Japanese Knotweed: top tips for selling an affected property

Ben Gurluk

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Japanese Knotweed ('Fallopia Japonica') is a highly invasive plant that requires special measures to control it, prevent it from spreading or remove it for good. 

The plant's roots can cause damage to property, so its presence nearby is a concern to home buyers and mortgage lenders

• Reported problems with Japanese Knotweed include:
• Damage and blockage to drains and other buried services
• The collapse of boundary or garden walls
• Buckling and other damage to drives, patios and similar paved areas
• Damage to the foundations of conservatories, outbuildings and even house foundations (especially older properties which often have shallow foundations)

Top tips for selling a property affected by Japanese knotweed, according to Environet:

• Commission a Japanese knotweed survey immediately to determine the extent of the problem
• Put a professional treatment plan in place before marketing the property. Don’t be tempted to try and treat the knotweed yourself first
• Insist on an IBG (insurance-backed guarantee) for the work, which protects the homeowner and lender even if the knotweed company ceases trading
• Always declare the presence of knotweed on the TA6 Property Information Form, completed by all sellers as part of the conveyancing process.