Japanese knotweed?

student100

I've just been to visit the house we are in the process of buying (we've had survey, mortgage valuation, searches back and all were basically OK, I was just visiting to see the house again and check a few minor points from the survey).

After the estate agent left I was mooching around a bit and I noticed something a little concerning.

Next to the house is a vacant plot. In fact the title deeds for the house show that this plot was retained when the land for the house was sold to the present owner who built the house in the late 80's and it doesn't look like it has ever been built on since.

In the middle of the plot is a bright green plant, there's another smaller patch further along the plot. I took some photos from the road with my phone, they're not great but have a look:

https://goo.gl/photos/eKHnpsvY7e2YyLrv7

Is this Japanese Knotweed? Comparing to pictures online it certainly looked similar from a distance, some of the stems were zig-zaggy and a bit red.


And if it is Japanese Knotweed, what if anything should we do about it? You can see the house we are buying in some of the photos, I think from the big clump it's maybe 1.5-2 metres or so to the boundary wall, and then there's a big leylandii hedge which is in the property we'd be buying (maybe a metre wide?) then a tarmac drive, maybe 2.5 metres wide, and then the house wall starts. So possibly the knotweed (if that's what is is) is about 5 metres from the wall of the house.

moneyistooshorttomention

Looking at those photos - came to conclusion that its a good chance that it is.

But I'm wondering if you have any close-ups - be it of the "bush" as a whole/the stems/whatever.....for a better look.

student100

You can zoom in a bit on google photos but unfortunately I couldn't get any close-ups - I didn't really want to jump the fence to get up close.

moneyistooshorttomention

Tried as much "zooming in" as I could manage by clicking on the photos.

I'm rather more convinced that it is - I can spot the little "tip" at the end of the leaves that is one of the identifying signs to me.

I feel we could still do with a closer look at it.

For the amount of money one has to spend to get a house - I'd be in over that wall personally and getting very "up close and personal" with it to take closer photos.

Think that would be worth your while to do that - 5 minutes of potential embarrassment compared to LOADSA hassle if it is = no contest in my book.

I'd clamber over and be ready with my best smile/highest appearance of confidence at the ready if anyone found me doing so. Personally - I think the risk is very low - and you're entitled to.

e13

I agree with moneyis - I'd be up and taking photos from very close if there was any way I could get over the fence without getting stuck in the garden.

Upsides include the fact that if the house is vacant and you've had got a mortgage accepted, you can likely hop back over the fence with some appropriate weedkiller (something glyphosphate?) and keep going til the stuff is gone when you've moved in. (Assuming you decide to complete the purchase.)

I'm reasonably surprised the valuer didn't spot it and have a hissy fit!

Some people might well balk at buying a house with the stuff that close, but I'm afraid I wouldn't know enough to advise on that!

daveyjp

No close up required. 100% knotweed. However relatively small self contained stands such as that can be eradicated quickly if done properly.

Those plants will have appeared in the last 4-6 weeks. Thats how fast it grows.

student100

OK. I guess I should have done that. It's about an hour's drive to the property though it's nearer to where I work so I could try and go in the week and check it out.

If it is knotweed, what next? We've had our mortgage valuation/homebuyers report, which didn't mention it, but I guess the surveyor probably didn't notice it (and a few weeks ago maybe it wasn't as obvious?).

student100

I crossed posts with the others above. I guess the choices are either ignore it, move in, and then try and either treat it myself by going on to the adjoining land or by asking the landowner to get rid of it. Or tell my solicitor, and ultimately the vendor, and make him do something about it probably by trying to persuade the landowner. I guess if I tell the solicitor then she's obliged to tell the mortgage company too and that might cause problems?

HappyMJ

student100 wrote: »

OK. I guess I should have done that. It's about an hour's drive to the property though it's nearer to where I work so I could try and go in the week and check it out.

If it is knotweed, what next? We've had our mortgage valuation/homebuyers report, which didn't mention it, but I guess the surveyor probably didn't notice it (and a few weeks ago maybe it wasn't as obvious?).

If you mention this to your mortgage provider it can make the property unable to be mortgaged until it's removed so it would depend if you want the property or not.

It's expensive to remove.

glasgowdan

Yes it's knotweed. Buy some roundup and just whack it 3 times a season. Seeing that outwith a property wouldn't stop me buying it, though I'd use it as leverage for a better price.

glasgowdan

HappyMJ wrote: »

It's expensive to remove.

It's really not. Buy some roundup, spray it, then when it's dead chop it down and burn it.