Japanese knotweed?

student100

glasgowdan wrote: »

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.

That's what I'm thinking. But if I want to negotiate a reduced price on that basis, I'll have to tell the solicitor won't I? And since she also acts for the mortgage lender won't she have to tell them? And they'll want an official treatment plan that might cost £££...

HappyMJ

glasgowdan wrote: »

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 wrote: »

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

If you don't mind fighting it for years...sure.

A contractor will have access to stronger chemicals and kill it much sooner.

To get a mortgage the OP will need to employ a contractor to remove it after completion...at a cost.

The mortgage company may even hold back some money as a retention until the work is completed.

MobileSaver

HappyMJ wrote: »

It's expensive to remove.

Cheap as chips to get rid of that yourself.

The proper stuff for it is called Rosate 36 and will kill it off in about four weeks.

HappyMJ

MobileSaver wrote: »

Cheap as chips to get rid of that yourself.

The proper stuff for it is called Rosate 36 and will kill it off in about four weeks.

As the link states.... This Product is a Ministry approved Professional Product (MAPP). Therefore its use is regulated and the end user MUST be trained and comply with the associated DEFRA and HSE codes of practice.

It's not for amateur use and the mortgage company will not agree to an untrained person using it.

On your own property go ahead and use it but that's not going to work for the OP who needs a mortgage.

Dan83

Don't bother with round up or rosate 36, they are brand names and will cost more. Buy glyphosate, that is the main chemical in both of them brands, and it's not that expensive.

I buy it from a local allotment shop, 200ml for £2 (last time I bought it).

missbiggles1

glasgowdan wrote: »

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

If only it were that easy - that'll keep it in check but it won't eradicate it.

moneyistooshorttomention

glasgowdan wrote: »

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

It's a 3-5 year treatment programme as I understand it. That being = spray it (or inject it) every year for 3-5 years and I believe it gets steadily "weaker".

The other alternative to spraying it is to inject each stem (which would be my preferred alternative if I got desperate enough to use chemicals). Ditto - of being 3-5 years.

I'm told by people that go round this area eradicating it that this is how it goes. As for "killing" it - they say one has to remove literally every last single trace of it. Otherwise - spraying/injecting it basically kills it to all intents and purposes BUT the soil isnt "back to normal" and carry on as per usual unless its all been very carefully removed (I do know of a couple of people who - very painstakingly did exactly that and all is "back to normal" as if it had never been). However - I've been told the several years of treatment programme means its gone - BUT do not start "digging around" literally on that ground in case its just been subdued into "dormancy" - but digging "woke it up" again so to say.

Just reporting what I've been told by them - as I just assumed that that several years treatment meant = problem over as if it had never been iyswim.

student100

Thanks for the suggestions regarding exactly how to treat it, however that's not my main problem. Currently I don't own either the house or the adjoining land (which is affected), so I can't really start any form of treatment at this stage.

We do want to buy the house (I don't think this will cause us to walk away) though it might affect our offer. Currently I've not spoken to anyone about the knotweed. The surveyor didn't seem to notice it and our mortgage has been approved. Presumably though, if it comes to the mortgage company's attention, they might rescind the offer?

And if I tell our solicitor, she'll have to tell the mortgage company?


But if I don't tell the solicitor, or the mortgage company, there's the risk that the landowner doesn't treat the knotweed and it gets worse and starts to affect the property (or at least the resale value if a future surveyor spots it). I could either try to treat it myself, trespassing on the land to do so, which as discussed above may or may not be successful, or I could try to get the landowner to treat it himself or professionally, but he might not do anything (as far as I can tell there is no obligation for a landowner to treat it until it starts to cause a "nuisance"?).




I guess I'm going to have to go down the official route, via solicitors, and presumably then get the vendor to get the landowner to put an official management plan in place that will satisfy the mortgage company so I can buy the house?

carefullycautious

I would not want to touch this with a barge pole. It could end up costing you thousands to treat it. You can guarantee that the shoots will be coming up into your garden if they aren't already.


If you are intent of buying why don't you pay to have a professional out to give you an estimate on what the potential cost could be?

daveyjp

I'd flag it with the EA and let them pass the info onto the seller. Its then down to them to decide what to do.