New Build Japanese Knotweed

gwilson30019

daveyjp said:

Which means responsibility for any future problems will rest with the landowner.

If this area is to become a common area for the estate the costs could fall with the residents via any management arrangements.

I would imagine this will fall within the management costs for sure. 

Does anyone know when completing a property questionnaire when selling what the exact wording is regarding knotweed? I.e. does it specific ‘your property’ or ‘adjacent land’ or a specific distance from boundary etc.

GDB2222

gwilson30019 said:

GDB2222 said:

What guarantee (backed by insurance) will the developers be providing against JKW?

The company contracted to treat the Japanese knotweed are registered with PCA and will guarantee for 10 years. Our biggest concern is the potential future detriment to house value? But not convinced we would be legally obliged to disclose knotweed presence on land not owned by us? And importantly, out with the 7m distance regularly quoted.

I'd really want an insurance-backed guarantee. One from a limited company that could go bust tomorrow isn't worth anything. 

Besides that, would the guarantee be transferable to you?

gwilson30019

GDB2222 said:

gwilson30019 said:

GDB2222 said:

What guarantee (backed by insurance) will the developers be providing against JKW?

The company contracted to treat the Japanese knotweed are registered with PCA and will guarantee for 10 years. Our biggest concern is the potential future detriment to house value? But not convinced we would be legally obliged to disclose knotweed presence on land not owned by us? And importantly, out with the 7m distance regularly quoted.

I'd really want an insurance-backed guarantee. One from a limited company that could go bust tomorrow isn't worth anything. 

Besides that, would the guarantee be transferable to you?

Sorry I didn’t specify it is an IBG.

daivid

Normally I take a view that Japanese Knotweed isn't a deal breaker as such - it is in almost every part of the country now. I would prefer to know it is nearby rather than have it near without knowing. However in this situation I share the concerns of hazyjo and others: how much was churned up and spread before it was first identified? Also if the treatment comes under the estate managment charge then you will be paying for it when really the developer should be taking the hit (though they would try to pass it on somehow or other). On top of that you have no idea who your neighbours will be and if they will notice or care if JK starts sprouting in their garden. I would look elsewhere.

Bwci

I'd not worry about it at all, especially if it's 9m from your boundary over a road. 

Knotweed will take the path of least resistance which is not the compacted land of the road. 

Plus there's a PCA plan in place which will require the company to make treat the knotweed until its had two years without any growth. 

Bwci

gwilson30019 said:

GDB2222 said:

What guarantee (backed by insurance) will the developers be providing against JKW?

The company contracted to treat the Japanese knotweed are registered with PCA and will guarantee for 10 years. Our biggest concern is the potential future detriment to house value? But not convinced we would be legally obliged to disclose knotweed presence on land not owned by us? And importantly, out with the 7m distance regularly quoted.

I can't see why you'd have to disclose it being 9m from your boundary. Otherwise where do you draw the line. 50m, 100m?

 It's over 7m which is what they say a rhizome can grow, but in truth they're generally around the 3m mark. 

Bwci

dexterwolf said:

I would be running to the hills . As say the developer says they are treating it and then in a year or two sell all the houses . Who is treating it then . Also testing it by spraying it once or twice a year is different to injecting the spindles . 

I would be very careful over the wording of the treatment cycle and also is it guaranteed they will treat till it is eradicated. Otherwise you might find your house is worth far less when you come to sell. 

We looked at a house that had it nearby and the house was sold for 40/50k less than what is was on at . 

They're PCA, so it'll be a minimum 3 years treatment with 2 years of monitoring. They'll have to come ensure there's 2 years with no new growth. 

Stem injection is no more effective than knapsack spraying. It's just used if it's raining, by certain watercourses or you don't want to risk spraying other plants. 

GDB2222

If you google Japanese Knotweed Valuation, there are any number of hits. Many of them suggest a devaluation of property values of 10%. Many also say that this is due to stigma, rather than because JKW is an insurmountable problem, and because it may be harder to get a mortgage.

If you believe that you can get rid of the JKW reasonably cheaply, I suppose the smart move is to buy a house for 10% less, and then be prepared to stay put for a good many years. The 10% will pay for the treatment, plus compensate you for the inconvenience.  The unsmart move is to pay full price for damaged goods.

It’s like the dented tins at supermarkets, which generally end up on the bargain shelf, even though there’s nothing wrong with the contents.