box on top left-hand side of screen and then move the slider that will come up to desired year.

moneyistooshorttomention

Postscript now of the 3 locations near me with JK and:

- 1. Had it since at least 2009. Knows what it is. Taking very half-hearted action about it.

- 2. Had it for a while. Knows what it is. Taking very half-hearted action. Shrugs shoulders in "couldn't care less" fashion.

- 3. Had it for a while. Knows what it is. Taking no action whatsoever. The property concerned is for sale at a higher value than it is worth (by the standards of not having JK). No acknowledgement of the fact that the price is due to be a lot lower than would otherwise be expected because of the JK.

.....Yep....complaisant is definitely the correct word to use (and - rather an understatement at that) re those plots around here:eek::(.

Hopes some more mortgage companies will be reading this....

Rambosmum

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

Hopes some more mortgage companies will be reading this....

Why? All that will do is make it much harder for the property to be sold to someone who will do something about.

As with our house the property had had JK for about 3 years before we bought it, and about 3 years after (because we didn't know what it was). In that time it didn't move. Remained entirely within our front garden, in a 10ft x 3ft area. When we had it treated they sprayed the whole area, the neighbours front garden and the side of our house, just to be sure, because of the roots.

What's your issue? Is it in your property, or are you concerned it may spread to it?

moneyistooshorttomention

All properties get sold at some point one way or another. If its harder for people with JK to sell their properties, then I would say there is a much bigger chance they will deal with it (ie so that they can sell it if they decide to/have to).

My concern is that JK usually spreads and I can certainly see that it is doing so in the property that most concerns me. As you stated, the neighbouring property to yours had been affected by the previous owner of your house as well (ie it had to be treated).

As I guess is obvious, I started off by naively thinking that if someone had JK on their property it was because they didn't know what it was and that, if told what it was, they would deal with it appropriately. This hasn't proven to be the case. Hence the need for an incentive to do so.