Japanese knotweed - is it as bad of a nightmare as people say it is?

fourmarks · 23 June 2023 at 12:07AM

saucer said:

There is a lot of over the top anxiety about this. My garden backs onto the railway, and there was Japanese Knotweed when we moved in adjacent to us. I killed myself years ago using a systemic weed killer. It is a problem if it is in your garden but can be dealt with. What you are talking about is something that Network Rail should, and will, deal with. I would lose any sleep over it based on my experience and reading, despite all the alarmist comments to the contrary.

Bit drastic.

saucer · 23 June 2023 at 12:09AM

fourmarks said:

saucer said:

There is a lot of over the top anxiety about this. My garden backs onto the railway, and there was Japanese Knotweed when we moved in adjacent to us. I killed myself years ago using a systemic weed killer. It is a problem if it is in your garden but can be dealt with. What you are talking about is something that Network Rail should, and will, deal with. I would lose any sleep over it based on my experience and reading, despite all the alarmist comments to the contrary.

Bit drastic.

😂 It all got too much

fourmarks · 23 June 2023 at 12:11AM

Glad so see you made a full recovery.

Blank11 · 23 June 2023 at 8:37AM

user1977 said:

Bear in mind that whatever the cost is of dealing with JK in communal areas, you'd only be paying x% of it (and assuming the development is factored, not even have to think about it) - bit different from having it spread into your own garden and having 100% of the costs (as well as the practicalities of sorting it out).

Thanks what you are saying definitely feels a lot better as others would chip in. But given factors dealing with it I can imagine cost would be much more expensive!

Blank11 · 23 June 2023 at 8:40AM

Thanks for the replies and I don’t feel Japanese knotweed is as bad as what people make it out to be. I’d like to hope if in the future I decide to sell then it won’t affect house price even after treatment, which I am not sure if that is the case as people might fear it will come back.

tooldle · 23 June 2023 at 9:09AM

There is recent research suggesting control of knotweed rather than elimination, to be effective. Far cheaper and possibly better for the environment long term

SeanG79 · 23 June 2023 at 9:39AM

Knotweed is not as bad as has largely been reported. We found knotweed in a buy-to-let property we were selling and put it on a treatment plan. In my research, there was much mention of structural damage to property but I never saw a case in the UK where an actively lived in property had the structural damages touted.

Also, RICS issued new guidance in 2022 - https://www.rics.org/content/dam/ricsglobal/documents/standards/Japanese knotweed_October 2022.pdf

I would not be put off purchasing a house/flat with knotweed nearby as it can be managed - I would however reduce my offer to reflect the stigma that is still attached to knotweed. My guess is that we lost circa 10% in sale price because of the knotweed even though it was on an insurance backed treatment plan.

Blank11 · 23 June 2023 at 9:47AM

I have viewed the property and the railway line is just after the car park so it is pretty close!

That is great to hear it is more manageable than thought to be. I guess now it is a matter of whether I’d be able to negotiate a reduction and if not if I should walk away.

user1977 · 23 June 2023 at 9:54AM

What's "your" flat's share of common costs for the grounds? I wouldn't see it as a walk-away thing at all, even if you have costs it's not going to be thousands per flat or anything daft like that.