Knotweed on Council Owned Land

Sprite18

So we've found a property that we like very much and ticks quite a lot of our boxes and all was going well until the Agents pointed out that the adjoining land which is council owned has japanese knotweed present on it, it's like a little patch of waste land between the property and a layby. Although the Estate Agent said it wouldn't be a problem.....we aren't stupid and know that most of what they say is far from the truth, from our experience anyway. So my question is if it is council owned land that the knotweed is present on does the council have some sort of responsibility to put a treatment plan in place? We haven't offered or anything on the property as we want to see if it is actually worth pursuing before we spend any money on the process. Normally I would just walk away but we've been looking for ages and really like the property :-/ Oh and to add we have contacted the council to see if it has been treated before or if there is anything in place to get it treated......they are apparently getting back to us.

[Deleted User]

I'd run like the wind if I were you. JK causes enough problems when it's your responsibility to take care of, I certainly wouldn't leave it in the hands of the council.

If you've found a property you like, you will find others.

princeofpounds

They have a legal responsibility not to allow it to spread (criminal and civil nuisance - the latter more relevant to you), but there is not direct compulsion for them to remove it, although they probably will eventually if people complain.


It may be difficult to get a mortgage without a treatment plan being in place. The vendor really should have got hold of this already if it existed. If there isn't one, I would spend your time elsewhere.

GoldenShadow

Run, run for the hills.

elsien

If it's anything like my local council where knotweed is endemic in some areas, they do their best but do not have the finances to treat it properly. Some bad areas they spray every autumn, other areas don't seem to get touched.
You could always try contacting the council directly to see what (if any) plans they have.

Sprite18

So, we did contact the council and they have responded to say that they weren't aware of it on that piece of land and that they have added it to their treatment plan which will begin in the next few weeks and will continue until it is completely eradicated. For one minute I don't believe that this will satisfy a mortgage lender but any similar experiences and what you did would be great :-) If we hadn't been looking for ages and had countless issues with every property we've liked then I'd be running.......I think I'm jogging at the moment so I either need a kick up the bum or a magic wand!!

Davesnave

Sprite18 wrote: »

I either need a kick up the bum or a magic wand!!

There's nothing magical about JK, but it is more hopeful if a public body have it rather than some private individual or company. As you've found, they are more likely to take their responsibilities seriously and act in situations which could expose them to legal risk and financial consequences.

So, while you'll get the Daily Mail readers telling you to run away etc,if this house is better than you'd othewise find for the money, then I wouldn't write it off just yet.

Obviously everything depends on your lender. With this in mind, I'd try to have a site meeting with the senior person in the relevant council dept asap. He/she will be most likely to assist you best in the dialogue with the lender which will follow and you'll want to suss him/her out with this mind. What, for example, is the council willing to put in writing re an action plan?

JK is not impossible to get rid of and beside lay-bys is exactly where new stands are likely to spring up, through people illegally dumping the stuff. If this stand hasn't been around long, it will be that much easier to deal with.

I hope you get the assistance you need here.

cloo

Sadly, knotweed isn't so much the problem as lenders and I might say forget about it on that account. JK is perfectly manageable with a treatment plan in place, but many lenders won't even countenance properties adjoining a plot with it.