Japanese Knotweed

jolester

One thing after another.....

Mortgage valuation has come back 10k less than agreed price as the surveyor believes there may be Japanese knotweed at the top of the garden.

The mortgage company will still lend on the property as it is 20 or so metres away, however, they want a report confirming whether it is or it isn't knotweed, and also the treatment plan.

If it isn't knotweed then I take it we have just forked out £270 for no reason but if nothing else is devaluing the property from the mortgage co point of view would this just mean they would lend the original agreed amount?

Also, if there is knotweed then obviously the house is valued at 10k less and this is all they'll lend against, but the knotweed company I have spoken with have said they want the money upfront to treat (starting price 2500) does this mean we'll then be hit form both sides? Paying to remove the knotweed and also still 10k down?

Thanks for any help and hope you can give me !

csgohan4

Ask the vendor to reduce the price of the house or get it treated and remind them this problem won't go away with another buyer as the surveyor will find the same thing.

jimbog

jolester wrote: »

If it isn't knotweed then I take it we have just forked out £270 for no reason

Not so, if it is knotweed the £270 survey has saved you tens of thousands of pounds - a no brainer!

jolester

Thanks for response.

I am the vendor and I am the one paying for the report Monday. My query comes when the mortgage company say they will only lend the buyer 105k (because of the problem) which is 10k less than originally agreed, but the knotweed company say if there is knotweed which originates on our property "we" need to pay for the treatment upfront.

I guess im concerned we'll be hit for the treatment bill AND the reduced mortgage valuation price based on what was said.

Also, we only bought the property a year ago, should our mortgage valuer have picked this up if if was there then? If so do we have any recourse to claim anything as we'd have probably looked to renegotiate the price knowing this problem was there.

Rambosmum

Get a second quote for the work- ours cost £500. If treated quickly it being that far away from the property will cause you not harm. You won't be able to plant anything there though for 3 - 5 years. Make sure the company you go with gives a guarentee of work. Most companies will give you a free quote/ confirmation letter or you can redeem the cost of the survey against work if you use them.

Hoploz

I would get the second quote suggested, and have it removed regardless of selling etc as it is a problem that won't go away and could become really bad.

It's possible you bought out of season and it wasn't visible. It could have been cut back in autumn and dormant and not noticeable until the following spring/summer?

I would ask further details via solicitor regarding the mortgage survey. EA will only give you a single sentence answer and brush over things in a simplified way. Ask your solicitor to get clarification from the buyer's lender on whether or not if the knotweed is dealt with and a guarantee issued then they will value it at the agreed price.

PaulCooper

I realise mortgage companies won't accept this but

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I found JKweed in the garden, not huge amounts admittedly, I treated it myself with the gel that you paint on leaves (r----up) when it died, I bagged it and burnt it. the following year there were a couple of shoots, I did the same

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meticulously painting every leaf just as it starts to flower.
It's all gone, famous last words of course, but it hasn't showed this year
Paul

makeyourdaddyproud

PaulCooper wrote: »

I realise mortgage companies won't accept this but

---

I found JKweed in the garden, not huge amounts admittedly, I treated it myself with the gel that you paint on leaves (r----up) when it died, I bagged it and burnt it. the following year there were a couple of shoots, I did the same

---

meticulously painting every leaf just as it starts to flower.
It's all gone, famous last words of course, but it hasn't showed this year
Paul

That's all well and good but are your neighbours doing the same? If they aren't, then you're wasting your time.


Why, oh why do people think JKW is ONLY confined to their garden and that's the end of it? Strange.

TBeckett100

Surprised people don't snip it and look for a new buyer

jolester

Apparently whether the flower is or isn't knotweed it is now registered with quest which is an online portal all surveyors access so it would be investigated from this point forward if we did just chop down and look to resell

Rambosmum

makeyourdaddyproud wrote: »

That's all well and good but are your neighbours doing the same? If they aren't, then you're wasting your time.


Why, oh why do people think JKW is ONLY confined to their garden and that's the end of it? Strange.

when we had ours treated it was bordering on a neighbours property, though not visible. As the roots can spread 7ft we offered to treat some of their garden too.

The jk was not our fault- the previous owners had cut it down during the sale period. As the originating property it's good manners (and to your benefit) to treat any affected property as otherwise it could come back.

It's not the huge issue people think it is though, you need to shop around for quotes and there are several 'solutions'.