If you discover your property or land has Japanese Knotweed growth, then you will need to take action – it cannot be ignored.
Even if you treat or remove the Japanese Knotweed before selling, by law you will need to let the buyer know there has been a history of Japanese Knotweed at the property.
If you’re selling your property and have Japanese Knotweed, you will be required to answer a set of pre-contract questions in a form known as a TA6. This form will ask: –
The first step is to have a professional survey by a Property Care Association (PCA) member (Southwest Knotweed) who is a certified surveyor in Japanese knotweed (csjk) to initially confirm the presence of Japanese Knotweed and assess the extent of the problem. This includes highlighting any risks and compiling a comprehensive report with a proposed programme of works for remediation covered by a 10 year Insurance Backed Guarantee (IBG). Most mortgage companies for your buyer will require this process in place to proceed.
Japanese Knotweed is a non-native invasive plant that can cause damage to property and requires several years of treatment to stop the plant from being able to produce further growth.
A Japanese Knotweed management plan can help to control the spread of Japanese Knotweed and stop the plant from being able to produce new growth.
Most management plans provide a record of works carried out to control Japanese Knotweed. They can provide reassurance to mortgage lenders who may be concerned about the impact of Japanese Knotweed on the value of the property.
Sellers should provide a copy of any Japanese Knotweed management plan to the buyer.
Recently Southwest Knotweed have surveyed many properties where the seller failed to disclose Japanese Knotweed being present on their property, leaving the buyer no option but to make a legal claim against the seller. This can end up costing thousands in legal costs and very expensive for the seller if found guilty of intentionally not disclosing the Japanese Knotweed.
Identification Service